Quotes / Press

“An unbelievable drummer. so creative I couldn't believe it. this kid really is a 360-degree beautiful young cat that i believe has what it takes to make a life out of music.”

- Quincy Jones

“Here is a young man who is fully prepared to be a great new addition to the music. he's loaded with talent!.”

- Jimmy Cobb

“Extremely TALENTED.”

- Melvyn Bragg, South Bank Show

‘Collisions’ Press

"wide-spanning cinematic soundscapes…a gorgeous self-titled release."

Headphone Commute

"especially imaginative and cinematic"

Stationary Travels

"Collisions is something of a niche supergroup…There’s a distinct cinematic jazz element to the instrumentation and songwriting style"

Higher Plain Music

‘Self-Identity’ Press

"EXCEPTIONAL... [A] PEACH OF A MODERN JAZZ OPUS, SHARP AND INCISIVE THROUGHOUT, JUST LIKE THIS BODY OF WORK. MUSIC TO FEED THE SOUL IN THESE DARK, DESPOTIC DAYS." 9/10 STARS

BLUES AND SOUL MAGAZINE (FULL REVIEW)

"TRASCENDENT."

DRUMHEAD MAGAZINE

"TREMENDOUS SECOND ALBUM." 4/5 STARS

RECORD COLLECTOR MAGAZINE

"ONE OF THE MOST HOTLY ANTICIPATED JAZZ ALBUMS OF THE YEAR" 

JAZZ FM

"Howell brings a jaw-dropping degree of poise and versatility to the sticks"

The National (UAE) (FULL REVIEW)

"THE SLICKNESS OF THE GROOVE... THE RHYTHMIC SONORITY... ESCHEW THE TINNY HEADPHONES OR PORTABLE SPEAKERS, AND FIND A WAY TO BASK IN THE REWARDING HI-FIDELITY OF 'SELF-IDENTITY'. "

A P REVIEWS (FULL REVIEW)

'A RISING STAR IN THE UK TAKING A STEP ON THE PATH TO INTERNATIONAL PROMINENCE.'

JAZZWISE MAGAZINE (FULL REVIEW)

'Sutures and Stitches’ Press

“OLLIE HOWELL MAKES HIS DEBUT WITH THIS QUINTET RECORDING OF EMOTIONAL RANGE AND MUSICAL MATURITY. FEATURING PUNCTILIOUS PERCUSSION AND WARM, OPEN COMPOSITIONS THAT NEVER STRAIN TO IMPRESS, THE MUSIC HAS A DELICIOUS DYNAMIC FLOW AND AN ALMOST ELEGIAC BEAUTY.”

MOJO Magazine (Top 10 Jazz Releases of 2013)

“ONE OF THE BRIGHTEST YOUNG STARS IN THE JAZZ FIRMAMENT”

Jazzwise Magazine

“ ***** ”

Saarbrucker Zeitung (Germany) 

“howell himself sometimes playS with the approach and poly-rhythms inspired by elvin jones, and can act with both vigour and restraint.

Musik an Sich (Germany) 

“THE ALBUM BOASTS AN IMPECCABLE SOUND QUALITY AND A FINE SELECTION OF OUTSTANDING COMPOSITIONS WITH VARIOUS MODERN INSPIRATIONS FROM THE LONDON AND NEW YORK SCENES. A TRUE DEVOTION TO MELODIC THEMES THAT REMAIN IN THE MEMORY, WITH ROUSING GROOVES AND VIRTUOSIC SOLOS PLAYED BY SOME OF THE BEST EMERGING STARS ON THE BRITISH JAZZ SCENE.

CD AKTUELL (Germany)

“the energy of the young musicians is impressive... many inspirational moments.”

Sound and Image (Germany)

“A TRULY REMARKABLE RECORD…“SUTURES AND STITCHES” IS AN INCREDIBLY MATURE DEBUT AND REPRESENTS A MAJOR TRIUMPH FOR HOWELL”

Ian Mann, The Jazz Mann (full review)

“A REMARKABLE AND HIGHLY PROMISING FIRST ALBUM”

Stephen Graham, Marlbank (full review)

“THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE GEM OF AN ALBUM. CONTEMPORARY BLUE NOTE EXACTLY WHERE I WANT MY MODERN JAZZ TO BE!”

Lance, Bebop Spoken Here (full review)

“AN IMPRESSIVE DEBUT RECORDING.”

Financial Times (full review)

“AN EXTRAORDINARILY ACCOMPLISHED DEBUT ALBUM…HIS TOUCH IS SURE, HIS PLAYING IS BOTH STRONGLY CHARACTERFUL AND HIGHLY SUPPORTIVE”

The Jazz Breakfast (full review)

“OLLIE HOWELL IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPRESSIVE DRUMMERS EMERGING ON THE SCENE…THE GROUP’S MUSICAL UNITY IS EXEMPLARY”

Jazz Camera (full review)

" **** "

York Press (full review)

“A REALLY POSITIVE, LIFE-AFFIRMING ALBUM… REALLY IMPRESSIVE”

Radio Cardiff (full review)

“A FINE DEBUT”

John Fordham, The Guardian (full review)

“WHEN A DEBUT ALBUM SOUNDS THIS GOOD (CORRECTION: THIS SPECTACULAR), YOU SIMPLY CANNOT IGNORE IT! … A SUPERBLY CREATIVE AND ROUNDED ALBUM”

AP Reviews (full review)

“THE MUSIC IS CHARACTERISED BY A COMMITMENT TO MELODIC INVENTIVENESS AND RHYTHMIC VIVACITY THAT IS BOTH SATISFYINGLY EXPLORATORY AND EAR PLEASINGLY ACCESSIBLE.”

Jazz Views (full review)

Drummer Magazine

Jazzwise magazine

Rhythm Magazine

JOINT-INTERVIEW With JIMMY COBB

Gulf News (UAE)

ON OPENING QUINCY JONES' FIRST VENUE, IN DUBAI