Browse some recent OA2 Reviews.
George Cotsirilos - Mostly in Blue
by John Heidt, Vintage Guitar Magazine
One of today's finest jazz guitarists and composers, Cotsirilos has an unerring sense of swing and melody. His solos, while displaying accuracy and technique, are filled with soul. He's the whole works on the 45 second intro to the standard "I Wish I Knew," followed by the tune's memorable melody and fine soloing.... read more
Florian Hoefner - Falling Up
by Jon Neudorf, Sea of Tranquility
Florian Hoefner is a German born pianist with an incredibly strong resume. He graduated from the Manhattan School Of Music with a Master's degree in music, is a teacher of his craft and is also a member of the band Subtone as well as leading his own quartet. Falling Up is the group's second album.
Let me start by saying how much I enjoyed this album. This talented band includes Mike Ruby (tenor and soprano saxophones), Sam Anning (bass) and... read more
Michael Kocour - Wherever You Go, There You Are
by Rotcod Zzaj, Improvijazzation Nation
I can tell you, after listening to only the first 8 bars (or so) of Michael's marvelous piano playing - he's one of the best talents on the scene today! I absolutely loved his Rhodes work on "Pensativa", and have no doubt you will as well. His style is "all natural", with no pretense or high-powered electrical gimmickry, and that in itself makes his artistry something hard to find these days. Michael's rendition of "Freedom Jazz Dance" is... read more
Stan Bock & The New Tradition - Feelin' It
by George Fendel, Jazz Society of Oregon
Anyone who has performed with Bock or witnessed such a performance knows that he is a dedicated player with a likeablility factor that loosens everyone up, making them play at the top of their game. There are few who obviously enjoy blowing bop changes with like-minded colleagues more than Bock. That's why this CD took me a bit by surprise. I noticed that Clay Giberson spent time at both the piano and the Rhodes. Bassist Tim Gilson also "went... read more
Libby York - DreamLand
by Lance Liddle, BeBop Spoken Here
It's hard to believe that it's close on nine years since I reviewed Libby York's last album, Memoirs. I raved about that one and, with this release, my enthusiasm hasn't waned.
A soft, sensuous voice that sends shivers down my spine the way Peggy Lee's does when I listen to her classic Black Coffee album. DreamLand is totally different, yet in its own way, achieves the same degree of perfection.
Although the songs are a mix of the... read more
Danny Green - Altered Narratives
by George W. Harris, Jazz Weekly
Pianist Danny Green's trio has been a solid team, backing up artists such as vocalist Roberta Donnay. Here, Green shows his composing and arranging skills match his tactile talents with Justin Grinnell/b and Julien Cantelm/dr as his pieces such as "Serious Fun" and "October Ballad" show a range from Crescent City stomps to late night candelabra. Cantelm and Grinnell form an attractive restlessness underneath the lyrical ivories on "The Merge"... read more
Cheryl Fisher - Quietly There
by Jerome Wilson, Cadence
Cheryl Fisher's voice exudes mature subtlety. Her sound is sensitive and well-formed and she's adept in making what she sings sound convincing in the manner of one of her mentors, Shirley Horn. Her instrumental support changes from track to track here. John Stowell provides deep electric guitar buzz to the tumbling "Flowers In The Sink" and a light-fingered acoustic bossa nova sound on "He Never Mentioned Love". His acoustic work on "Some... read more
George Cotsirilos Quartet - Refuge
by Ed Enright, DownBeat
EDITOR'S PICK San Francisco-based guitarist George Cotsirilos pushes into newer, bluesier and more challenging musical territory on Refuge, a showcase for his recently formed quartet featuring pianist Keith Saunders and Cotsirilo's longtime trio mates Robb Fisher on bass and Ron Marabuto on drums. The 10 original tunes on this new collection are more complicated than the quartet's previous release, 2018's Mostly In Blue, and the... read more
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