Jazz Articles about John O'Gallagher

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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 ...

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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 ...

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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. ...

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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.

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Saxophonist John O'Gallagher and Modern Jazz Composition

by Franz A. Matzner
April 14, 2004

Following his well-received debut album Axiom with the equally intricate, experimental, and explorative Arabesque release Abacus , alto saxophonist and composer John O’Gallagher is rapidly establishing himself as not only a deft soloist, but also a formidable composer striving to expand the boundaries of jazz form. It was my distinct pleasure to speak with Mr. O’Gallagher about his new release, his compositional approach, and his upcoming plans. All About Jazz: I ...