Browse some recent OA2 Reviews.
Liam Sillery - On The Fly
by Thomas R. Erdmann, Jazz Review
New Jersey native Liam Sillery began playing the trumpet while young, following his uncle in this endeavor. Collegiate studies started at the University of South Florida, where he earned a Bachelor of Music degree. Upon graduation he moved back to the New York City area where he freelanced for 10 years before entering The Manhattan School of Music, where he earned a Master of Music degree. On The Fly is his second recording as a leader.... read more
Florian Hoefner - Falling Up
by Dave Sumner, emusic
New release from pianist Hoefner, who put out an under-the-radar gem in 2012 with Songs Without Words. Hoefner�s music isn�t complicated or fussy� he crafts strong melodies and develops them with an enviable focus that makes his songs memorable and so damn enjoyable to hear. On his previous album, he kept a casual pace, letting the melodies breathe, and so even when the tempo speeded up, songs still had a light and slow pace. On his... read more
Daria - Strawberry Fields Forever
by Lance Liddle, BeBop Spoken Here (UK)
Am I the only person who prefers many of the Beatles' songs when they're performed by someone else? I gave Kenny Ball's version of When I'm 64 the nod over the original and I like Daria's version even more than that although the gender reversal implied by the lyric does feel strange to an old chauvinist like me!
When I get older losing my hair, or You can knit a sweater sitting by the fire or Doing the garden, digging the weeds etc... I... read more
Lolly Allen - Coming Home
by Georges Tonla Briquet, JazzHalo (Belgium)
It was Horace Silver who at the time penned 'The Hippest Cat In Hollywood' (here the opening track). Vibraphonist Lolly Allen fulfills that role with verve without tilting to camp or kitsch. "Straight jazz" coupled with Mancini traits, Brasiliana and West Coast cool performed by a stylish cast. Music that sounds like from the era when Alan Ladd and Rita Hayworth gave color to the black and white film world. The ideal starting point is a first... read more
Gustavo Cortinas - Esse
by Hobart Taylor, KUCI - Irvine, CA
Debut recording for this drummer and composer originally from Mexico. Here he is working with some of Chicago's finest, the wonderful Kitt Lyles on bass, Hans Luchs, guitar, Joaquin Garcia, piano, Justin Copeland, trumpet, Adam Thornburg, trombone, and tenor sax work from Roy McGrath or Artie Black. I mention the entire cast of characters because this is ensemble work at the highest level. The compositions are thoughtful, engaging, and... read more
Paul Tynan & Aaron Lington - Bicoastal Collective: Chapter Three
by Tom Hull, Tom Hull on the Web
Paul Tynan & Aaron Lington: Bicoastal Collective: Chapter Three (2011 [2012], OA2): Trumpet and baritone sax, respectively, the collective a sextet with Rhodes (Dan Murphy), guitar (Corey Christiansen), bass, and drums; third album together, recorded in "flyover" territory in Indiana. Smart postbop, nice attention to... read more
George Cotsirilos - On The Rebop
by Ric Bang, The Davis Enterprise
George Cotsirilos is relatively unknown outside the San Francisco jazz community. He plays guitar beautifully, with great phrasing and a genuine jazz feel.
"On the Rebop" features Cotsirilos' trio, which includes Robb Fisher (acoustic bass) and Ron Marabuto (drums). These two musicians also work primarily around the Bay Area, and actually are better known that Cotsirilos.
Fisher toured with Cal Tjader's group for more than six years, and... read more
The Kora Band - Cascades
by Kyle O'Brien, Jazz Society of Oregon
Portland pianist Andrew Oliver takes on the music of west Africa with this ambitious project. The band fuses western styles and influences with the music of The Gambia, Burkina Faso and the Ivory Coast. The opener, "Sinyaro," features the band's kora (a 21-stringed instrument of the Mandinka people) player, Kane Mathis. While Mathis is a western musician, he learned the kora and the accompanying language he occasionally sings in The Gambia, and... read more
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