Browse some recent Origin Reviews.
Allison Adams Tucker - WANDERlust
by Christopher Loudon, JazzTimes
Californian Allison Adams Tucker is far from the first artist to parlay an album-length playlist into an around-the-world travelogue. But she comes by the concept more honestly than most, having circled the globe multiple times, performing everywhere from Tuscany to Tokyo, all the while developing credible fluency in six languages. Nor has her musical maturation been strictly linguistic. She began singing at age 5, in her native San Diego, and... read more
Phil Kelly - Convergence Zone
by Bill Barton, Earshot
Composer/arranger Phil Kelly's new big band CD is truly a convergence zone between "tight" and "loose." Combining a stellar array of first-call studio players and smokin' jazz soloists from the Pacific Northwest with a few of his old friends from the Los Angeles, New York and Nashville scenes, Kelly has come up with a recording that combines consummate craftsmanship with flat-out fun in a most engaging fashion.
Kelly retired to the... read more
The Spin Quartet - In Circles
by Don Lerman, Cadence
The Spin Quartet consists of top-notch musicians who carve out an interesting group identity. The absence of a piano or guitar from the instrumentation of two horns, bass, and drums gives clarity and an open quality to the music, aided by the fine writing from mostly band members.
Trumpeter/flugelhornist Chad McCullough wrote five of the pieces, with the subdued "Oranges Are Supposed to be Orange" and bright-eyed "Haberdasher" among his... read more
Mimi Fox - Standards, Old & New
by Jason Bivens, Cadence
This terrific, unpretentious solo recording bears some comparison with fellow guitarist Eric Hofbauer's recent solo reading of Americana. But Fox's bright, uncluttered, unvarnished archtop playing is more clearly in the lineage of Jim Hall and Joe Pass. She marries this approach with a number of familiar and unexpected pieces, brought together by her assured and impassioned playing in a concise and rewarding set. The Guthrie tune starts out... read more
Joe Locke / Geoffrey Keezer Group - Live In Seattle
by Ken Dryden, All Music Guide
Vibraphonist Joe Locke and keyboardist Geoff Keezer's third collaboration (their previous two CDs were released in Japan under the New Sound Quartet moniker) is their first live recording as a team. Joining them are bassist Mike Pope and drummer Terreon Gully (the latter who also took part in their earlier studio recordings) for a stimulating set recorded during the 2005 Ballard Jazz Festival. Locke's turbulent "Van Gogh by Numbers" serves as a... read more
Hal Galper / Jeff Johnson / John Bishop - Furious Rubato
by Marc Medwin, Cadence
Hal Galper's offering was the biggest surprise. It's the furthest out, his playing much more adventurous than I would have expected. Clearly in the tradition, his keyboard attack is nevertheless somehow brazen, bold and certain, as with Andrew Hill of the Strange Serenade period. Even the usually serene "Naima" emits raw energy, the melody twisted almost out of recognition. "Milestones" is subjected to similar treatment, becoming a no holds-... read more
Anthony Branker - Beauty Within
by Jon Neudorf, Sea of Tranquility
Anthony Branker is rising to the top of American jazz composers and it is easy to hear why on his seventh album for Origin Records titled Beauty Within. He is a leader of three ensembles, Word Play, Ascent and on this record teaming with Imagine.
Beauty Within is a stunning post-bop jazz album that showcases the exceptional talent of his band. The musical director leads a very talented group of players including Ralph Bowen (tenor and soprano... read more
Nnenna Freelon - Time Traveler
by Robert Rusch, Papatamus / Cadence
It has been almost ten years since NNENNA FREELON issued a recording under her own name. If you followed her on Columbia or Concord Records, you will certainly welcome TIME TRAVELER [Origin Records 82822]. Recorded between 2018 and 2020, Freelon gets strong support from a pool of 13 musicians, most notable Keith Ganz [gtr] and some tasty touches with organist Brandon McCune. Except for the title track, the rest of the program are standards, and... read more
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