"Opener "Soul Journey" features Shaw's gentle bass clarinet, flute, and sax, all floating together in a velvety haze. When Niño's fair-trade organic rustles and Merci B's harp manifest, all the markers of neo-spiritual jazz have been hit. But at just about the halfway point, Lawrence Shaw's (Aaron's brother) bass kicks in and Niño plays a traditional drumbeat. The harp doesn't go away (and cello by Kiernan Wegler enters the picture),"
"In 2023, Shaw was diagnosed with bone marrow failure, a condition that required extensive medical treatment and affected his ability to breathe. And So It Is acts as a log of his illness and recovery, and though it is ultimately the product of healing, it doesn't shy away from pain and loss. Shaw's treatment of Chick Corea's "Window," (here titled "Windows to the Soul") is emblematic; while Corea's original has a boisterous rhythmic verve, Shaw plays it with a delicate hesitancy,"
Aaron Shaw's And So It Is channels West Coast neo-spiritual jazz while adopting a darker, more determined tone. Carlos Niño contributes rattling, tinkling percussion and helped record parts of the album. Track titles such as The Path to Clarity and Echoes of the Heart evoke California positivity, while compositions shift from velvety, atmospheric textures to purposeful, rhythm-driven treks. The album documents Shaw's 2023 bone marrow failure, its treatments, and subsequent recovery, combining healing with candid depictions of pain and loss. Interpretations of standards favor delicate hesitancy and emotional restraint rather than boisterous verve.
Read at SPIN
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