Browse some recent Origin Reviews.
Benjamin Boone | Philip Levine - The Poetry of Jazz
by Rotcod Zzaj, Improvijazzation Nation
Not everyone who reads my reviews know that I got my start in "show business" doing live spoken-word, so Phil's excellent poetry is a total treat for me... it's earned a permanent place on my iPhone (yikes, I'm running outta' space)... Benjamin's hip & silky sax on tunes like "The Unknowable" is what convinced me it had to be there... there are a whole HOST of other players on this fantastic CD, so long a list, in fact, that you'll need to go to... read more
Rich Thompson - Less Is More
by Scott Albin, JazzTimes
In his infinite wisdom, drummer Rich Thompson brought in Terell Stafford for this recording session. Stafford has slowly but surely become one of the preeminent jazz trumpeters, stealing the show as a sideman on a number of CDs, not to mention his own most recent release, This Side of Strayhorn. Thompson also showed great care in formulating the song list for Less is More, mixing originals and standards with far-from-overdone tunes by Kenny... read more
John Stowell - Solitary Tales
by George Fendel, Jazzscene, April 2009
Anyone who has witnessed a performance by master guitarist John Stowell, knows that he is far from your everyday guitarist. From the nearly vertical position of the guitar (not unlike the position of a cello) to the artist's expression and his closed eyes, Stowell is nearly one with the guitar. On this solo expedition, he plays both acoustic and electric guitars in the Portland, Oregon living room of his luthier, Mike Doolin. Stowell plays five... read more
Tad Britton - Cicada
by Chris Spector, Midwest Record
Oh sure, Britton and his pals are now some of the most creative cats on the west coast, but what were they doing 25 years ago in Oklahoma? If you want to find out, put on this progressive session that doesn't sound dated. Released for the first time, it's a solid set of that angular, boundary pushing jazz playing that comes when just a few cats get together to see just how far they can take it. One of those nice looks back at what might have... read more
Idit Shner - Minerva
by Nicholas May, The Saxophonist Magazine
When it comes to the saxophone, or any instrument, it is uncommon for an artist to be well versed in two very different generes. Dr. Idit Shner, Associate Professor of Saxophone and Jazz Studies at the University of Oregon, has established herself as a multi-talented, bilingual saxophonist across her numerous classical and jazz albums. Although I have not yet listened to her full discography, I certainly will be!
The album's title comes... read more
Walt Blanton Tony Branco John Nasshan - Monuments
by Adam Greenberg, All Music Guide
"Las Vegas isn't known for its jazz scene. That doesn't mean there aren't jazz players though. Origin dug up an excellent trumpeter at UNLV, and he brought a couple of musical comrades along. The trio plays through an entirely improvised session, covering a lot of musical ground. The album opens with a building trumpet line moving into a thumping piano/drum combination before the title track is over. The album develops in complexity as the trio... read more
The Spin Quartet - In Circles
by Carol Banks Weber, AXS
Take a classically inclined, modern jazz technician in Seattle and put him together with some visiting superstar guest artists - his Chicago heroes. Makes for a can't-miss series of Western Washington concerts this month, especially if the heroes in question are Kobie Watkins, Clark Sommers, and Geof Bradfield, the best in the business.
Drummer Watkins can double-down with finesse and groove. He'd better. He's Sonny Rollins' main guy.... read more
Matt Jorgensen +451 - Quiet Silence
by J. Nannen, Jazz Review
Funny thing about the Fender Rhodes electric piano, it's made the transition from being a sound that screamed "seventies!" to a more timeless one, like the Hammond B-3. Marc Searles shows why on the opening solo on "Fog," the opening track of "Quiet Silence" from Matt Jorgensen and 451. Searles' solo on the Rhodes is not only attractive, it shows how the chime-like keyboard can really anchor a group's sound. Mark Taylor complements the keyboard... read more
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