Press
…a polished, enjoyable record that values tone, interplay and atmosphere over showmanship.
Mike Gates - UKVibe
First Time Around is an album of classic Great American Songbook hits performed by Vladimir Redzic on guitar, Steve Ash on piano, Jonathan Meyer and Neal Miner on bass, Steve Little on drums, and special guest Ale Nunez on vocals for track 5, "These Foolish Things". Other songs also feature elegant vocal performances, in this slice of Americana heyday for everyday listening.
James A. Cox – Midwest Book Review
Joined by pianist Steve Ash, the pair nimbly dance and weave around each other in thoughtful musical conversation.
David Reed – Belleville Intelligencer
Citing Kenny Burrell and Grant Green as his primary influences, Redzic has developed an appealing approach of his own, playing swinging single-note lines and providing superb rhythm guitar support for pianist Ash who is a cat from the New York City area scene deserving of national recognition. Ash is a player who raises eyebrows and calls attention to his marvellous pianism wherever he plays. The bassists are both strong players and it is a pleasure to hear the nonagenarian Little still going strong. Redzic’s debut album is one that should lead to many more in the future.
Joe Lang – Jersey Jazz
His tone is crisp and metallic with minimal decay. It sounds, at least to me, very, very fresh. His favouring of single lines befits someone who cites Grant Green as a primary influence and who has studied with Peter Bernstein. The mood on the album is unhurried, building a kind of sanctuary to luxuriate in rich material like ‘Blue Gardenia’ and ‘I Didn’t Know What Time It Is.’
Robert C. Gilbert – Listening Sessions
The tunes, mostly from the Great American Songbook, are timeless. The performances are tasty and refined. This is jazz that thrives on simplicity, sophistication and swing. Let’s hope there is a second time around in the future.
Abe Goldstein – Papatamus Redux
Throughout this production, two excellent sets of musicians set the bar high and demonstrate a shared commitment to jazz improvisation, interplay, musicianship, and storytelling, where Vladimir Redzic is consistently featured as a rising guitar star on the jazz horizon.
Dee Dee McNeil – Musical Memoirs