PRESS

"This young weaver of dreams can seamlessly stitch together a wide range of moods and styles"

—Owen McNally, wnpr.org

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"...(Hashem) knits together the ethereal and spiritual sounds, à la John Coltrane, of both a serious and inquiring mind... "Pretty" is a take on 60s pop music. While its simplicity suggests BJ Thomas singing a Burt Bacharach tune, its melody gets lodged in the mind's eternal loop. And that really is not a bad thing."

- Mark Corroto, All About Jazz
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"Assadullahi is of a new generation of jazz musicians who have the compositional understanding, technique and improvisational skill to create complex works with beautiful melodies while at the same time drawing on a multitude of styles."

-Elliot Simon, NYC Jazz Review
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"Saxophonist and composer Assadullahi strikes gold with this rich recording... ...One gets the sense that these musicians have been playing with one another for quite some time, that this was not just a pieced-together session. The intent of the leader to make an album which showcases strong group playing, instead of merely recording a standard “blowing session,” or even an album of nice originals, has been fully realized here. This recording will provide your ears and brain with a sense of fulfillment and mystery, even upon multiple listens."

-Tim Wilcox, Jazz Society of Oregon
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"For ears primed by the sax experimenters of the 50s and 60s, Assadullahi comes across as a worthy successor to the tradition."

- Christopher Spector, Midwest Record

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"Oregon Music News Best of 2010: # 2"

-Mark-Niemann Ross, www.OregonMusicNews.com

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"Their sound covers a variety of styles and moods but always keeps melody at its core. Compositions are thoughtful and complex without being unpalatable. Assadullahi and Miles play off each others ideas very well and show their skill while respecting the space at the same time.   ... sure to please even those new to progressive Jazz. The melodies are memorable and the solos will satisfy the hardest of Jazz fans while still convincing newbies that they’re staying within the box."

-Kevin Tomanka, www.OregonMusicNews.com

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"Assadullahi's complex musical persona yields numerous dividends on this multifarious engagement, where jazz music is presented with a medley of captivating propositions."

-Glenn Astaria, All About Jazz

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"The ten tracks have variety that runs from attractive melodies to free playing, slapstick humor, 1920s German cabaret kitsch and what could pass for part of the soundtrack of an Italian Western..."

"This is a substantial debut album for Assadullahi."

-Doug Ramsey, Riftides 

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"I put this album on in the car and didn't take it out for days - reveling in the subtle surprises inherent in the compositions. Assadullahi's use of space on tunes like "Stale Fortune" and the Wayne Shorter-esque opener "Hypothesis A - The Feign" is exemplary and the band interplay admirable. Miles is great, as we already know, but Assadullahi shows a keen sense of melody and some killer chops as well..."

"Thoughtful music, with energetic bursts; I can't wait to hear more from these exciting young players."

-Brad Walseth www.JazzChicago.net

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"On April 10th, Hashem Assadullahi and his Quintet play a release party at Jo Federigo’s marking their splendid new CD, Strange Neighbor, whose10 original compositions span a variety of tempos, moods and colors, and display a spacious, probing compositional approach that invites listeners in rather than overwhelming them with virtuoso moves."

-Brett Campbell Eugene Weekly

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