Browse some recent Origin Reviews.
Dawn Clement - Tandem
by Robert Iannapollo, Cadence
Northwest-based pianist / vocalist Dawn Clement has been making quite a name for herself. In addition to releasing several albums under her own name since 2003, she has also made substantial pianistic contributions to others' works. Recently she's been appearing on albums by soprano saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom. (That's the first place I heard her.) Her work in the rhythm section (with bassist Mark Helias and drummer Bobby Previte) on Bloom's... read more
Matt Otto - Umbra
by Russell Perry, WTJU
Kansas City-rooted quintet formed around the tenor of Matt Otto performs a set of nine originals with heart. Four of the tunes are presented as a tenor - bass - drums trio (the leader plus Jeff Harshbarger and John Kizilarmut) begging positive comparison to Sonny Rollins landmark recordings from the 50s and 60s as Otto mines the spare format for maximum emotion. Not to take anything away from the other tunes and the other players, but... read more
Rodney Whitaker - Mosaic: The Music of Gregg Hill
by Tom Haugen, Take Effect
The extraordinary bassist Rodney Whitaker is in some fine company here, where 10 songs unfold via this 4th collaboration between Whitaker and Gregg Hill.
The rich and dynamic title track opens with Rick Roe's well timed keys and Terell Stafford's bright trumpet that suits Whitaker's bouncy bass lines, and "Unknown Ballad" follows with Dana Hall's agile drumming and Rockelle Whitaker's soulful pipes adding much to the graceful... read more
Tom Luer - Project Popular
by Adam Greenberg, All Music
Cross-pollination between jazz and pop music has become something of a mini-trend in the last few years, ranging from interesting fusions and covers on smaller labels up to a high-exposure Grammy for Herbie Hancock's renditions of Joni Mitchell songs. In the same vein, Los Angeles-based sax player Tom Luer reworks a handful of major hits into easygoing West Coast modern jazz on Project Popular. This is light, airy music fresh from the cafes more... read more
Thomas Marriott - Constraints & Liberations
by David Kane, Cadence
It seems that the spirit of Miles Davis ca. 1967 is alive and well in the form of trumpeter Thomas Marriott's new CD, [ Constraints & Liberations]. That's not a bad thing in my book for curiously, although Miles has obviously been a huge influence in Jazz, the work he did with his late quintet in the few years just prior to his groundbreaking Bitches Brew recording has not been followed up as much as I imagined it would or should have... read more
Joe Locke - Subtle Disguise
by Georg Modestin, Jazz'N'More (Switzerland)
Born in 1959, vibraphonist Joe Locke belongs to a minority within the jazz scene; nevertheless, since his arrival in New York in 1981, he has established himself as a master of his craft. As a bandleader, his body of work to date comprises over thirty albums—supplemented by more than twice that number on which he appears as a distinguished sideman. Freddy Cole and Eddie Henderson, in particular, have regularly called upon Locke's services.... read more
Randy Halberstadt - Flash Point
by Ken Watkins, 100 Greatest Jazz Albums
Seattle-based pianist Randy Halberstadt's second release for Origin offers three attractive dimensions to his music as performer and composer.
The band is Randy Halberstadt's regular trio - Randy Halberstadt (piano), Jeff Johnson (bass), Mark Ivester (drums) ? expanded to a quintet on seven of the nine tracks with the addition of Mark Taylor (alto /soprano saxes) and Thomas Marriott (trumpet / flugelhorn).
Miles Davis' 'Solar' and Sam... read more
Chad McCullough & Bram Weijters - Abstract Quantities
by Adam Baruch, The Soundtrack of My Life (Israel)
This is the third album by the international quartet co-led by Belgian pianist / composer Bram Weijters and US trumpeter / composer Chad McCullough and including bassist Piet Verbist and drummer John Bishop. The album presents eleven original compositions, eight of which were composed by Weijters and three by McCullough. Two of these tunes are piano-trumpet duets.
The music is modern Jazz, well within the mainstream boundaries, but presents... read more
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