Browse some recent Origin Reviews.
Zem Audu - Spirits
by DanMichael Reeves, Revive Music
You'll want to familiarize yourself quickly with saxophonist Zem Audu. The New York-based musician was born in Nigeria before his parents quickly relocated his family to England. "The question I always get asked is, 'Where are you from?' I don't want to neglect that I was born in Nigeria and just say I'm English because of my passport," shares Audu. "I don't want to not mention that I live in the States after being here for seven years. And I... read more
Dave Hanson - Blues Sky
by Thierry De Clemensat, Paris Move
If you are drawn to albums that immediately immerse you in a refined, poetic atmosphere, this one is for you. It stems from a particularly captivating artistic approach, during his week-long residency at the Dazzle Jazz Club in Denver in 2024, Dave Hanson took the opportunity to highlight both his piano playing and his arrangements for a small ensemble. The result is this quartet recording, his first in such a format. Joined by saxophonist Wil... read more
Geof Bradfield - melba!
by George Kanzler, The New York City Jazz Record
Melba Liston, who died 15 years ago this month at 73, was to post-swing and bebop what Mary Lou Williams had been to the Swing Era, a woman who rivaled the most accomplished jazz arrangers and instrumentalists of her time. As a trombonist, she worked with greats of the later 20th Century, including Quincy Jones, Charles Mingus, Dizzy Gillespie and Randy Weston. She wrote big band charts for the latter two and her collaborations with Weston are... read more
The H2 Big Band - It Could Happen
by Jack Bowers, All About Jazz
4-STARS - As Shakespeare wrote, "That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." Who would dare argue with that? The point is that It Could Happen, the second recording by the H2 Big Band, is performed by a world-class ensemble. It's just not the H2 Big Band, which essentially remained home in Colorado save for its co-leaders, trumpeter Al Hood and pianist Dave Hanson. This is in fact a group of Los... read more
Jessica Williams - Songs of Earth
by John Frederick Moore, Jazziz
There's long been a spiritual component to Jessica Williams' work, but rarely has it been as explicit as it is on this set of solo piano pieces. Taken from live performances in Seattle over a three-year period,the seven selections are largely spontaneous improvisations, and that raw creativity is what makes this disc so satisfying, both musically and emotionally.
At first blush, these pieces seem to fall into the category of brooding,... read more
Chad McCullough & Bram Weijters - Abstract Quantities
by Rotcod Zzaj, Improvijazzation Nation
If solid & pure jazz is what you're after, you won't find any better than this band featuring Chad's trumpet and Bram's great keyboards (along with bass from Piet Verbist and drums from John Bishop) anywhere on the globe. This is their third release... my first listen, but on tunes like the 5:35 "Hesitation", you'll hear just how sensitive the players are to each other... the recording is pure and clean, and if you listen with your headphones... read more
Paul Marinaro - Mood Ellington
by Robert Nicosia, Music Man
Acclaimed vocalist Paul Marinaro has released his fifth album, Mood Ellington, and the results are nothing short of triumphant. This ambitious project, into which Marinaro has poured a massive amount of work and passion, proves that every ounce of effort was well worth it. Mood Ellington is a 25-track double-disc exploration of songs written by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, and it stands as both a tribute and a reinvention of two of jazz's... read more
Maja Jaku - Blessed & Bewitched
by Tom Haugen, Take Effect
The Austrian vocalist Maja Jaku brings her distinct voice to these 7 personal tracks that comprise this rich 5th album.
"The Witch" starts the listen with Dezron Douglas' emotive bass and Alan Bartus' intimate keys that suit Jaku's striking voice, and "I'm A Queen" follows with Johnathan Blake's strategic drums amid the expressive singing.
"Blessings Will Come" and "Never Let Me Go" land in the middle. The former has Jaku singing with a... read more
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