Browse some recent Origin Reviews.
Michael Dease - City Life: Music of Gregg Hill
by Thierry De Clemensat, Paris Move
5-STARS There are two trombonists in the world I hold in the highest regard. One hails from Europe, the unmistakable figure with the red trombone, Nils Landgren. The other is American, and his name is Michael Dease. While their styles are worlds apart, shaped by different cultural soil, both possess something rare and essential: the ability to transcend their instrument and become, in essence, actors on the musical stage.
This is not... read more
John McLean - Better Angels
by Brad Walseth, Chicagojazz.net
Guitarist John McLean opens up his sophomore effort as a leader sounding somewhat like Pat Metheny on the original title track. Grazyna Auguscik's lovely wordless vocals float through, accompanied by Jim Gailloreto's soprano sax, before Zach Brock enters with a choice violin solo. McLean answers with a burning solo of his own, while bassist Larry Kohut and drummer Eric Montzka tear up everything in their path underneath. Very cool stuff,... read more
John La Barbera Big Band - Grooveyard
by Tom Haugen, Take Effect
The conductor and arranger John La Barbera steers this New York City Big Band into hard-swinging territory, where the 4 arranged tunes and 6 originals are fleshed out with plenty of brass, winds and a stunning rhythm section.
The title track opens the listen with plenty of energy from the bright brass, before calmer bouts of grooves and Brandon Coleman's precise drums that make an impression, and "My New Summer Samba" follows with a... read more
David Friesen with Orchestra and Quartet - Testimony
by Cedric Hendrix, CirdecSongs
Bassist David Friesen has been a part of the jazz scene for more than 50 years. Clearly, he has nothing to prove. Testimony (Origin Records) feels almost like a work of classical music, regardless of whether he's working with a quartet or an orchestra. The music is deep and intimate, rarely shouting louder than a whisper. It has the sound of the veteran musician baring his soul for all to hear. We are fortunate to be able to accompany Friesen on... read more
Tom Collier - Alone in the Studio
by Tom Morgan, Percussive Notes
Tom Collier has always been interested in recording music. This is obvious when one reads the liner notes to this excellent CD. As the name implies, Alone in the Studio is all Tom Collier playing vibes, marimba, piano, drums, and synthesized bass. He takes all of is past experience in the studio and creates performances of 11 tunes full of variety and musical interest.
The first two tunes, "Little Green Things" and "Lines," are... read more
Rodney Whitaker - Common Ground: The Music of Gregg Hill
by Editor, Jazz Chill
Common Ground is the first of five CDs that bass maestro Rodney Whitaker intends to release in 2019 in acknowledgment of his fiftieth birthday year. It's his seventh album, and embodies the musical values that Whitaker has projected on antecedent dates like When We Find Ourselves Alone, from 2014; such turn-of-the-century gems as Winter Moon, Ballads and Blues: The Brooklyn Session and Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow; and the critically acclaimed... read more
Carlos Vega - Bird's Ticket
by George W. Harris, Jazz Weekly
Tenor saxist Carlos Vega leads a heavy hitting post bop team of Victor Garcia/tp, Stu Mindeman/p-key, Josh Ramos/b and Xavier Breaker/dr through ten rich originals. Vega's tone is Coltrane-esque thick with a hint of fuzz attached and he's quite adept at tricky lines and driving grooves as on the quicksilver "A Confluence in Chi-Town" and intricate title track. Mindeman's piano is a lovely companion as he and the rhythm team form a table dance... read more
John Stowell | Michael Zilber - Live Beauty
by Mike Joyce, JazzTimes
Anyone who has enjoyed previous collaborations by guitarist John Stowell and saxophonist Michael Zilber will be delighted to discover that nothing gets lost in the transition from studio to stage on this 2012 concert recording. It's an intimate quartet affair, marked by the kind of soulful, instinctual interplay that fans have come to expect.
In the album's liner notes, Stowell and Zilber briefly discuss their creative relationship, the yin... read more
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