Browse some recent OA2 Reviews.
The Taylor / Fidyk Big Band - Live At Blues Alley
by Ken Dryden, All Music Guide
The Taylor/Fidyk Big Band's second CD, taken from a performance at Blues Alley, captures the band on a peak evening, fueled by Mark Taylor's potent arrangements and instrumentalists who can build upon his charts without needless showboating. Taylor's originals include "Full Count" (which is a modern update on the old-fashioned tenor battle), the cool "Bradley's Bop House" and "The Gorillaman Blues," and the swinging "Full Count," which one could... read more
Ben Paterson - Breathing Space
by Paul Abella, Chicago Jazz
Pianist Ben Paterson might be relatively new to Chicago's jazz scene (he arrived in 2004), but he hasn't wasted any time getting noticed by many of the people in the know around the town. He's played with Chicago's cream of the crop, from blues man Dave Specter, to singer Elaine Dame, to avant-garde cats like Ernest Dawkins. This kid has made his way around the town, so it's about time that he put out a CD.
At first glance, Paterson's debut... read more
Premazzi / Nasser Quartet - From What I Recall
by Ferdinand Dupuis-Panther, Jazz'halo (Belgium)
In Downbeat we read the following lines about the quartet: "Italian pianist Simona Premazzi and saxophonist Kyle Nasser from Boston, met in New York and found themselves on gigs together over the last decade. Formalizing their musical partnership as a collaborative entity in 2021, they teamed with bassist Noah Garabedian and drummer Jay Sawyer to explore their own take on highly melodic modernist jazz blended with harmonies & techniques from... read more
Debbie Poryes - Loving Hank
by Chris Spector, Midwest Record
Since there's nothing here written by Hank Jones, and a bunch of the songs here aren't associated with Jones, this is Poryes doing her tribute to his sound and vibe. Showing the love, this is a fine reminder of the cat that was so good but seemed to spend much of his career making others look good. A winning set that is a sure bet for sitting down jazz fans, this is a mighty fine piano trio work... read more
Darden Purcell - Love's Got Me in a Lazy Mood
by Brice Boorman, Chalked Up Reviews
Darden Purcell's third studio album, Love's Got Me in a Lazy Mood, is a collection of eleven songs that pays homage to mid-century jazz while infusing it with contemporary vitality. The album features inventive arrangements by guitarist Shawn Purcell. The contributions from vibraphonist Joe Locke on six of the tracks create a vibrant exploration of the Great American Songbook that jazz fans will find refreshingly interesting.
The... read more
Lolly Allen - Coming Home
by Larry Hollis, Cadence
While perusing an online radio chart it came to my attention that nestled among all of the usual suspects and their respective releases was an album on the Origin subsidiary OA2 entitled Coming Home by a certain Lolly Allen. Her name was entirely new to me yet the said issue had attained the number four spot on the listing. After re-checking my "to review" it was discovered that very item was in my stack so here goes.
As far as can be... read more
Daria - Strawberry Fields Forever
by J. Poet, Downbeat Magazine
The Beatles catalogue is imprinted on the DNA of several generations of listeners, so artists may find it daunting to put together an album of covers that won't have people tuning out after the first note.
With a formidable crew of Bay Area jazz players along for the ride, including co-arranger Sam Bevan, vocalist Daria successfully reinvents 10 Lennon-McCartney standards for the jazz idiom.
Walking bass and mellow brass flourishes open... read more
Idit Shner - Tuesday's Blues
by Thomas R. Erdmann, Jazz Review
Saxophonist and composer Idit Shner, who grew up in Israel, joined the faculty of the University of Oregon as Instructor of Saxophone and Jazz Studies in 2006. Her education includes a Bachelor of Music degree from Oklahoma City University, a Masters degree in Music Education from University of Central Oklahoma, and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from University of North Texas. Tuesday's Blues is her debut disc. Her background includes work... read more
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