Browse some recent Origin Reviews.
Mimi Fox - This Bird Still Flies
by Andrew Gilbert, Berkeleyside
When Mimi Fox talks about visiting Joe Pass, I picture the legendary guitarist sitting lotus position on top of a Himalayan peak, a cigar tucked firmly into the corner of his mouth as he utters cryptic jazz koans.
Gruff and avuncular, Pass wasn't really the guru type, but more than any other player of his era he mastered the lonely art of unaccompanied jazz guitar, recording a series of classic solo albums aptly titled Virtuoso. Some three... read more
Todd Bishop Pop Art 4 - 69 Annee Erotique: Music of Serge Gainsbourg
by Dan McClenaghan, All About Jazz
69 Annee Erotique gets extra credit for off-the-beaten-path-ness. It is a work celebrating the music of the late French pop songster Serge Gainsbourg (1928- 1991), by Portland Oregon-based Todd Bishop's Pop Art 4. Gainsbourg, whose name may not be person-on-the-street familiar in the United States, was a pop icon in France from the late-1950s to the 1980s, a musical renaissance man of sorts who delved into jazz, pop, reggae, soundtracks,... read more
Kim Richmond Concert Jazz Orchestra - Refractions
by Adam Greenburg, All Music Guide
Los Angeles saxophonist Kim Richmond's album Refractions involves a full orchestra of players and that was done for the orchestral effect rather than the big band idiom you would usually expect. Richmond likes to blend concepts from the classical realm with those from the jazz realm, and full classical orchestration is one part of that. The main thrust of this idea is to provide for a deeper, more cinematic sound that is capable of conveying the... read more
John Stowell & Dan Dean - Rain Painting
by Joe Finn, Jazz Guitar Today
I wanted to mention how much I am enjoying the 2021 album "Rain Painting" by John Stowell & Dan Dean. Modernity meets tradition in this collection of Stowell's compositions and Dean's wordless vocal arrangements and bass playing. The guitar, bass and vocal sounds are all very much in keeping with the heritage of the jazz style. And Stowell's playing swings like crazy. His improvisation is unfailingly melodic and he doesn't tend to repeat himself... read more
Trio Linguae - Kevin Woods / John Stowell / Miles Black - Signals
by Chris Lunn, Ancient Victorys
Stowell's guitar joins Kevin Woods' trumpet and flugelhorn and Miles Black's piano. Woods' "Few Regrets" opens with warm guitar and lyrical piano then moves into a floating mid tempo. Woods' horn is warm, low-end and lyrical moving in a very Chet Baker/Mulligan tight warmness. Guitar touches with amazing odd chords, and then the piano warmly and lyrically dances the tune. Woods also penned "Solo En Viento Sabe" with the odd, darting, off-angle... read more
Thomas Marriott - Both Sides Of The Fence
by Bill Barton, All About Jazz / Seattle
In 1999 Thomas Marriott won the prestigious Carmine Caruso International Jazz Trumpet Competition sponsored by the International Trumpet Guild and the Herb Albert Foundation. Michael Caldwell wrote in the March 2000 International Trumpet Guild Journal: "[His] confident stage demeanor and intense interest in the rhythm section adds depth and character to his performance. A particularly interesting aspect of Marriott's playing is his ability to... read more
Matt Otto - Umbra
by Tom Haugen, Take Effect
The tenor sax extraordinaire Matt Otto has a lengthy history of live performances, and here he captures that energy with Jeff Harshbarger, John Kizilarmut, Hermon Mehari, Matt Villinger and Alex Frank for these 9 fusion filled songs.
'Little Things" wastes no time making an impression with Otto's radiant sax alongside Kizilarmut's agile drumming, and "Hawk" follows with a radiant demeanor that emits a calming intimacy that makes great use... read more
Upper Left Trio - Cycling
by Roman St. James, IndieMonkey
Cycling, the debut release by the Upper Left Trio, is an absolutely stunning CD. The piano trio is the most basic of the jazz group configurations, but its simplicity inherently increases the difficulty in producing music that is either particularly innovative or engaging, for all but the most casual jazz listener. However, with this recording the Upper Left Trio - consisting of Charlie Doggett on drums, Clay Giberson on piano and Jeff Leonard... read more
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