Downbeat Magazine ***1/2 (John Ephland) Jan. 2009
“This smart set of tunes balances alto and tenor with guitar in some great musical conversations.”

Jazz Times Magazine (Bill Milkowski) Dec. 2008
“This winning disc works on many levels...His compositional style skillfully blends sophisticated harmonies and counterpoint with an engaging melodicism that sticks with the listener...”

Jazz Review Magazine (Jim Weir) Nov. 2008
“Here’s something. No grand-standing; no God-bothering; no dour abstractions or bland parsing of the harmonic code; instead an album of the purest and most delightful melody. Irwin looks like he just won the science prize at high school, but he plays like a bruised angel...I earnestly suggest you track this one down. If it doesn’t delight and move you, you might find that you actually died in the night.”

Jazzwise Magazine ***(Robert Shore)
“It’s neither avant-garde nor self-consciously innovative, but that doesn’t stop Aaron Irwin’s second outing as leader from being a gently dazzling affair in a straight ahead kinda way. That’s partly because, though still only 30, the US altoist is a composer of distinction, and the seven (out of nine) originals here all display an admirable fund of melodic invention...”

Blogcritics Magazine (Jordan Richardson)
“Blood and Thunder is a courageous and crisp jazz record. It is appealing, absorbing, and affectionate. Irwin’s command over the music is immaculate, as he leads his group through his harmonious universe with the style and grace of a truly great musician. His original compositions are astonishing in their beauty and his work with a pair of classics is similarly stunning.” blogcritics.org

Irish Times **** (Ray Comiskey)
“A gifted crafsman, Irwin, as composer, soloist and leader, defines this impressive album.” irishtimes.com

IMPROVIJAZZATION Nation (Rotcod Zzaj)
“This is high-talent & energy at it‘s best... gets a MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED from my ears!” zzaj.freehostia.com

EJazz News (George W. Carroll)
“This is a guy with a unique signature plus a definite singular personal dimension with what he sends out to us artistically.” ejazznews.com

AllAboutJazz.com (Dan McClenaghan)
This is an especially fine set by a talented up-and-coming artist who put together a great band for this outing.”
allaboutjazz.com

The New Yorker - Jazz Notes - Best of 2006!
(Steve Futterman)
“Irwin is a lyrical alto saxophonist and a compelling original composer, as well as a canny bandleader. Unconcerned about sharing space on his dèbut with another horn player, Irwin calls on the seasoned tenor saxophonist Rich Perry, and their interplay injects subtle tension into imaginative interpretations of Porter‘s “So in Love” and even “All the Things You Are.” newyorker.com

Jazz Times (Forrest Dylan Bryant)
“Time is elastic in Aaron Irwin‘s universe, expanding and contracting capriciously. As Irwin‘s lithe, straightforward alto sax playing jostles with Rich Perry‘s resilient tenor, Ryan Scott‘s moody guitar and the mercurial rhythm section, his tunes melt like Dali‘s watches, with each soloist allowed to redefine the tempo at will...it also generates thoughtful dialogues, crunchy little grooves and moments of great emotive power.”

All Music Guide **** (Scott Yanow)
“Whether floating out-of-tempo or swinging hard, Irwin‘s music is full of surprises and is consistently unpredictable. This CD grows in interest with each listen and is highly recommended.”

Irish Times *** (Ray Comiskey)
“He‘s come up with an album of notable charm and intimacy.”

Jazzreview.com
“The best, though, is the leader‘s low-keyed fantasia on “So in Love.” In the Cole Porter classic, the saxes trade lovely phrases in chamber group fashion. Scott‘s guitar accents in the background and Ritchie‘s cymbal work contribute much to the transcendent beauty of the piece. This CD should indeed put Irwin and his group into the light.” jazzreview.com

Allaboutjazz.com (Budd Kopman)
“Still shy of thirty, Aaron Irwin has very mature musical instincts and an eclectic taste, with playing that is rhythmically quite free and unpredictable and compositions with a broad stylistic range.” allaboutjazz.com

Cadence Magazine Oct. 2006 (Derek Taylor)
“The two horns align particularly well over the lush opening harmonies of “The Point,” sailing atop a fluttering backdrop of gentle thrumming bass, guilded guitar chords, and rippling drum patter. Following a beautiful extended statement from Perry, Irwin‘s closing solo on the piece delivers some of his most impassioned and freer leaning playing of the set against Scott‘s mewling whale song tones...Irwin‘s recording career is just getting rolling, but the merits of this well rounded release single him out as one to watch in the future.”

George W. Carroll/The Musicians’ Ombudsman
“I remember my first impression after imbibing the soft, mellow, but ‘utterly attached to the jazz idiom’ sound of this young turk, Aaron Irwin…….And, saying…..Yea!! This is a jazz artist we must reckon with. Aaron Irwin & his sax are here to stay. His delivery can sound bitter & sweet…...soft & strained……..Even pure & distorted…….All from the backdrop of someone well trained in his craft. My sense is Aaron relies on spontaneity to such an extent that he can imbue a performance with ups & downs that engender us with a sense of wonder. All in all, this project is a study in ‘stylistic freshness’ in real time.” ejazznews.com