"Razavi is a thoughtful player and composer that offers the listener an introspective experience of deeper meaning, his latest offering is mature rendering of masterful playing and ideas. Razavi is definitely one to watch." - H. Allen Williams, Jazz Times READ MORE
"Razavi's charts are frequently written halfway between Gil Evans and Either/Orchestra . . . his playing, though, tends mainly to the old George Benson School, carefully chosen notes predominating, rather than pyrotechnics and whizbangery" - Mark Tucker, FAME READ MORE
"Evocative storytelling (of which opener "Moonlit Message" is a prime example) is the hallmark of Razavi's music. So evocative, in fact, that one hardly needs individual track titles to suggest appropriate interpretations." - Tyran Grillo, All About Jazz READ MORE
"Remember when you were a youngblood and first discovered Duke Ellington while trashing around in grandpa’s basement. You heard of Ellington, but the records gramps had kind of amazed you since the music was wonderful but it wasn’t on the charts or familiar and it was your first trip off the beaten path. Razavi has captured that vibe here. " - Chris Spector, Midwest Record READ MORE
"Most of all there is the showcase of Razavi as guitar enchanter, a player who picks his notes wisely and comes through with the classicism of Benson, Burrell, maybe Hall, a subtle way but soulful too when he chooses and the music fits it. There's a little boppishness and lots of postbop . . . Mason Razavi is serious! Seriously good. Seriously talented." - Grego Applegate Edwards, Gapplegate Guitar and Bass Blog READ MORE
"Razavi’s builds his solo just as he does his composed melodies, with thought to thematic development and storytelling" - Jazz Sensibilities READ MORE
"For their debut as a duo, Mason Razavi and Bennett Roth-Newell have shown that both of them deserve center stage . . . the stark spotlight on only the two of them reveals no blemishes or scars, only a beauty which has patiently waited to be revealed" - Travis Rogers Jr., Jazz Times READ MORE
". . . sensitivity, soulfulness, and swing" - Dan Bilawsky, All About Jazz READ MORE
"Razavi has a great touch; the bond with his guitar is evident and only comes from profound dedication to the study and practice of the high art of guitar playing. Razavi never plays a line or phrase out of place, every line and chord has the sense of being carefully chosen and played with assurance and heart" - Sylvannia Garutch, The Jazz Word READ MORE
"Mason's guitar work will astound you"- Dick Metcalf, Improvijazzation Nation READ MORE
"it lends the impression of two albums in one, the first an amiable post-bop quartet session, the second a well-spoken mini-big band accompanied by a four-piece rhythm section. Perhaps that is what Razavi had in mind. In any case it seems to work well, thanks in large measure to Razavi's engaging compositions and arrangements" - Jack Bowers, All About Jazz READ MORE
There are some rich Gil Evans-ish horns that frame the moods of the laconic “Portrait for Mingus” and the elliptical “Grvunkabop” . . . but best times are reserved on the tender and patient “Looking Forward, Looking Back” and the easy swing of the melodic “Blue and Grey Waltz.” - George W. Harris, Jazz Weekly. READ MORE
"His music is witty but also deeply emotional" - Rick Anderson, CD Hotlist READ MORE
“Razavi shows himself to be a significant and sensitive composer and arranger, in addition to being a talented guitarist. - Dr. Brad Stone Producer, Programmer and Host of “The Creative Source” SoulandJazz.com
“Local guitarist and composer Mason Razavi looms large in the Bay Area jazz scene. His critically acclaimed albums and regular engagements with the San Jose Jazz Festival are a testament to his expertise and sensitivity as an artist. Razavi's latest project, Quartet Plus, Vol. 2, highlights his creativity as a forward thinking musician and showcases his elegant and nuanced dedication to engaging musical storytelling. Original compositions on this album like "When the Ink Ran Dry" speak of a master who has carefully crafted his own voice” - SanJose.com Read More
“. . . a bright-toned player and melodically inventive composer” - San Jose Mercury News Read More
“. . . a terrific and consistent presence in the Bay Area jazz scene’ - MetroActive Online Read More
“Six strings that speak” - George Harris, Jazz Weekly Read More
“warm (but not muted) tone, chordal inventiveness, and ability to play an extended single-note solo without ever losing the thread of the tune's swing” - Rick Anderson, CD Hotlist Read More
“His tone is rich and his touch is both delicate and percussive” - Cedric Hendrix, Cirdec Songs Read More
“top-tier guitarmanship” - Vintage Guitar Magazine Read More