Browse some recent Origin Reviews.
Matt Jorgensen - Tattooed by Passion: Music inspired by the paintings of Dale Chisman
by Eric Scigliano, Seattle Met
The Sound of Paint Sizzling: Matt Jorgensen's "Tattooed by Passion": Abstract art meets its musical match in a local composer's inspired new album.
Painters from Vermeer to Picasso have celebrated music-making. Abstract expressionism is jazz played with a brush; Mondrian made boogie woogie out of squares and stripes. But musical homages to painting are much rarer. Pictures at an Exhibition, of course. Dave Brubeck's Miro Reflections and... read more
Michael Zilber - Originals for the Originals
by Andrew Gilbert, Berkeleyside
Over the past 15 years or so the Albany saxophonist Michael Zilber has recorded a series of critically hailed collaborations, joining forces with an imposing array of master improvisers like drum maestro Steve Smith, saxophone legend Dave Liebman, and the painterly guitar explorer John Stowell.
But Zilber's latest album Originals for the Originals (Origin) is the kind of project that doesn't accommodate a co-leader. A highly personal... read more
Ziggurat Quartet - Calculated Gestures
by Jerome Wilson, Cadence Magazine
Calculated Gestures is by a group of veteran musicians from the Pacific Northwest who experiment with a gamut of sounds, using complex hip-hoppish beats on "XoBoX," snaky Indian melodies on "Vindaloo" and minimalist phrase repetition on "Oregonian Monkey Chant." These pieces often have the piano, bass, and drums locking into angular and fragmented rhythms while saxophonist Barber picks his way through on the top like he's climbing over barbed... read more
Jim Gailloreto Jazz String Quintet - The Pythiad
by Editor, Chicago Jazz Magazine
Saxophonist and composer Jim Gailloreto is known for his inventive genre fusions. The nine-piece suite The Pythiad is no exception. Inspired by lesser-known heroes of Greek mythology, it features vocalist Cheryl Wilson's charismatic singing and Coleman Gailloreto's intriguing poetry. The lyrics are a mix of couplets and free verse, and are a superb match for the sparse and haunting music.
For instance, the tense and angular "Deucalion and... read more
Phil Kelly & The SW Santa Ana Winds - My Museum
by Harvey Siders, JazzTimes, September 2007
In 2003 a cross-pollination of Pacific Northwest and L.A. jazz communities resulted in Kelly's first Origin album, Convergence Zone. It happened again in '06, leading to this masterpiece. No rehearsal time. As Kelly explained, "It was straight gonzo." Thanks to the growing comfort level, the guys simply devoured the charts. "Jeannine," "Daydream" and "Zip Code 2005" reveal Kelly's expertise with taut clusters. "It's a Lazy Afternoon" (in... read more
Ben Thomas Tango Project - Eternal Aporia
by Georges Tonla Briquet, Jazz'halo (Belgium)
Multi-instrumentalist Ben Thomas in turn ventures into the "tango nuevo" and this only with his own compositions.
Jazz and tango or also the "tango nuevo" without a composition by Piazzolla on the set list? Ben Thomas does it on this 'Eternal Aporia'. It's a step-by-step story. He first made a name for himself as a vibraphonist and composer before being bitten by the dance bug and finally finding his way into the world of the bandoneon. He... read more
Jon Hamar - Música Callada
by Thierry De Clemensat, Paris Move
5-STARS Jon Hamar's Música Callada Redefines the Boundaries Between Classical Music and Jazz
It is rare to encounter a classical recording in which the double bass stands at the center of the artistic vision. Yet with Música Callada, released this June, Jon Hamar has created an album that feels quietly transformative, a work of uncommon depth that lingers long after the final notes fade. The first surprise arrives almost... read more
Ray LeVier - Ray's Way
by Dan McClenaghan, All About Jazz
New York-based drummer Ray Levier contends for debut CD of the year with Ray's Way. He's assembled an all-star cast, including two of the finest guitarists plying the six string trade: John Abercrombie and Mike Stern, on five and four cuts respectively.
Levier's drumming has a "serve the music" approach that can be subtle or assertive, and often quite rock-influenced, as on the Mike Stern-penned "You Never Know," a tune that recalls Mark... read more
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