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Oz Noy Ha! Review by Gary Hill Progressive rock is an unusual beast, difficult at times to put a collar onto. It crosses and shares lines with several other styles, including jam band music. This release is one that seems to straddle the border between the two reasonably well. While I'm not positive this is progressive rock, it certainly has enough of the elements to be included in that section of MSJ. The overall texture here is Dregs like jamming, guitar dominated and rather bluesy. Oz Noy is a relative new comer to the US music scene, starting in his native Israel at a young age. He has been working on the New York City scene since 1996, but this is his first studio recording with his band - a live album was released before this, though. The disc features several notable musicians including Anton Fig. This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2005 Year Book Volume 2 at https://garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2005.

Track by Track Review

Chillin' This is a good time fun, slightly bluesy jam. It gets quite fusionish at times. This also becomes quite intense at points, and there are some extremely fiery leads, but it never wanders far from its origins.

Sit Tight This is another fairly quickly moving slightly bluesy jam that's good clean fun.

Haa! This one plods along much more than the previous cuts. It's just a bit tentative and weird. It is a little Crimsonish at times, too. It is also the most proggy and cool cut on show thus far.

Say What?! Fast paced funky jazz oriented jamming makes up this cool track. It features some intriguing changes and stellar jamming. It's one of the more dynamic songs here. It ends with a spoken "Say what?"

What Love Is Atmospheric sounds start this and carry it for a time. As it carries on it becomes a pretty, very mellow jam. This turns heavy for short times, but overall is pretty mellow and quite an intriguing jam. It turns weird and Crimsonian as it carries on.

Hey You Record pops and scratches start this and lend an old school feel to this bouncy jam. They even throw in a few "skips" to add to this texture. The rhythmic texture on this is quite interesting and it includes some Howeish soloing at times. This gets pretty intense at points.

Downside Up Starting a little tentative and weird, this frantic jam feels quite a bit like The Dregs. It also gets into some Crimsonian weirdness at times.

Blue Monk Bluesy slow mellow jamming that feels at times like Hendrix and others like Robert Johnson makes up this one. It turns very old school jazz oriented in a bass solo.

Hit Me This one is more fast paced Dregs like jamming.

I Can't Make You Love Me This mellow excursion is strong and pretty. I'm just not sure it's the best choice for album closer - not exactly a "leave 'em wanting more" number.

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