Browse some recent Origin Reviews.
Roxy Coss - Restless Idealism
by Dick Metcalf, Improvijazzation
What sets Ms. Coss apart from all the other sax players is her (almost) relentless pursuit of originality, and this ten-song release is nothing but Coss originals! You'll "get the sonic picture" as soon as you catch the first eight (or so) bars of her opening tune, "Don't Cross the Coss"... & what you will hear, above all else, is that she doesn't need to "try" too hard... her playing style is totally natural & jammed full of life. I first... read more
Doug Lofstrom with Misha Rachlevsky & the Russian String Orchestra - Music for Strings
by Ron Schepper, Textura
The earliest material on this thoroughly appealing collection of classical material by Chicago composer Doug Lofstrom dates back to 1971, yet Music for Strings sounds as fresh as the day it was born. How the Russian String Orchestra and its conductor founder Misha Rachlevsky came to perform the four Lofstrom works on the release isn't clarified; regardless, both listeners and composer are fortunate they did. The committed renderings by the... read more
Chuck Deardorf - Transparence
by Michael Steinman, Cadence
Bassist Deardorf's 'Transparence' also has it's integrity--rooted in the recent Jazz past without being overtly nostalgic or imitative. A few of the selections are too "electric" for my taste, but my taste is admittedly narrow. The acoustic tracks--featuring pianist Mays, altoist Teuber, and a variety of guitarists--are simply lovely. Deardorf is not afraid of beauty; playing a ballad with sincerity and gentleness is in his very nature; he is... read more
Peter Erskine & the JAM Music Lab All-Stars - Bernstein in Vienna
by Gary Walker, WBGO Feature (NYC)
Leonard Bernstein created with a palette with colors from jazz, blues and popular music, shaping a classical sound that attracted fans from around the world. The Vienna-based Jam Music Lab All-Stars, under the direction of pianist Danny Grissett, and special guest, drummer Peter Erskine, saluted Bernstein in performance, captured here. It's a new Bernstein shine, with the collective working through "Somewhere," "Lonely Town," "Cool" and more,... read more
Michael Dease - Found in Space: The Music of Gregg Hill
by BMan, BMan's Blues Report
I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Found In Space: The Music of Gregg Hill, by Michael Dease and it's an interesting exploration of the music of composer, Gregg Hill. Opening with The Last Pop Tune, Bill Cunliffe plays the intro on piano quickly joined by Virginia Macdonald on clarinet, Matt White on trumpet, Katie Thiroux on bass and Colleen Clark on drums. Rudresh Mahanthappa on alto and Jason Hainsworth on tenor... read more
Corey Christiansen - Roll With It
by Will Smith, JazzTimes, Jan/Feb 09
Those with a taste for grits and gravy in their musical diet will find a lot to savor on Roll With It. And while this group looks like a typical organ trio with tenor on the side, it packs a tangy flavor due to the solid and inspired musicianship of the participants, most of them living in the general area of the Pacific Northwest. Lead guitarist Corey Christiansen, who has returned to his native Utah after six years as the senior music... read more
Chuck Deardorf - Transparence
by Thomas Conrad, Jazz Times
Most major American cities (and, for that matter, most European ones) contain a jazz musician who is the default bassist of record. You run into them all over town, in all manner of ensembles, kicking ass and taking names.
In Seattle, Wash., it is Chuck Deardorf. He is known for making other people sound good, not leading his own projects. But Transparence argues that he is also a strong and smart bandleader. Deardorf blends various... read more
Jessica Williams - Songs For A New Century
by Scott Yanow, JAZZIZ
One of the giants of the jazz piano since her solo breakthrough in the late 1980s, Jessica Williams has technique on the level of Oscar Peterson, a wit inspired by Thelonious Monk, a solid sense of swing and a very fertile imagination. She gives the impression she can play anything that occurs to her ? depending on the setting, the way she feels at the moment, and the way her life is evolving.
On Songs for a New Century, Williams performs... read more
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