press

chicago reader: "bullshit-proof jazz."

montreal gazette: "acoustic metal might sound like an oxymoron to some but to aryeh kobrinsky it is a viable compositional style and a no-holds-barred approach to performance."

jazztimes: “Out” jazz with punk attitude on this smart, under-the radar outing from Montreal upstarts Jacob Wick on trumpet, Adam Dotson on euphonium, tenor saxophonist Evan Smith, drummer Jason Nazary and principal composer-bassist Aryeh Kobrinsky. This fiercely uncompromising ensemble covers a wide swath of expression, from the dissonant onslaught “Torn” to bombastic, through-composed pieces like “Master” and “A Hamster Speaks” and free extrapolations like “The Gun I Used to Use,” “Laser Eyes” and “ADF Signal.”

all about jazz: "Whatever label one might choose for this music, there is no doubt as to the sincerity, honesty and musicianship of Kobrinsky and the band, plus it is clear they are having a good time and it is infectious. Overall, the album does have the feel of a soundtrack or an operatic orchestration in that the music is dramatic and the performances highly emotional.

The makeup of the band, which has no chordal instruments, is important to its overall sound. The brass instruments are each of different types: cylindrical bore (trumpet), which has a tight, harder edged sound, conical bore (euphonium), which has a softer, rounder sound, and the reed, which adds a woody undertone to the metal. Each player is a virtuoso in his own right and the arrangements balance the sound of a metallic choir against a driving, hard-edged rhythm section, against solo lines that exist individually and in counterpoint."

time out chicago: "The Brooklyn jazzers transcend tradition on their latest, A Hamster Speaks."

jazz.com: "It's an orchestra from the underground. This is some fine room-clearing music, perfect for scaring kids at Halloween or annoying your Kenny G-loving neighbor next door." 91/100

midwest record: "And along comes a bass player that sees the jazz/rock idiom as so old and ingrained that it’s a genre in need of a kick in the pants. With Anthony Braxton as his lodestar, Aryeh Kobrinsky mixes metal with comics for a jazz/rock nu date that kids into noize that are ready to move beyond shoegaze will find inspiring in it’s atonal moments of creative dissonance. If you do the same drugs your parents did when they were listening to Miles Davis after he stopped bothering to give songs names, a generational bonding effort will have closed the new generation gap."

jazzweekly.com: "A collection of herky jerky rhythms, chaotic musings and swirling sounds. “Master” sounds like a free form coronation of The Lord Of The Flies, with it’s jagged horn ensemble. The eerie meanderings during “Andy” have a Sci-Fi feel to it, while the frenzied squacking of horns over the Hitchcockian bowed bass sounds like the climax to Psycho or The Birds."

jazz chicago: "The title track really showcases the musicians, with outstanding bass from Aryeh Kobrinsky (who also composed the songs), horns galore from(euphonium), as well as Nazary's drum skills, with the group at times picking up speed until turning into a musical cacophony. Overall, I would highly recommend A Hamster Speaks , especially to the more adventurous listener. It's refreshing to hear a band take chances and step outside the bounds of conformity. Bravo Brinsk!"