Browse some recent Origin Reviews.
Josh Nelson - Exploring Mars
by Rotcod Zzaj, Improvijazzation Nation
If space travel involves great jazz music like Josh produces with his piano & trumpet (joined by a whole host of high-talent players), I've no doubt we would have a horde of folks signing up for the voyage. While it remains totally accessible, even for the traditional of jazz listeners, Josh makes it move in directions that you don't hear coming...songs like the wonderfully intriguing "Curiosity" weave through changes that many accomplished... read more
Sonando - Tres
by Adam Greenberg, All Music Guide
Here's an interesting item. A Latin jazz release from Seattle. What makes it interesting is that Sonando is able to incorporate both the idioms of Latin jazz and the subtlety and grace that's fast becoming the hallmark of the Northwest jazz scene. The pieces here are a mix of originals and pieces from around the jazz world (Wayne Shorter, Horace Silver, Abdullah Ibrahim), rearranged as needed to fit the desired style. It's the seamless... read more
Scott Reeves Quintet - The Alchemist
by Icrom Bigrad, Jazz Sensibilities
Trombonist, multi-instrumentalist, and composer Scott Reeves is returning with a new album called The Alchemist via Origin Records. The album is a recording of a 2005 live performance at The City College of New York, NYC by the Scott Reeves Quintet, with Reeves on alto flugelhorn, alto valve trombone and electronics, guitarist Russ Spiegel, pianist/keyboardist Mike Holober, bassist Howard Britz and drummer Andy Watson. The set comprises one... read more
Hal Galper Trio - Airegin Revisited
by George Fendel, Jazz Society of Oregon
There?s some real deep, thoughtful stuff going on here. Right off the bat, it seems that Hal Galper has taken a turn in the road since his more straight ahead days on the Concord label. His music is more angular, with increased emphasis on creative and sometimes complex improvisation and less attention to melody. I gotta admit, it?s often compelling listening. However, I had to work pretty hard to get to it. Take the opener, Gershwin?s classic... read more
Joonsam - A Door
by Travis Rogers, Jr., JazzTimes
It's hard to improve on a trio that features Aaron Parks on piano and Nate Woods on drums but, when bassist Joonsam Lee was ready to release his debut album as a leader, he beefed up an already formidable line-up by adding Ralph Alessi on trumpet, Yvonnick Prene on harmonica, Ben Monder on guitar, and the fascinating additions of Yeahwon Shin on vocals and Chungeun Han on the bamboo flute. The trio, however, remains the core.
Released on... read more
Clarence Penn - Monk: The Lost Files
by Chris Spector, Midwest Record
One day, someone will do a tribute to Monk and some snappy writer will conclude, 'well, you needn't', but this isn't that day. Super session drummer Penn and pals do a user friendly, contemporary spin on Monk that keeps the music breathing and sounding forward. A tasty, passionate set, Monk lives just as much as Bird does. Well... read more
John Stowell | Michael Zilber - Live Beauty
by Dan McClenaghan, All About Jazz
4-STARS - Part of the appeal of the teaming of guitarist John Stowell with various "post Coltrane" saxophonists is the cool/hot dynamic. Stowell is the guy with a Zen restraint, the cool guy, his chords sometimes sounding as if they are ringing from frozen stalactite filaments in ice caves. Saxophonists? Some blow cool - those of the Lester Young/Stan Getz/Paul Desmond school. And then there's sax guys like Dave Liebman, who teamed... read more
Dan Cray - Meridies
by Dan Bilawsky, All About Jazz
Change is never easy, but it's often the key to growing as a person and an artist. Pianist Dan Cray has released a series of well-received CDs and carved out a comfortable musical existence with his trio in Chicago, but he understood that a change of scenery and a jump into jazz's deep end would do him good.
Cray made the move to New York City in 2009, but Meridies is the first outing released under his name since that time. He stayed busy... read more
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