OA2 Records Reviews



Ben Markley Big Band - Clockwise: The Music of Cedar Walton
by Robert Rusch, Cadence

Although he solos little, Stafford is the ringer, but the real star here is Cedar Walton and his music. Walton was known for his compositions but as far as "songbooks" go he tends to be overlooked. This is possibly the first recording, Walton aside, to exclusively feature his music. The charts on the 10 compositions [75:47] strike me as pretty straight ahead with ample solo space. Some of Walton's compositions have become standards like... read more

Gordon Lee with the Mel Brown Septet - Tuesday Night
by Chris Spector, Midwest Record

The Portland OR jazz scenesters may not record very often, but when they do, they know how to shake it up. Last time around, 25 years ago, they beat all comers for a Hennessey jazz search prize top prize. Since then, they've been lighting up the Portland night with some hot, modern post bop that fills the joint and keeps them coming back for more. Led by a drummer that knows how to give everyone else some, this aggregation is expert at... read more

Liam Sillery - Outskirts
by Adam Greenberg, All Music Guide

On a third release for Origin's more exploratory arm OA2, trumpeter Liam Sillery moves slightly toward the realm of free jazz. The pieces are not entirely improvised, nor are they fully charted. Indeed, the band works in collective improvisation at varying levels throughout the album, exploring new phrasing ideas, exploring some off-kilter motifs and some particularly dissonant triads � la Sun Ra. Sillery himself honks his way through here and... read more

Paul Tynan & Aaron Lington - Bicoastal Collective: Chapter Four
by Chris Spector, Midwest Record

At the very least, this set is going to ping the atavistic genes in anyone that ever dug the peppy, poppy sound of greasy organ jazz bands. While the sax/trumpet duo still leads the way, they give equal time to their fellow post boppers to step up and take you back to the day. Insanely tasty and on the mark without feeling like an homage or other such silliness, this is a fine showcase for players what am. Fun stuff that�s sure to... read more

Gail Pettis - Here in the Moment
by Frank-John Hadley, Downbeat, August 2010

****
A former orthodontist, Pettis finds new vistas of emotion in the words and music of standards and surprises on her second album. Her wonderful version of "I Thought About You," usually identified with Ella Fitzgerald, reflects the melancholy of a sad-faced train passenger with an intimacy that few singers in any genre have knowledge of. Another ballad, "How Did He Look?" a favorite of cabaret singer Mabel Mercer, is rendered poignantly... read more

Will St Peter / Steven Heffner / Steve Barnes - Honestly
by George W Harris, Jazz Weekly

Guitarist Will St. Peter brings his #2 pencil toned guitar together with Steven Heffner/b and Steve Barnes/dr for a mix of originals and overlooked originals. The focus here is on pastel tones, with a gentle coolness of mood on "Days of Wine and Roses" and the sleekly polished "Tangerine". Barnes and Heffner do some rich interplay during Ornette Coleman's "Turnaround" and create a somber pace on the guitarist's "Driftwood". St. Peter gives some... read more

Jeff Baker - Phrases
by Hobart Taylor, KUCI - Irvine, CA

Art song singer/songwriter Baker fleshes out extraordinary tunes with an all star cast (drummer Brian Blade, saxes Steve Wilson and Geof Bradfield, trumpeter Marquis Hill, bassist Clark Sommers, pianist Darrell Grant, guitarist Gregory Uhlmann, and a string quartet). On top of the cunning lyrics and compelling melodies that make up these tunes is Baker's voice. While it is assured and authoritative, there is a intimacy that adds a final layer of... read more

Jarod Bufe - New Spaces
by Bobby Reed, Downbeat

EDITOR'S PICK / JUNE 2018 During the last several years, tenor saxophonist Jarod Bufe - long known in the Windy City for his expertise as a horn repairman - has developed a body of exquisite original compositions for the quartets and trios he leads at Chicago-area venues like FitzGerald's and Elastic Arts. New Spaces is the debut album by Bufe's quartet with guitarist Tim Stine, bassist Matt Ulery and drummer Jon Deitemyer, all frequent... read more

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