Origin Records Reviews

Bobby Broom - Song And Dance
by Scott Gilliam, All About Jazz.com

The guitar trio is a challenging format for any six stringer. So often the end result is an album full of knuckle busting licks and very little in the way of substance. Veteran guitarist Bobby Broom avoids those pitfalls on his latest effort Song And Dance. Broom, along with bassist Dennis Carroll and drummer Kobie Watkins, avoids a noodle fest and serves the melodies the respect they deserve. Make no mistake though, these guys can cook.

The... read more

Clipper Anderson - The Road Home
by John Barron, The Jazz Word

A flowing, uninhibited approach could describe Clipper Anderson's bass playing. With impressive technical flourishes and lyrical phrasing, the Seattle veteran stands front-and-center on his trio release The Road Home. Joined by equally dynamic band mates, pianist Darin Clendenin and drummer Mark Ivester, Anderson explores not only his capacities as a performer but also his range as a composer and arranger. The disc features many of Anderson's... read more

Dana Hall - Into the Light
by Howard Reich, Chicago Tribune

It isn't often that a recording debut stands as one of the strongest CDs of the year, but that's unmistakably the case with Chicago drummer Dana Hall's newly released "Into the Light" (Origin Records).

Hall, who also teaches at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, has appeared prolifically on CDs of other artists, but he makes his boldest statement to date in his recording bow as bandleader. Fronting an all-star quintet, the... read more

Hood Smoke - Laid Up In Ordinary
by Tim Seisser, Bass Musician Magazine

Born in Milwaukee, Bryan started playing bass at the age of twelve. Now in his tenth year based in Chicago, Bryan can be heard playing everything from modern jazz to authentic Latin to funk-dripped soul. Bryan?s versatile bass skills and compositions have brought him national recognition and solidified his reputation as one of music?s brightest stars.

Tim: So tell the readers a bit about your background in music and how you came to play... read more

Chad McCullough | Michal Vanoucek - The Sky Cries
by Ken Dryden, All Music Guide

Trumpeter Chad McCullough has worked extensively with Slovakian pianist Michal Vanoucek, leading to this studio collaboration. Their music resists labeling due to its wide scope. Accompanied by alto saxophonist Mark Taylor, bassist Dave Captein, and drummer Matt Jorgenson, the co-leaders contributed five originals each for this session. The trumpeter's rambunctious opener, "Where the Sky Cries," blends elements of samba and post-bop. But the CD... read more

Michael Vlatkovich Tritet w/ Jonas Tauber and Ken Ollis - Queen Dynamo
by Dan McClenaghan, All About Jazz

It's hard to say how the average jazz fan comes to an appreciation of improvised music�and we're talking here spontaneous compositions, not merely an improvised solo in the middle of a mainstream song. One avid listener's introduction to the genre occured some years ago at a concert/lecture in a small state college auditorium. Two young musicians�bass and piano�held forth with a very interesting history of twentieth century jazz, from Louis... read more

John Bishop with Jeff Johnson, Rick Mandyck, John Stowell - Scenes
by Joseph Blake, JazzSteps, December 2001

Guitarist John Stowell's liner notes to this recently released CD makes Scenes sound almost serendipitous. He writes that "I suggested that we make a little music and turn on the tapes if we liked the chemistry...We did a couple of gigs in Seattle and went into the studio for a couple of sessions."

Stowell and drummer John Bishop produced the two sessions recorded at Seattle's Ironwood Studios.

They showcase the quartet's very democratic... read more

Chris Walden Big Band - Home Of My Heart
by John Killoch, Mainly Big Bands

This the debut CD of one of the most remarkable big bands I have had the pleasure of listening to for some time. One only has to check out the personnel to realise that this is a very special event in the big band world. A exciting assembly including the finest musicians available on the West Coast, see below. The imaginative writing allows the soloists and the ensemble to stretch and produce sounds that have an impact that leaves you in awe of... read more

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