Browse some recent OA2 Reviews.
Fred Forney - Chasing Horizons
by Ken Dryden, All Music Guide
OA2, like its parent label Origin, has sought to give wider exposure to musicians who are deserving. Trumpeter Fred Forney has had a long career playing in symphony orchestras, in Broadway shows, with pop acts, and as a sideman, in addition to serving as director of jazz studies at Mesa Community College in Tempe, AZ, where he took part in the excellent Then and Now, which featured both student jazz ensembles and a faculty nonet. Forney leads a... read more
Rich Pellegrin - Down
by Ian Gwin, Earshot Jazz
With a background in drums and percussion, pianist and composer Rich Pellegrin's strong ear for rhythmic sonority has guided his previous releases, Three-Part Odyssey (2010) and Episodes IV-VI (2011). His approach to improvised music takes in the harmonic extrapolations of McCoy Tyner and the jocular symphonism of leaders like Gil Evans.
For his newest release, Pellegrin has focused his musical lens. Recorded with a generation of Seattle... read more
Idit Shner & Mhondoro - Ngatibatanei / Let Us Unite!
by Tom Haugen, Take Effect
The saxophonist Idit Shner brings alongside an excellent cast for these cultured and rich 8 tracks that rarely sit still.
"Henceforth" opens the listen with Torrey Newhart's flowing piano and John Mambira's lively percussion that suits the soulful sax, and "The Change" follows with a warm intimacy that allows Shner's fluid sax to radiate as the setting gets dreamy.
The middle spot belongs to "Lunar Curve", where hand clapping and well... read more
Afro Bop Alliance - Revelation
by Steven Cerra, Jazz Profiles
Everytime I think I've heard it all in terms of Latin Jazz in Big Band configurations along comes something new and different to dazzle and surprise me. Such was the case with the latest from Grammy-award winning drummer Joe McCarthy and saxophonist Vince Norman who co-lead the Afro Bop Alliance. Their forthcoming CD is entitled Revelation and it was just that as it moved my ears in new directions concerning Latin Big Band Jazz. One of the... read more
Angela Verbrugge - Somewhere
by Editor, The Walker's (Japan)
Angela's singing voice is expressive and exudes grace and kindness. Angela Verbrugge, a vocalist based in Victoria and Vancouver, Canada, toured Japan this fall. Although I received an invitation from Angela herself to perform in Tokyo, I was unfortunately unable to attend, but it seems to have been a great success. This is Angela's new work, featuring light-hearted singing of standard numbers and originals. The album also... read more
Andrew Oliver Sextet - 82% Chance of Rain
by Larry Hollis, Cadence Magazine
Portland pianist/composer Andrew Oliver heads up a two sax-sextet (for wand of a better descriptive term) that is all over the map on 82% Chance of Rain. After their debut disc on a small indie label, their sophomore effort should receive more attention since it appears on Origin's sister label, OA2. Although relatively young, Oliver is well-seasoned (and well-known around the Portland area) with membership in several different groups of... read more
Michael Kocour - East of the Sun
by Dave Rogers, WTJU
Michael Kocour is an Associate Professor and the Director of Jazz Studies at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona. Hailed by the Chicago Tribune as "one of the most sophisticated pianists in jazz," Kocour has performed at venues around the world and has been a guest on Marian McPartland's internationally syndicated NPR program "Piano Jazz." Among the many artists and ensembles with whom he has appeared with are Dizzy Gillespie, Eddie... read more
Charlie Porter - Hindsight
by Chris Spector, Midwest Record
This high octane trumpet man never heard of laying out and here we find him trying to pack as many notes as possible into each byte, but it isn't blowing just for the sake of blowing. With some distinguished cats playing next to him just as hard, this is straight up jazz that gets you going. Always on point, this cat shows you the way to be a gasser. Hot... read more
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