Though John Moulder has been recording and performing for twenty years now, his name recognition hasn?t risen to that of the top ranks of jazz guitarists. It really should. No exaggeration. His most recent album, The Eleventh Hour: Live at the Green Mill, is proof of that. Apparently the result of serendipity, the album exists because recording engineer Ken Christianson suggested recording Moulder?s quintet at Chicago?s Green Mill during a... read more
40 years in as an all star, all pro drummer for the crème of the crop and it's only his third outing as a leader. Strutting his Afro-Cuban stuff, he doesn't play it linearly for tourists, he makes it totally caliente and keeps you guessing what's coming around the next bend. A wonderfully wild work out abetted by a hand picked crew of all stars in their own rights, this is some out of the ordinary jazz that merrily hits the... read more
Boston-born singer Sarah Partridge didn't start out a singer. She started out as an actor (you can see her opposite of Tom Cruise in Risky Business (Warner Brothers, 1983)) who took the Karaoke stage one night and got noticed by the right ears and five recordings later the rest is history. Where her previous recording, Perspective (Self Produced, 2010) was an intimate, piano-voice affair of standards, the present I Never Thought I'd Be Here is... read more
If you are looking for a single collection of fresh, new, groove-based tunes and are a fan of jazz, funk, and rock, look no further than "The Way of the Groove." Ben Patterson, a master trombonist, composer, arranger, and former long-serving member of the Airmen of Note, brings forth a delightful album with his latest release. Featuring all original compositions and an outstanding band, listeners are sure to savor this exciting new... read more
Pianist Sussman was a young player on the NYC loft scene back in the late '70s when he gathered a few of his friends together and made a record. The result was Free Fall, a record that received critical acclaim, but without the financial reward to enable Sussman to keep the band together. The keyboard player ended up teaching at the Manhattan School of Music, writing music for television, work with Hank Jones and even touring with Blood Sweat &... read more
I've often thought of music in terms of color and pattern. This goes the other direction as well, when asked about the complexity of abstraction in art, I've often used music as a pathway to assist in visualizing. There can be shortcomings, of course, in reviewing or assessing with this technique, but in general, I find it's valuable for opening a door that can seem hard to open. I offer this lens in reference to the 20th anniversary re-issue of... read more
Don Lanphere's Year 'Round Christmas arrived in my mailbox a few days ago as a delightful surprise. I had requested a different holiday release, and this pleasurable CD came along as an unexpected companion. I'm certainly glad it did.
Lanphere, a beloved jazz great who played with legends like Charlie Parker and Artie Shaw, was known as the "Seattle Jazz Grandpop." Sadly, the artist passed away in October 2003, but the fine music of this... read more
Saxophonist Zaleski, a native of Boylston, studied as a teen at the Dave Brubeck Institute and now teaches at the New England Conservatory. His sextet includes brother Glenn Zaleski on piano, Mark Cocheo on guitar and Jon Bean on tenor sax, along with Mark Zaleski's alto and soprano saxes. Re-doing Brubeck music is a tall order, not least because of his long association with Paul Desmond, who had arguably the best tone of any saxophonist. They... read more
This is just a small collection of the Origin Records reviews. Click here to view all reviews or try to Search for your favorite CD title.
Abate Berihun & The Addis Ken Project - Addis Ken
by Hanna Kay, Cult News (Paris)
Abate Berihun & The Addis Ken Project - Addis Ken
by Budapest, Rudolf Radnai
Abate Berihun & The Addis Ken Project - Addis Ken
by Editor, Bman's Blues Report
Jared Hall - Hometown
by Editor, Bman's Blues Report
Dawn Clement - Dear Ms. Dearie
by Editor, Bman's Blues Report
Jared Hall - Hometown
by Dee Dee McNeil, Making A Scene
Affinity Trio - New Outlook
by Tom Haugen, Take Effect
Michael Dease Big Band - Return Trajectory
by Thierry De Clemensat, Paris Move
Brad Goode Quintet Feat. Ernie Watts - Live Your Dream: Live at North Street Cabaret
by Thierry De Clemensat, Paris Move
Maja Jaku - Blessed & Bewitched
by Tom Haugen, Take Effect