Browse some recent Origin Reviews.
Chuck Deardorf - Perception
by Paul Rauch, All About jazz
Before the tech revolution that has ushered in an era of unprecedented growth and global recognition, the city of Seattle was a bit of an outpost in the world of jazz. Since the 1920s, the city has enjoyed a vibrant and innovative jazz scene, often resulting in local musicians backing major international touring artists. The emerald city has spawned such renowned jazz icons as Quincy Jones, Ray Charles, Larry Coryell and Ernestine Anderson as... read more
Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra - Sacred Music of Duke Ellington
by Jeff Krow, Audiophile Audition
Freedom, justice and prayer's power are Ellington's themes in his sacred music
****1/2
You do not need nationally-renowned jazz orchestras to make brilliant recordings. Most every major city in the U.S. has national- level jazz musicians. Many of them choose to teach and lead high school and college level jazz bands. They can then play gigs on weekends and during the summer season. They are often first call sidemen when national talent... read more
Kiki Valera - Vivencias en Clave Cubana
by Chris Spector, Midwest Record
Valera comes to making a great record organically. He's part of a 100 year old Cuban music dynasty and he was influenced by seminal jazzbo guitar greats. Then he hit's the bulls eye in crafting the kind of set that maintains it's ethnic purity while being the kind of stuff that completely knocks gringos off their pins. Here's the acid test: if you were to hear this playing at a Cuban restaurant, you'd go back there again for this music and the... read more
Charlie Ballantine - East by Midwest
by Dan McClenaghan, All About Jazz
4 STARS
A bracing guitar/bass/drums trio outing from guitarist Charlie Ballantine, East by Midwest, sounds as if it was recorded in a large, high-ceilinged warehouse with a cement floor, that floor buffed into the next dimension to a high polish, this giving the music a beautiful resonance. Retro? Think Link Wray or Dick Dale and The Deltones. Modernistic? Think John Abercrombie on some of his early ECM Records efforts. Or... read more
Scott Burns - Passages
by Scott Yanow, All Music Guide
Scott Burns has a large tone on tenor and a hard-driving style that is at times reminiscent of Lew Tabackin and Pete Christlieb. His set of originals include the swinging "Lead the Way," a brooding ballad in "Black Orchid," the optimistic "Downhill Stroll" and the minor blues "Storm Rising." The fine rhythm section features plenty of solo space for pianist Ron Perillo and stimulating support from bassist Dennis Carroll and drummer George Fludas.... read more
Joel Miller Sienna Dahlen - Dream Cassette
by George Graham, WVIA Radio
Artists have been mixing rock and jazz for about 50 years now. Most of the time it takes either one of two forms - rock tunes with some added jazz instrumentation and stylistic touches, or music that comes basically from a jazz composing style with electric instrumentation. Examples from the early days include respectively, Blood Sweat & Tears, and the Mahavishu Orchestra. Jazz-rock fusion continues in the 21st Century and sometimes gets fairly... read more
John Stowell and Dave Liebman - Blue Rose
by Dan McClenaghan, All About Jazz
Saxophonist Dave Liebman joined guitarist John Stowell and bassist Don Thompson on three tunes on Stowell's The Banff Sessions (Origin Records, 2002). More than a decade later, Stowell and Liebman have teamed up on a duo outing, Blue Rose. The two artists' take on a bunch of jazz standards and Great American Songbook tunes has a beautiful fluidity in this pared down setting. Stowell's lines are crisp and clean, while Liebman's keening... read more
Dave Slonaker Big Band - Shifty Paradigms
by George W Harris, Jazz Weekly
Classy modern big band charts are delivered by composer/arranger Dave Slonaker and his tgeam of LA All Stars. The sections are rich and wondrous throughout, hip as all get out around Tom Luer's tenor sax on "Dash Cam" while a "All Blues"y tilt on "Bye Bye Blues" goes 6/8 around Ron Stouts' Milesy trumpet. The brass goes into a rich fanfare on the declaratory "3rd and Four" while drummer Peter Erskine builds up the groove under Brian Scanlon's... read more
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