OA2 Records Reviews

Nelda Swiggett - Blue-Eyed Painted Lady
by C. Michael Bailey, All About Jazz

Pianist Nelda Swiggett follows her confident and successful This Time (OA2 Records, 2010) with an expansion of her original piano trio into a piano-string quintet, minus the violin plus a drummer. This expanded format suits Swiggett's orchestral compositional leanings well and provides an intriguing and successful combining of nightclub jazz and concert stage classical. This is no more "Third Stream" than it is pure classical or jazz.... read more

Randy Napoleon - Puppets - The Music of Gregg Hill
by George W Harris, Jazz Weekly

Known as the longtime sideman of Freddie Cole, guitarist Randy Napoleon stretches out a bit on this album with Aubrey Johnson/voc, Rick Roe/p, Rodney Whitaker-Brandon Rose/dr, Quincy Davis-Will Cranderl/dr and Seth Ebersole/wwinds, as he interprets the material of composer Gregg Hill. Johnson mixes wordless tones and lyrics, swinging through "Andy's Lament" and warmth to the sublime "Moonscape". Her lyrics are clear and coy, teamed with the... read more

Rich Pellegrin - Down
by Dan McClenaghan, All About Jazz

In an All About Jazz review of pianist/bandleader Richard Pellegrin's Episodes IV-V (OA2 Records, 2015), the author states that Pellegrin's style lies "somewhere in the middle of the spectrum between jazz and 21st century classical music." That also holds true with Down, the third quintet offering from the Assistant Professor at Florida State University.

And if the music leans in the direction of jazz, it's of the accessible avant-garde... read more

Gustavo Cortinas - Esse
by Dave Sumner, Bird is the Worm

The newest from Gustavo Cortiñas engages in a thrilling sleight of hand. The drummer leads out with melodies that are crisp and clear as a cloudless Summer afternoon, not to mention pretty damn catchy, to boot. But then his septet obscures the view, solos up a storm of distractions and details and fireworks, and while it all flows naturally from that original statement of melody, before too long, it's long forgotten. Well, until they... read more

Charlie Apicella & Iron City meet The Griots Speak - Destiny Calling
by Troy Dostert, All About Jazz

Since the early 2000s, guitarist Charlie Apicella's Iron City trio has devoted itself to maintaining the tradition of soulful, organ-based jazz. The aptly-titled Groove Machine (OA2 Records, 2019) preceded Destiny Calling, the group's 2023 album. And the latest one is quite a change-up. For this outing, Apicella has teamed up with The Griots Speak, an all-star assemblage of veterans who trace their roots to the halcyon days of the New York loft... read more

Jeremy Levy Jazz Orchestra - The Planets: Reimagined
by Leah Williams, London Jazz News

Jeremy Levy is a composer, arranger and orchestrator who has worked across a wide range of mediums and styles over the past decade. Originally from Hannibal, Missouri, the town where Mark Twain grew up, he is now based in Los Angeles. He is responsible for the orchestrations for Netflix's hit mini-series The Queen's Gambit. He recently received his first Grammy nomination for the track Uranus: The Magician off his album The Planets:... read more

George Cotsirilos - Mostly in Blue
by Dr. Debra Jan Bibel, Amazon

Chicago-rooted guitarist George Cotsirilos has blues in the bones, and although this album, Mostly in Blue, skirts the classic blues, its essence remains. And if that sounds like a legal nuance, then former University of California law professor Cotsirilos will come to the defense. Retired from his attorney and teaching duties, his first passion, music, [playing experience with Etta James, Pharoah Sanders, and Eddie Marshall] now occupies his... read more

JazzVox - Jazzvox Presents: In Your Own Backyard
by George Fendel, Jazz Society of Oregon

OA2 Records, out of Seattle, has issued a compilation of singers and most of them are well worth hearing. I guess everyone has their own favorites, but here are mine: John Proulx, a singer-pianist with a similarity to Chet Baker (but he's a better singer). He does a Frank Rosolino rarity called "Please Don't Bug Me" and also contributes a delicate love song to his newly born daughter entitled "Welcome to My World." Proulx has a couple CDs out on... read more

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