Jazz Articles about John O'Gallagher

John O'Gallagher's Axiom: Line of Sight

by AAJ Italy Staff
March 12, 2007

Spesso i parametri ritmici di una composizione influenzano direttamente l’andamento melodico e la natura delle improvvisazioni. Sopra un beat spezzato, una figurazione divisa in due o tre parti, il tema si inarca, si distende, acquista un andamento obliquo. E’ il caso di molti brani di questo Line of Sight, del gruppo Axiom diretto dal sassofonista John O’Gallagher, con Tony Malaby pure ai sassofoni, John Hebert al basso e Jeff Williams alla batteria. Si tratta di un quartetto di altissima levatura, ...

John O'Gallagher: Line of Sight & Rules of Invisibility, Vol. 2

by Rico Cleffi
May 1, 2005

John O'Gallagher Line of Sight Fresh Sound-New Talent

Comparison can be useful in a review. In the case of John O'Gallagher's Line of Sight, there was something familiar, composition-wise, I just couldn't put my finger on. My first point of reference was Herbie Hancock's Maiden Voyage so I listened to the two albums back to back. The fact that O'Gallagher's music can be played in the company of such classics says quite a lot. ...

John O'Gallagher's Axiom: Line Of Sight

by AAJ Staff
April 20, 2005

John O'Gallagher's latest album sounds focused on a narrow band of sound, in that the compositions are all built around an interval of a fourth, with a series of syncopations appearing in each line. These similar-sounding building blocks are then taken apart, reassembled, and subjected to an astonishing variety of treatments, so that through differences in tempo, time signature, and rhythmic emphasis, Line Of Sight takes on an impressive variety.

With Tony Malaby, O'Gallagher has found an ideal ...

John O'Gallagher: Rules of Invisibility Volume 2

by James Taylor
March 2, 2005

Rules of Invisibility Volume 2 , the companion to last year's acclaimed Volume 1 , begins with a timid fluttering of notes from saxophonist John O'Gallagher that welcomes the listener to the nine-song session--a private invitation to sit in on O'Gallagher's Spirit Room romp with bassist Masa Kamaguchi and longtime CIMP session man drummer Jay Rosen. In a way, this is the thinking behind all CIMP recordings: to make the listener feel like a fly on the wall, witness to ...

John O'Gallagher/Masa Kamaguchi/Jay Rosen: Rules Of Invisibility Volume 1

by AAJ Staff
October 24, 2004

Saxophonist John O'Gallagher spearheads this provocative, rewarding trio outing as he, bassist Masa Kamaguchi, and drummer Jay Rosen turn some standards inside out without ever losing sight of the melodies or chord changes. These particular performances cover a wide range of approaches from ruminative unmetered free rhythms to robust swinging, with due consideration given to some of Lennie Tristano's ideas.

O'Gallagher, who plays wildly imaginative solos on both alto and soprano saxophones, has professed admiration for both Tristano ...

John O'Gallagher: Abacus

by John Kelman
May 20, 2004

Watching an expert use an abacus, it is striking how random the movements appear to be, even though they are absolutely mathematically precise and ultimately yield an accurate result. Saxophonist John O'Gallagher's latest release is aptly titled Abacus , as the complexity of the material sometimes gives it an appearance of randomness; but it is clear that there is a highly developed inner logic at work, albeit one that might be a mystery on early listens.

Take the title track. ...

John O'Gallagher: Abacus

by AAJ Staff
May 7, 2004

The title of Abacus is at once direct and ironic, implied and stated. That's because the quintet on this record is a crew of serious, exacting musicians who know how to stick to form but also when to break it open like a nut. They play with precision but leave big gaps open to interpretation. They develop themes along shared lines, then break out other directions unexpectedly to find new territory. Such is the way of this intuitively connected group.