On its third Criss Cross recording since they made their 2011 debut with Introducing Opus 5, Opus 5 - a collaborative quintet of New York A-listers Alex Sipiagin (trumpet) Seamus Blake (tenor sax), David Kikoski (piano and Fender Rhodes), Boris Kozlov (bass) and Donald Edwards (drums) - continues to uphold the high standards that its steadily increasing fan base has come to expect. Building on multiple tours over the last three years, and simpatico developed over their mutually extended tenure in various units devoted to Charles Mingus' music, they play the evocative tunes - three by Edwards, two by Kozlov, and one apiece by Blake and Sipiagin. With the intelligence, creative abandon and cohesion, burnishing Opus 5's stature as 21st century inheritors and extenders of the legacy left by such predecessor quintets as Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers and Miles Davis' units of the 1950s and 1960s is intact.
M**R
Floats My Fushigi!
I LOVE these cats!!!! All the perimeters and criteria that makes for superb jazz has been met as far as I am concerned in my humble opinion! I have followed this highly suited collaboration of outstanding musicians who are not only fine leaders individually but even more impressive is their fine teamwork which demonstrates their love and respect for not only each others compositions (and they are all fabulous composers!) but for each other and I can hear it and------FEEL it!! They mesh so sublimely and seamlessly that it takes my breath away!!All 3 CDs serve up strictly original works and they are brilliant, witty, sophisticated, soulful, swingin', dynamic, sensitive, and unpredictable!!! An adventure at every listen and every listen becomes even more enjoyable!! I have nothing but respect and appreciation for each and everyone in this outfit and I am so pleased that they maintained the personnel and high caliber artistry! Even the CD cover is clever in it's consistency of appearance with only the color change for each CD which sends out the message: "same great socks------different great shoes!"I'm a musician myself but an even greater fan of quality Jazz. Endless thanks Opus 5------------you do a body, mind, soul, and spirit good!!!! Keep 'em comin'…………….
M**H
Powerful Jazz
Opus 5 mess around with time signatures to great effect. The melodies are strong and the top and bottom ends mesh well together to deliver complex jazz that is very listenable and rewards several listens as the complex structures evolve.
