Browse some recent Origin Reviews.
John Wojciechowski - Focus
by Howard Reich, Chicago Tribune
The kids who study music at St. Charles North High School may not realize how fortunate they are. For their teacher/bandleader happens to be one of Chicago's more commanding saxophonists, an artist who surely could build a full-time international career performing, if he so chose.
When I first heard John Wojciechowski, at the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition in Washington in 1996, I was sure he would take the top... read more
Ben Patterson Jazz Orchestra - Mad Scientist Music
by Michael van Gee, Jazz'N'More (Switzerland)
5-STARS Just last year, this magazine featured the Ben Patterson Jazz Orchestra with their album "Groove Junkies". Now, with the album "Mad Scientist Music," the trombonist follows up with an equally first-class work featuring six magnificent new compositions and arrangements that will once again delight big band fans.
The album opens with the up-tempo number "We're Back Baby!" featuring the 17-piece jazz orchestra in top form and... read more
Gary Hobbs - Of My Times
by Scott Yanow, All Music Guide
Of My Times has intriguing arrangements by drummer Gary Hobbs that keep the music quite unpredictable. Some selections utilize electronics while others are more straight-ahead. Among the highlights are "Fever" which has an effective vocal by Britta Hobbs and uses an atmospheric bass clarinet, "Hades Ladies," which is reminiscent of early fusion and has Marc Seales playing Fender Rhodes electric piano, and a fairly straightforward "Besame Mucho"... read more
Dominic J. Marshall - Spirit Speech
by Peter Bacon, The Jazz Breakfast
Remember when the references you most commonly picked up from a piano trio were to the oblique harmonies and subtle rhythms of Bill Evans. Now it's the hip-hop groove and the sliding Robert Glasper phrases that most often stand out.
Of course there is nothing wrong with either form of sincere flattery and I haven't heard many pianists not use such influences to good effect. Dominic Marshall, originally from the UK but now working out of... read more
Nnenna Freelon - Beneath the Skin
by Jim Motavalli, THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD
Singer Nnenna Freelon has long shown she knows her way around the Great American Songbook (she's recorded tributes to Billie holiday and Stevie Wonder), but on her newly released 12th album, Beneath the Skin, the tunes, many of them poignant ballads, are all hers, with several celebrating women in many colors. On this straight-ahead acoustic affair—with an unusual instrumentation of cello, trombone and guitar plus piano trio—Freelon proves... read more
Randy Halberstadt - Open Heart
by Dave Rogers, WTJU
Pianist/composer/teacher Randy Halberstadt offers his sixth release as a leader. He composed six of the nine songs on offer and each cover was written by Frederic Chopin, George Gershwin or Henry Mancini. The backing musicians include Chuck Deardorf (bass), Adam Kessler (drums), Ben Thomas (vibes), Jay Thomas (trumpet, flugelhorn, soprano sax), Mark Taylor (alto sax) and David Marriott, Jr (trombone). The music flows and is beautifully rhythmic.... read more
Dan Heck - Compositionality
by Bill Milkowski, JazzTimes
Florida-based guitarist composer Dan Heck takes his time entering the first track of his Origin debut, deferring to trumpeter Thomas Marriott on the funky boogaloo "One for Flo" and laying out entirely. By the time he finally makes his move at the 2:30 mark, his warm, flowing lines and clear articulation immedately reveal the influence of Pat Metheny, whom he pays tribute to on the lyrical ballad "Stand Pat." And that isn't the only homage... read more
Bongwool Lee - My Singing Fingers
by George W Harris, Jazz Weekly
Bongwool Lee forms a trio with Kendrick Scott/dr and Luques Curtis/b for a collection of mostly originals. The sole cover is a pastel themed "Bye Bye Blackbird" which as the leader sashay with Scott's brushes, while Lee goes elegiac on a solo "Burning Incense." The team gets assertive on "Repeating Nightmares" and is fun and quirky as Scott gets everyone snappy on "After the Black Dog" Taylor Eigsti brings his Fender Rhodes in for a soulful... read more
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