Browse some recent OA2 Reviews.
Rich Pellegrin - Solitude: Solo Improvisations
by Nicola Barin, Jazz Convention (Italy)
After the prodigious work in the quintet "Down", the pianist and professor of music at the University of Florida decides to isolate himself and dedicate his first solo album to himself and his audience. To set up this remarkable feat, the accent is immediately placed on the dynamics of the piano and on color. The choice of instrument is particular, it is a piano that dates back to 1915 which is located inside the Langley Methodist Church on the... read more
Debbie Poryes - Loving Hank
by Don Lerman, Cadence
Pianist Debbie Poryes and her trio present a well-played acoustic set on "Loving Hank", her fourth album as a leader. Poryes is a California native who spent some years performing and teaching jazz piano in Europe
before returning to the west coast to resume her performing and teaching activities. Her composition "Our Star" is one of six originals, an appealing and interesting jazz melody in the medium swing mode, with fine
solos by Poryes and... read more
Daniel Barry - Walk All Ways
by Dan McClenaghan, All About Jazz
For those listeners acquainted with Daniel Barry's musical journey only through his conductor/arranger gig with the Seattle Women's Jazz Orchestra (SWOJO) and their fine traditional, straight-ahead sets under his directorship?Dreamcatcher (OA2 Records, 2006) and Meeting of the Water (OA2 Records, 2007)?the man's music under his own name may be a bit of a surprise. While his SWOJO sound is an easy categorization, Barry's Walk All Ways couldn't... read more
Afro Bop Alliance - Revelation
by Brian Zimmerman, Downbeat
Editor's Pick There's a grand precedent for Afro-Cuban big band jazz. If the genre had a Hall of Fame, it would be stocked with vivacious, exuberant figures: Machito's Afro-Cubans, Dizzy Gillespie's Big Band, Tito Puente. As Afro-Cuban big bands of today aim to extend this genre's great legacy, their success depends largely on how these ensembles define themselves against existing tropes. The Afro-Bop Alliance Big Band, captained by... read more
Glenn White - Sacred Machines
by Jan P. Dennis, Audiophile Audition
Very attractive modern jazz in the vein of Dave Binney and the Jazz Composers Collective
It's not surprising that Glenn White operates in the same distinct jazz world as Dave Binney. After all, Binney produced this excellent debut?if you don?t count the self-produced 1999 disc, Downside. Like Binney, White is as accomplished a composer and band leader as saxophonist. Like Binney, White has a similar approach to composition: strong,... read more
Shawn Maxwell - New Tomorrow
by Dave Rogers, WTJU - Richmond
Shawn Maxwell (alto sax, flute) began his recording career in 2004 and since that time has fronted a variety of formats from large to small groups. For this disc, it's basically a quintet with rotating trumpeters: Victor Garcia, Chad McCullough, and Corey Wilkes. The other players are Matt Nelson (keys), Junius Paul (bass) and Phil Beale (drums). On this date, he has sought a balance between strict composition and improvisation, the goal being... read more
Paul Tynan & Aaron Lington - Bicoastal Collective: Chapter Two
by Josh Davies, International Trumpet Guild
Paul Tynan and Aaron Lington collaborate on their second Bicoastal Collective project with a completely different approach than the first. The instrumentation has been cut in half, and the focus has been shifted to yet another coast: England. The relationship between Tynan and Lington began while in school at The University of North Texas but has since been spread from San Jose, California to Ontario, Canada--hence the name of the... read more
Darden Purcell - Love's Got Me in a Lazy Mood
by Michael Doherty, Michael Doherty's Music Blog
Darden Purcell is a vocalist who has performed with the Airmen Of Note, as well as several other artists. She put out her first album, Easy Living, in 2009, and followed it in 2016 with Where The Blue Begins. She opens her new album with a seriously cool, bluesy rendition of "Willow Weep For Me," which features a strong vocal performance. This track is a delight, and Darden Purcell includes a bit of scat in the middle, adding her voice to the... read more
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