Review on axs.com:
“Now we’re talking. Hard bop jazz fans need look no further than this new record, Very Good Year, by the Jon Burr Quintet, coming out on Oct. 10, 2015. Led by a monster bass player, the Quintet is comprised of fearless movers and shakers, New York musicians to the core: Pianist Mike Eckroth, drummer Jerome Jennings, tenor Steven Frieder, and trumpeter Tim Ouimette.
… Together with his Quintet, Burr’s latest invention gives a much-needed punch to the dying art form of hard bop, a style many jazz musicians fear to tread. Burr eats hard bop for lunch, purposely selecting popular covers, standard bearers, and cooking up a hard bop lover’s dream in the selection of 12 songs meant to put on blast full volume.” – By Carol Banks Weber AXS Contributor Aug 10, 2015
Review in Jazz Inside Magazine:
“Jon Burr is a fabulous leader, composer and, especially with this recording, arranger. As a fan one should have a field day listening for all the clever musical signposts and touchstones he includes in each track. This is an enthusiastic project and forward thinking artists like Burr and company are certainly leading the charge.” – By Eric Harabadian, Jazz Inside Magazine, August 2015 issue
Review from WNHU 88.7 FM, West Haven, CT:
“A wonderful collection of original compositions, clever interpretations of classic tunes and catchy contrafacts. Nice small group ensemble parts not often heard in new jazz.” – By “Dr. G” (Gary Grippo) with Jazz in the Morning
Here’s audio from a live (Quartet) appearance on the Jonathan Schwartz Christmas Show (WNYC Radio) – December 2014
Band: Steven Frieder, Mike Eckroth, Jon Burr, Alvester Garnett