Browse some recent OA2 Reviews.
Darden Purcell - Love's Got Me in a Lazy Mood
by Jeff Becker, Jazz Sensibilities
Darden Purcell's third album, Love's Got Me In A Lazy Mood, is a remarkable set of music that shows her skill as a jazz vocalist and deep immersion in the genre's rich traditions. The album encapsulates a journey through the Great American Songbook, with forays into Latin-influenced numbers and an original composition with lyrics, all rejuvenated by Purcell's intimate and expressive vocal style.
In "Willow Weep for Me," Purcell's... read more
Gail Pettis - Here in the Moment
by Christopher Loudon, Jazz Times
In our continuous search for the dazzle of the complex, the beauty in simplicity is often dismissed or overlooked. Such is the case with Gail Pettis, an unlikely addition to the vocal jazz pantheon (having spent three decades as an orthodontist before turning her attention to singing), but a very welcome latecomer. With the 2007 release of her debut album, the flute-voiced Seattleite demonstrated a fine interpretive gift, one that hugged... read more
Ted Piltzecker - Vibes on a Breath
by Jack Bowers, All About Jazz
4 1/2 STARS Even though Ted Piltzecker is a splendid vibraphonist and ushers a group of Colorado's leading jazz musicians through its paces on Vibes on a Breath, it is his sparkling arrangements that carry the day on this delightful new album. Several members of Piltzecker's septet double, and he makes the most of that versatility, writing charts that bring to the fore John Gunther's bass clarinet, Wil Swindler's baritone sax and (on the... read more
Glenn White - Sacred Machines
by Elliott Simon, All About Jazz
For Sacred Machines, tenor man Glenn White has enlisted some of the most recognizable working jazz musicians in New York for a session of precisely played original modern jazz. White's horn is soulful and rich and he expertly uses the talents of his supporting players, particularly the subtle genius of pianist Roberta Piket and Jamie Baum's venturesome flute, to great advantage. The outcome is a synchronous group sound whose strongest suit is... read more
Nathan Eklund Group - Coin Flip
by Brad Walseth, Jazz Chicago
Trumpeter Nathan Eklund is back with his fourth release as a leader on Coin Flip another strong effort full of solid playing and swinging and melodic original compositions. He is reunited with saxophonist Craig Yaremko and joined by Fender Rhodes player Steve Myerson, bassist Kellen Harrison and drummer Shawn Baltazor. The music's somewhat retro feel is offset by Myerson's electric piano, and his playing is delightful, but his reliance of the... read more
Paul West - Being Alone
by Adam Greenburg, All Music Guide
Hailing seemingly from times past in jazz, Paul West here takes on the older piano and vocal jazz repertoire, performing in a nice soft, lounge style. His tone is light and rather intimate, bringing out an atmosphere of the smallest clubs. As he strolls through the repertoire, highlights from an era past spring out piece by piece. The album opens up with a Fats Waller number, moving into some Van Heusen afterward. After a jaunt through a eulogy... read more
Tim Green - Jeannie's Song
by Adam Greenberg, All Music
This is the sophomore album from Chicago pianist Tim Green, following quickly on the heels of the surprisingly successful Catching Yourself Gracefully. Here, he's joined again by his trio compatriots (bassist Jim Cox and drummer Phil Gratteau) as well as guitarist Brian Wilkie. Much of the same style is presented here as on the previous album, with carefully chosen works of modern jazz flowing somewhat effortlessly from the hands of the... read more
Wil Swindler - Universe B
by David Kane, Cadence
Wil Swindler has produced a new CD, [Universe B], filled with sophisticated and beautiful small-big band music. I was knocked out by both the playing and, in particular, the writing. Although the music remains tonal throughout, the harmonic language is intriguingly complex while remaining utterly accessible. Swindler's writing evokes Gil Evans, with its use of unconventional instruments such as the French horn and euphonium as well as... read more
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