Browse some recent Origin Reviews.
Geof Bradfield - melba!
by Kirk Silsbee, DownBeat Magaziene
If for no ther reason than he's giving orchids to the neglected legacy of the late trombonist/composer Melba Liston (who died in 1999 at the age of 74), the Chicago-based saxophonist Geof Bradfield deserves our attention. It just so happens that in this release he's composed a good little suite of peices that touch on Liston's considerable artistic journey, and turned his fine septet loose on it. Bradfield's pieces are sturdy, and most would... read more
Brad Goode - Polytonal Dance Party
by Andy Hamilton, Jazz Review
I'd been aware of Brad Goode, but not of quite what a superlative player and band-leader he was ? till I reviewed his album Nature Boy, released on Delmark earlier this year. With his quartet of Jeff Jenkins on piano, Johannes Weidenmueller on bass and Todd Reid on drums, this is an album where conception and execution, form and content, are perfectly matched. The leader's bright, articulate trumpet, placed in the context of a variety of... read more
Chad McCullough - Dark Wood, Dark Water
by Bill Milkowski, JazzTimes
Seattle-based trumpeter-composer Chad McCullough offers some fresh, thoughtful originals on his fine debut, along with a radically re-harmonized balladic arrangement of the Beatles' "Blackbird." He turns in some warm, lyrical flugelhorn work on the affecting opener, "Three Pillars," which also features an outstanding deep-toned upright solo from bassist Jeff Johnson. The uptempo burner "Nightmare's Dance" has McCullough blowing some fast, bright... read more
Ben Thomas - The Mystagogue
by John Barrett, Jr., Jazz USA
Power -it's here by the truckload. While Ben Thomas brings his mallets down hard, his band stretches in serpentine, Zappa-like themes. There's tons of sustain on the title track, endless harmony for the drums to crash against. After Ben's mighty solo, we hear Eric Likkel's nervous clarinet, waddling with delight. His notes are delicate, and somehow fit amidst all this power. What is a mystagogue? Judging by the tune, something wonderful.... read more
Bobby Broom - The Way I Play: Live In Chicago
by Thomas R. Erdmann, Jazz Review
It's a shame so few musicians work in actual bands anymore; the kind of unit where the musicians stay the same from not only gig to gig, but year to year. Only through such long standing musical associations can shared concepts become created, but also explored. That is the case with guitarist Bobby Broom's band. He, bassist Dennis Carroll, and drummer Kobie Watkins, have crafted a unique working environment where all musical possibilities... read more
Bill Anschell - Improbable Solutions
by George W Harris, Jazz Weekly
Playing piano and electronics, Bill Anschell brings together a team of Chris Symer/b-eb, Jose Martinez-KJ Sawka/dr, Brian Monroney/g, and Jeff Busch/perc for some exciting originals that veer from progressive rock to hip fusion. There are hints of Weather Report with the melding of electronics, acoustic piano and deep pulses as on pieces like "Ambulator" and the galloping "Is This Thing Even On" featuring some hip electric bass introduction.... read more
Meridian Odyssey - Second Wave
by Michael Rietmulder, Seattle Times
Even in a tough year, Seattle musicians continued putting out exceptional music. Here are 15 of the best albums (so far) During the pandemic, this crew of hotshot young jazz players retreated to Alaska to crush salmon and record one of the year's most well-received Seattle jazz records in an airplane hangar. From the dulcet guitar-and-sax-led opening on "NT" to the coolly skittering title track, the quintet — which includes frequent... read more
speak - Speak
by Ian Patterson, All About Jazz
Former students of the jazz program at Washington University, Seattle, electric bassist Luke Bergman, drummer Chris Icasiano, keyboardist Aaron Otheim and saxophonist Andrew Swanson have clearly benefitted from the guiding hand of their professor, Cuong Vu, who guests on this fine debut recording, where the playing is as impressive as it is kaleidoscopic in range. All five musicians were brought up on rock and these leanings inform the music to... read more
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