Oscalypso (subtitled Tribute to Oscar Pettiford) is an album by cellist Erik Friedlander performing compositions by Oscar Pettiford which was released in 2015 on the Skipstone label.[1]
In JazzTimes Britt Robson called it "a modern, adventurous bebop record fronted by a cellist who takes no prisoners".[3]Stereophile's Fred Kaplan said the album was a "supremely satisfying album, heaving the precision swing for which Pettiford was renown, spiked with a light twist of dissonance that leans his music forward while fully honoring its modernist flavors".[4] Writing for All About Jazz, Troy Collins noted "Brimming with gorgeous melodies, lush harmonies and captivating rhythms, Friedlander's beguiling arrangements provide a rich foundation for the group to test its improvisational mettle. Focusing on reconfigured classics rather than new compositions, Oscalypso is more than just a delightful homage to a renowned master—it is a signifier of Friedlander's skills as an imaginative interpreter of traditional jazz repertoire".[2]
