Browse some recent Origin Reviews.
David Friesen Circle 3 Trio - Where the Light Falls
by Brent Black, Bop-N-Jazz
Widely acknowledged as one of the finest bass players over the last forty years, David Friesen's Circle 3 Trio and Where the Light Falls may be his finest release yet.
Remember melody? Improvisational music was built around the strength of melody long before meter and technique moved to the head of the class. Friesen never forgot melody, he manipulates and manufactures all the possibilities that exist in a simple unadorned melody.... read more
Charlie Ballantine - East by Midwest
by Dan McClenaghan, All About Jazz
4 STARS
A bracing guitar/bass/drums trio outing from guitarist Charlie Ballantine, East by Midwest, sounds as if it was recorded in a large, high-ceilinged warehouse with a cement floor, that floor buffed into the next dimension to a high polish, this giving the music a beautiful resonance. Retro? Think Link Wray or Dick Dale and The Deltones. Modernistic? Think John Abercrombie on some of his early ECM Records efforts. Or... read more
Gabriel Espinosa - The Brazilian Project
by George W. Harris, Jazz Weekly
Composer and bassist Gabriel Espinosa gives a salute to the music of Brazil with a collection of his material that takes on the halcyon days of bossa nova and bring them up to date. He mixes and matches with a collection musicians in Roger Rocha/as-ss-fl, Josue Lopez/ts-fl, Daniel Freire/bars, Bruno Santos/fh, Rafael Rocha-Joabe Reis/tb, Andre Lopez-Felipe Silveira-Eduardo Farias/p, Giovani Malini/g, Hugo Maciel/eg Renato Rocha-Rafael Barata/dr... read more
Geof Bradfield - Our Roots
by Michael Jackson, Downbeat
In each of his four CDs for Origin, the enlightened, musician-led label from Seattle, commencing with Urban Nomad in 2008, through African Flowers (2010), Melba (2013) and Our Roots (2015), Chicago-based Geof Bradfield has proven himself a blue chip saxophonist/arranger/composer and conceptualist. Further to that, Houston-born Bradfield has emerged as a witty and informative live presenter of his ambition projects.
Case in point was a... read more
Chad McCullough & Bram Weijters - Abstract Quantities
by George W. Harris, Jazz Weekly
Warm-toned Chad McCullough / tp and evocative Bram Waijters / p-keys lead a subtle quartet with Piet Verbist / b and John Bishop / dr through a collection of quiet and lyrical originals. There's a bit of agitation and drive on material like "Glorious Traffic Jam," but for the most part you get sophisticated melodies gently laid out as on "Mr. Rubato," "Winter's Lament" and "Billions." The team is simpatico, and lets the candles burn all the way... read more
Michael Zilber - Originals for the Originals
by George Harris, Jazz Weekly
Michael Zilber uses his compositional skills as well as his soprano and tenor saxes to give tribute to some of his musical inspirations. The core team of David Kikoski/p, James Genus/b and Clarence Penn/dr is used for all of the songs except one, the darkly swinging "Hen House" dedicated to Joe Henderson. Other Selmer stars include a Wayne Shorter, who is shown by the leader's soprano in the Weather Report fashion on the exciting and propulsive... read more
Anthony Branker and Word Play - The Forward (Towards Equality) Suite
by Joe Tangari, Downbeat
In 1999, Anthony Branker was forced to stop playing trumpet due to a medical condition. Where many musicians would have felt silenced losing their ability to play, Branker shifted his energy to composing and assembled two collectives, Word play and Ascent, to bring his music to life.
Word Play is the band on his most recent release, The Forward (Towards Equality) Suite (Origin), a wide-ranging and powerful rumination on America's... read more
Jordan VanHemert - Nomad
by Tom Haugen, Take Effect
The saxophone powerhouse Jordan VanHemert returns with Rodney Whitaker on bass and David Alvarez III behind the drum kit for a listen that celebrates Korean culture via their exciting jazz formula, and there's plenty of guests in attendance, too.
"Bird, Bird, Bluebird" starts the listen with VanHemet's warm sax before frisky drumming and playful bass enters the stylish jazz climate, and "Imjin River Song" follows with the rhythm section... read more
Looking for a specific review?
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.
Search Reviews:
Recently Added Reviews:
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