Browse some recent OA2 Reviews.
Jay Lawrence - Thermal Strut
by Dr. Judith Schlesinger, All About Jazz
Drummer Jay Lawrence has a long and serious resume which includes teaching, composing, arranging, and working with everyone from Sammy Davis and Cher to Phil Woods and James Moody. While he's been on more than ninety recordings, this is his first as a leader -- and it's a corker.
This is partly because Lawrence couldn't have chosen better shipmates for his maiden voyage: Lynn Seaton, an always-in-demand bassist whose playing is unusually... read more
Grupo Los Santos - Clave Heart
by Raul Da Gama, Latin Jazz Net
Grupo Los Santos is a small ensemble that melds together a number of idioms and metaphors that are culled from jazz to Afro-Caribbean in a powerful, muscular mix of music that is original and memorable.
On Clave Heart this music emerges with much swagger and rhythmic intensity as each song unfurls narrating the story of a journey that is flush with melodic invention, harmonic complexity and rhythmic excitement. Most interesting of all is the... read more
Idit Shner & Mhondoro - Heat Wave
by Jane Kozhevnikova, All About Jazz
Idit Shner, a saxophonist from Israel based in Eugene, Oregon, has a wide range of musical influences in the projects she has recorded. Her albums have been published on OA2 Records and Origin Classical and have something to offer for any listener. Grounded in the jazz traditions, she has kept reinventing herself musically, so that she has always something to say, as an artist.
On top of being a brilliant saxophonist, educator, and composer,... read more
Electric Squeezebox Orchestra - Cheap Rent
by Hobart Taylor, KUCI, Irvine, CA
From San Francisco, this big band is very hip and contemporary, just ahead of the beat. When you think "here are the same old moves," harmonies shift, intonation varies and yet none of the swing is lost.... read more
Jeff Baker - Monologue
by Stephen Latessa, All About Jazz
Monologue is not the most appropriate title for vocalist Jeff Baker's followup to Baker Sings Chet. To his credit, Baker cedes plenty of the spotlight to his band. The result is far more conversational than its title would lead one to believe.
Singers seem to fall into one of two categories. The first is the Tony Bennett/Nat King Cole type, acting as a warm and trusted friend you can turn to when you are down and out. The second is the Frank... read more
Rich Pellegrin - Down
by Robert Ham, Downbeat
The heart of Rich Pellegrin's new album is its title track. The pianist hands the music over first to just his regular ensemble, a limber quintet that caresses the smooth curves and supple give of the tune's wintry melody. They interrupt the flow of the song with a gentle rudeness; tenor saxophonist Neil Welch playing with percussive plosives and drummer Christopher Icasiano tumbling in the background with brushes and light cymbal hits. Later,... read more
Wil Swindler - Space Bugs
by George W Harris, Jazz Weekly
Playing alto sax, soprano sax and flute, Will Swindler leads a swinging team of Peter Sommer/ts, April Johannesen/bck. Tom Myer/fl, Dawn Kramer-Bagriel Mervine/tp-fh, Darren Kramer/tb, Susan McCullough/hrn, Ben Markley/p, Matt Smiley/b and Dru Heller through a romping "live" in studio album of originals and a cover or two.
His soprano is sweet on the gracefully arranged "Annika", with his alto swaying in pretty form on "Passage". Heller's... read more
Stephen Jones & Ben Haugland - Road to Nowhere
by Ed Sapiega, Jazz Views (UK)
Stephen Jones is the Director of Jazz Studies and Associate Professor at Texas Tech University and the coordinator of the Texas Tech/Phi Mu Alpha Jazz Festival. He has played with artists including Dave Brubeck, Conti Candoli, Maynard Ferguson, Slide Hampton, and Tom Harrell.
Ben Haugland is an Associate Professor at Texas Tech University. Haugland has played with jazz artists including Randy Brecker, Chris Potter, Donny McCaslin, Bob... read more
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