Take the album 'Continuum' by pianist Richard Sussman. He asked trumpeter Randy Brecker to play in his Quintet. And guitarist Mike Stern participates in 'Mike's Blues.' With which names you expect brute force jazz or explosive work, but the music is regulated. There is intelligent and it's nicely played. Band Leader Richard Sussman, in addition to the piano, also plays the synthesizer, offering up some varying sounds.
Original... read more
There's inspired music coursing through the debut album by the Scott Reeves Jazz Orchestra. During the hour-long Portraits and Places, Reeves shows many inspirations, from pianist James Williams (his résumé includes stints with Art Blakey and Clark Terry as well as jazz education) to composers such as Aaron Copland and Leonard Bernstein. Through eight compositions (seven originals by Reeves plus one by Antonio Carlos Jobim), Reeves takes his... read more
"A Mind for the Scenery" provides Portland, Oregon-based woodwind artist and arranger Tim Jensen with a broad canvas on which to lay out his considerable talents. This CD is the second solo effort by Jensen; otherwise, he stays busy in and around the Pacific Northwest as a guest artist and sideman, and also tours with singers and stage shows.
In this CD, Jensen presents himself on most of the current jazz woodwind arsenal: soprano, alto,... read more
Many of the more progressive jazz types these days boast diverse ethnic/world music bonafides that they creatively infuse into their music that broadens the jazz vernacular. Saxophonist Zem Audu 's brand of jazz is internationally flavored, too, but he didn't get that way out of mere curiosity; he's lived that kind of life.
Born in Nigeria and raised in England, Audu made his way to the jazz epicenter New York seven years ago. Along the... read more
Musically, Luminosity may be the most straight ahead of the sessions reviewed here, but it's also the one with the most varied cast. The program is eight compositions by German-born-and-raised pianist Florian Hoefner, who after a long period in New York, now teaches at Memorial University in St. John's. The quartet is completed by American bassist Sam Anning, Austrian drummer Peter Kronreif and Vancouver-raised, Manhattan-based tenor and soprano... read more
Smooth as silk large (two dozen+ musicians) big band led by trumpeter al hood and pianist dave hanson; musicians from LA, leaders from Denver. guest vocalist rene marie adds sexy and authority to her originals (autobiography, black freudian slip and i like you). more innovation from seattle's origin... read more
When we reviewed Hadley Caliman's return to the leadership role on Gratitude, back in 2008, we welcomed back a long-neglected artist, who had settled in Seattle, content to play in local Northwest settings. Gratitude opened some eyes to a saxophonist who still had full range and power well into his 70s. Hadley had been a great sidemen for both major jazz artists back in the 1970s and contributed as well to rock groups like Santana,... read more
Our member John Stowell has recorded with many different guitarists and on this latest CD he teams up with Swedish guitarist Ulf Bendgren. Ulf currently teaches guitar/ensemble at the Academy of Music and Drama, University of Gothenburg. Both players on this album are playing Mike Doolin guitars, John a nylon string and Ulf a steel string. They have an amazingly warm sound. The opening track is a bright number called ?Five Roses? and after... read more
This is just a small collection of the Origin Records reviews. Click here to view all reviews or try to Search for your favorite CD title.
Hal Galper - Live at the Berlin Philharmonic, 1977
by Dan McClenaghan, All About Jazz
Rodney Whitaker with the Christ Church Cranbrook Choir - Cranbrook Christmas Jazz
by Troy Dostert, All About Jazz
Grete Skarpeid - Beyond Other Stories
by Bjorn Sandnes, Avisa Hordaland (Norway)
Kiki Valera - Vivencias en Clave Cubana
by Tom Orr, World Music Central
Meridian Odyssey - Second Wave
by Chris Spector, Midwest Record
Rodney Whitaker with the Christ Church Cranbrook Choir - Cranbrook Christmas Jazz
by Chris Spector, Midwest Record
Greg Yasinitsky - YAZZ Band: New Normal
by Chris Spector, Midwest Record
Benjamin Boone with the Ghana Jazz Collective - Joy
by Raul Da Gama, JazzdaGama
Benjamin Boone - The Poets Are Gathering
by Raul Da Gama, JazzdaGama
Meridian Odyssey - Second Wave
by Dan McClenaghan, All About Jazz