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NEW YORK TIMES
TIME OUT NYC
CHICAGO READER
TIMEOUT CHICAGO
CINCINNATI CITY BEAT
CAPITAL NEW YORK
"Jazz, of course, thrives on the power of the unexpected—the surprising figures and phrases that emerge from endless improvisation. Two acts at opposite ends of the spectrum—veteran pianist McCoy Tyner (Jan 10-11, The Blue Note) and obstinate Chicgo jazz outfit Herculaneum (Jan. 10, Cake Shop)—understand the power of the open end. There are similarities in the music to be sure; both offset big, bold, declarative phrases with jittery, free-roaming solos. Tyner's work, both as a member of John Coltrane's early '60s group as well as on his own groundbreaking solo albums, is a clear predecessor to the younger Herculaneum (whose founding member, drummer Dylan Ryan, is quickly establishing a sterling reputation in the Chicago jazz community). Tyner's colorful post-bop, particularly on albums like 1967's The Real McCoy, had a kind of giddy velocity, with the pianist both taking extended solos that feel like woozy walks through midnight city streets, and also laying a firm foundation for whirlwinds of saxophone. Herculaneum's music is slightly more chaotic—they harden Tyner's freewheeling post-bop into something sterner and more angular. Songs like 'Temporary Orca,' from their excellent new album Olives & Orchids moves like a giant piece of Industrial Revolution-era machinery, all whistles and pops and frantic trembles. Both are united by their limitless capacity to surprise."

BUFFALO ART VOICE
NEW YORK METRO MIX
"For those among us who know that a horn can be a deliciously deadly instrument in the right hands, this Chicago crew of punch-throwing jazz guys should be of interest. The drums are always smashing and crashing; even during slower moments the power is evident. But one those horns start blowing—not to mention some fabulous flute moments—all in the place will be reminded of how crazy things got back when a computer was the size of a room and a phone meant dialing extensions using two letters first (yes, that used to happen; check faded ads on buildings around town for more on that). With Tomas Fujiwara."

PHILADELPHIA CITY PAPER