Seamus Blake

Despite busy schedules, the five co-leaders of Opus 5 - Seamus Blake, Alex Sipiagin, David Kikoski, Boris Kozlov and Donald Edwards - return once again with a fourth album, 'Tickle', a statement of great virtuosity, melodic integrity and rhythmic focus.

Progression is the 2014 album by Opus 5, a quintet which featured Donald Edwards, Boris Kozlov, David Kikoski, Seamus Blake and Alex Sipiagin. This was released by Criss Cross Jazz.

For Tony Tixier everything is connected. Poetry for him is the link between dreams, thoughts and the lived reality where we spend our everyday lives. As an artist Tony feels fortunate to be able to live a life in the constant pursuit of his creativity: from the poems he wrote as a child to his current life as an internationally touring pianist, his artistic creativity has shaped who he is, just as his identity has shaped his creativity, so that he firmly believes that the art and the artist are indivisible. His latest album Poems Never End is a complete, honest expression of Tony’s current status as an artist and as a human being, captured in a single afternoon during a whirlwind visit to New York City. Whether in thrilling trio interaction with long-term associate Joe Martin on bass and dazzling young drummer Jongkuk Kim, or reviving old friendships and musical partnerships with special guests Logan Richardson, Seamus Blake and Mino Cinelu, the passion and integrity shines through every note.

In the world of jazz the quintet is an established tradition. The standard quintet format has been one of the most common throughout the history of the music. It's a hard format to mess up, but it's an even harder format in which to stand out. On their most recent recording, Progression, Opus 5 stands out as a group rooted in tradition but always exploring possibility.

One of the most compelling pianists in mainstream jazz, Mr. Reed is an intensely upbeat presence. Where most jazz pianists after McCoy Tyner and Herbie Hancock grew introspective, he has gone the other way, toward harder work with the right hand and bright harmonies. This album features music dedicated to the memories of Mulgrew Miller, Cedar Walton, Marian McPartland, and the jazz soldiers past and present who continue to keep the music going "until the last cat has swung".

Misha Tsiganov, who lived in Leningrad in the former Soviet Union until he emigrated to the U.S. in 1991, has never shied away from a challenge. That's apparent from the level's of complexity that Tsiganov embeds in the 18 arrangements and 9 originals on his three prior Criss Cross Albums.

BRIDGES is a modern, Nordic jazz project that has a vision to construct musical bridges between Norway and other parts of the world.

Since 2011 Venezuela-born pianist/composer Olegario Diaz has released a handful of quality recordings with firm roots in post-bop. He produced this fifth album to celebrate the great Chet Baker. His highly impressive group includes trumpeter Alex Sipiagin, saxophonist Seamus Blake and bassist Scott Colley.

I lose count of the many recordings that are graced by the presence of trumpeter Alex Sipiagin. Over the past decade, he’s released 10 as a leader on Criss Cross (not to forget 2 recordings with OPUS 5) plus several more on other labels. As a sideman, he’s worked and recorded with Conrad Herwig, Dave Holland, the Mingus Big Band/Dynasty/Orchestra and many others. His new CD, “From Reality and Back” appears on Gonzalo Rubalcaba‘s 5 Passion label.

Born in Canada, pianist Bryn Roberts has enjoyed a prolific career as a session artist since moving to New York City in 2001. Snuggled within a modern mainstream vibe, his persuasive compositions pay homage to melodic content, often complemented by saxophonist Seamus Blake's burly delivery and fluid lines. Nonetheless, many of these works contain quite a bit of bounce and pop, as Roberts is a shrewd technician who knows when to balance power and restraint, alongside a light touch amid his deftly articulated phrasings.