A jazz piano man that has the ability to write flawlessly for horns, Shulman steps into the spotlight for a change and leads the next generation of San Francisco jazzbos in a wild, post bop romp in a date that shows chops, sly humor and loads of high octane great playing. Proving what a powerful source pent up energy is, Shulman is here to show the rest of the country that he can write his own ticket and impress all who lend an ear. Hot... read more
During the past year or so, I've noticed a significant increase in the number of albums released by musicians who have 1) earned advanced college degrees; 2) played with numerous "name" artists during and subsequent to, their educational years; 3) returned to colleges to become professors; and, finally, 4) formed bands and then recorded with them.
This release features just such a pair. Paul Tynan, born in Ontario, Canada, moved to Houston,... read more
With a long gap between albums as a leader, saxophonist Mark O'Connor leads his group through a fairly casual set on Suspended Reality, building a layer of instrumentation around a focal set of sax lines. The sound is locked into a slight blues groove for most of the proceedings, O'Connor combining with piano and bass to provide a strong night club aesthetic. Just a hint of gospel creeps in when it's called for, just a bit of soul-jazz creeps in... read more
Saxophonist Shawn Maxwell's musicianship has been lauded by fellow musicians and critics alike as he's become one of the pre-eminent performers in Chicago jazz. With several recordings featuring his quartet or his sonically expanded "Alliance," Shawn Maxwell's New Tomorrow adds the singular trumpet voices of three of Chicago's finest - Victor Garcia, Chad McCullough, and Corey Wilkes - to his working quartet for a set of nine modern,... read more
The ever-evolving — and expanding — Shelly Rudolph's story continues onward and upward with the release of her latest album, the ambitious and atmospheric The Way We Love. Soul-jazz-pop chanteuse Rudolph has long been a favored voice around her hometown of Portland, Oregon, and musical travels have taken her to New York, Los Angeles, the West Indies, Japan, Korea and beyond. She has been dubbed a "robust and captivating vocalist" by... read more
Over the last decade, trumpeter Erik Jekabson has established himself as one of the leading lights of post-bop jazz in the San Francisco area. A native of Berkeley, California, Jekabson studied jazz and classical composition, first at the Oberlin Conservatory, and later at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. As a professional, he divides his time between performing and teaching in the Bay Area, including at the California Jazz Conservatory.... read more
Francesco Crosara, an Italian based in Seattle, plays piano and Yamaha MODX-8 synthesizer on this album. With three line-ups, each with drums, two with an electric bass, one with a double bass. An album heavily influenced by Chick Corea who also liked to play with different musicians, well-known or young to discover. Crosara plays his own music plus covers, such as that of Erik Satie's Gymnopédie n°4. "I made the pieces according to the... read more
Randy Napoleon sure does put an inimitable spin on the work Gregg Hill, where he employs vocals, many different instruments, and a versatile approach to jazz across these 11 diverse tracks.
"Andy's Lament" starts the listen with warm vocal scatting from Aubrey Johnson, as crisp drumming from Quincy Davis and Napoleon's fluid guitar lines make an indelible impression, and "Fan-O-Gram" follows with a swift and swingin' pace of playful bass... read more
This is just a small collection of the OA2 Records reviews. Click here to view all reviews or try to Search for your favorite CD title.
Ted Piltzecker - Vibes on a Breath
by Tom Haugen, Take Effect
Jason Keiser - Shaw's Groove
by Michael van Gee, Jazz'n'More (Switzerland)
Stephen Jones & Ben Haugland - Road to Nowhere
by Michael van Gee, Jazz'n'More (Switzerland)
Francesco Crosara - Circular Motion
by Anne Carlini, EXCLUSIVE MAGAZINE
Francesco Crosara - Circular Motion
by Music Editor, Udite Udite (Italy)
Francesco Crosara - Circular Motion
by Luca d’Alessandro, Jazz'NMore (Switzerland)
Francesco Crosara - Circular Motion
by Jean-Claude Vantroyen, LE SOIR (Belgium)
Francesco Crosara - Circular Motion
by Abe Beeson, KNKX, The New Cool
Francesco Crosara - Circular Motion
by Arts Editor, Times-Standard
Jun Iida - Evergreen
by Scott Yanow, DownBeat