GA-20 album review in The Guardian (8/14/21)

5o years of earth day (2).png — Nominated for “Session Musician of the Year” (2020) by The Boston Music Awards!

Untitled design (2).png — GA-20 album review in Rolling Stone France (8/20/21)

quotes:

“Tim Carman's drum performances, throughout the entrety of all 10 songs of the album's duration, are so signature and so perfectly fitting as a rhythm section and lead instrument collectively, that one might have the tendency to begin to compare his abilities as a jazz player to some of the most notable names of jazz music percussionists. In the spirit of Max Roach, Bernard Purdie, Billy Cobham, Jack DeJohnette, Philly Joe Jones and Tony Williams (to name a few), Carman's fluidity and expression, performance and technique is very much a reflection of some of these masters of the past. While exemplifying the spirit of some of these notables, he never once gives way to mimicry, as it is very evident that when Carman is playing, he is above all, playing 'Carman', as well as being the leader of one of the hottest organ-based jazz trio's in the modern world of Jazz.”

- Tone Scott, Goldmine Magazine, 9.6.23

“An author and educator besides a musician, Boston-based Tim Carman might well qualify as a renaissance man… It is one thing to have command of technique, but quite another to be able to adjust those technical skills for a variety of settings and still retain a distinctive personal touch. The drummer in his own trio and the heavy blues threesome GA-20 is one of those rare musicians who literally delights in all he does and, consequently, the glee with which he imbues his playing is sufficiently infectious that his collaborators function in kind.”

- Doug Collette, All About Jazz, 5.6.23

“One of Boston’s most accomplished percussionists can be found in local Tim Carman...If his name sounds familiar, then you’ve probably seen him on the back-line of a number of tremendous Boston groups the past few years. From GA-20 to Julie Rhodes, Carman leaves his indelible imprint on some of Boston’s most illustrious jazz/blues acts.”

- Andrew Maroney, Vanyaland, 7.19.19

“On every track, you’ll hear {Tim’s} propulsive, funky playing from the drum chair, Pat Faherty’s soulful guitar parts, Matthew Murphy’s deep-pocketed bass, Dave Brophy’s simmering percussion, and Justin Lopes’s Smith-y B3. Carman’s crew struts through Live’s eight tracks with swagger plucked right off the streets of New Orleans or Memphis.”

- Charlie Kaplan (NPR, CMA, Pitchfork)

“In a local music scene, drummers are always in high demand. It’s common to see a drummer performing with a handful of bands, and the best ones are usually the rhythmic engine behind the music. This can be said for Tim Carman, who has become one of the top beat makers in Boston for his skills behind the kit as part of the blues trio GA-20 and his jazz-funk act The Street 45s.”

- Rob Duguay, Dig Boston, 6.24.20

“As frequent Dig readers have probably noticed, we can’t get enough of local blues act GA-20 and their recent tribute to Hound Dog Taylor. Not to be forgotten in the mix though is that band’s standout drummer Tim Carman, whose own eponymous side project is a local treasure in its own right, right down to the collectible vinyl treatment.”

- Dig Staff, Dig Boston, 6.24.20