Browse some recent OA2 Reviews.
Peter Lin | AAPI Jazz Collective - Identity
by Jack Bowers, All About Jazz
4-STARS Taiwanese-American trombonist Peter Lin formed the New York-based AAPI Jazz Collective in 2018 to amplify the voice of jazz musicians of Asian American and Pacific Island lineage. Identity, the group's debut album, confirms that those voices are essentially strong, clear and eloquent.
AAPI's core quintet places Lin out front with alto saxophonist Erena Terakubo, adeptly escorted by pianist Mike Bond, bassist Daseul Kim and... read more
Angela Verbrugge - Somewhere
by Raul da Gama, That Canadian Mag (Toronto)
Angela Verbrugge is an artist of the first order. On Somewhere the singer offers a sensitive espousal of show-stopping Broadway tunes and effervescently rendered jazzy works, lending the programme an added dimension of empathetic, soul-searching ballads to boot. These seven songs are natural territory for the Canadian vocalist with a beckoning vibrato.
On this disc Ms Verbrugge displays her ease and clarity of language [English and French] as... read more
Tom Dempsey / Tim Ferguson - Waltz New
by Marilyn Lester, New York City Jazz Record
Like a good marriage, when two musicians achieve a meeting of the minds, a certain harmony occurs, yielding work embodying that happy synchrony. Such is the case with Waltz New. Guitarist Tom Dempsey and bassist Tim Ferguson have been playing together for more than 20 years and this is their fourth album, a tribute to the late Jim Hall (1930-2013). Waltz New presents six of Hall's compositions, plus several standards and Dempsey's lilting... read more
Steve Owen - Stand Up Eight
by Chris Spector, Midwest Record
Who likes Bill Holman? Owen has an interesting concept here. The crack arranger also has a day job as an educator. He brought together his other jazzbo pals, who are also educators, to show that there's no dust on them even as they spend more time at the podium than the bandstand. A solidly fine work of sitting down jazz that manages to be musically advanced without losing you along the way. Putting his all into this effort, all that's... read more
Florian Hoefner - Songs Without Words
by Dave Sumner, Bird Is The Worm Jazz Blog
Of the hundreds of albums I�ve listened to in 2012, Florian Hoefner�s Songs Without Words possibly excels best at offering lovely melodies made memorable. These are not simple tunes, but they are simply presented.
There is a congeniality to this album akin to pop music, and the melodies are infectious as hell, but they are anything but sweetness and light. In fact, in the middle of all this pop music buoyancy, the melodies have a note of... read more
Greg Duncan Quintet - Unveiled
by Jim Shulstad, Jazz Review
Welcome Chicago trumpeter/composer Greg Duncan to the growing list of jazz artists. His compositional style, paired with his astounding playing will send Duncan toward the top of the list in a short time. Duncan studied at Washington State University and at the University of North Texas. He has toured with the Glenn Miller Orchestra, and is a regular performer at Chicago's Green Mill and Mercury Theater.
Duncan's quintet mixes thoughtful... read more
Josh Moshier & Mike Lebrun - Joy Not Jaded
by Kyle O'Brien, Jazz Society of Oregon
Northwestern grads, pianist Moshier and saxophonist Lebrun have kept the musical collaboration going past the classroom. Their tunes are sharp modern jazz pieces, giving each the opportunity to say what they want musically. Harmonically and rhythmically rich, as on Lebrun's polyrhythmic "Jambo," these are two musically mature players. They're not concerned with cramming too many notes in, instead concentrating on textures and melodies, as on... read more
Jihee Heo - Are You Ready?
by George W Harris, Jazz Weekly
Pianist and erstwhile vocalist Jihee Heo leads a trio of originals with bassist Marty Kenney and drummer Rodney Green on this album that mixes many a style. She gives a spoken intro to the post bopping title track, and allows Saidu Ezike a chance to rap through Green's backbeat of the R&Bish Trust". Her touch is highlighted on her lovely solo track "Letter To A Little Girl" and is rich for the elegiac "Dark and L ight", relaxing with Kenney on... read more
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