Browse some recent Origin Reviews.
Chad McCullough - Dark Wood, Dark Water
by Jerome Wilson, Cadence
The leader of Dark Wood, Dark Water, Chad McCullough, is a trumpeter who wrote all his disc's original material which is mostly at slow to moderate tempos. He comes up with lovely insinuating melodies. The slowly pulsing "Lock Down" and the woozy "Bock's Car" demonstrate the blowzy, lyrical beauty of McCullough's playing as well as the quick-silver piano decorations of Bill Anschell. "Home" is a lovely waltz soulfully explored by saxophonist... read more
Carlos Vega - Art of the Messenger
by Luiz Athayde, Class of Sounds (Brazil)
And let's go with jazz, let's go with Carlos Vega. And I'm not referring to the renowned drummer, but to the accomplished saxophonist from Miami, Florida, and, importantly, with Puerto Rican DNA.
The Latin footprint is nothing new in his short solo catalog, composed by Bird's Ticket (2016) and Bird's Up (2017), but it is a natural "up", as is expected in at least most musicians who propose themselves to record a phonographic... read more
Shawn Purcell - Oblivity
by George W Harris, Jazz Weekly
One of the trickiest aspects of jazz, and especially for guitarists like Shawn Purcell, is to develop a personal and unique sound. I feel that this guy's got one, and although you can hear hints of his predecessors from Montgomery to Metheny, you can definitely recognize him in a lineup. Here, he plays guitar and guitar synth with Walt Weiskopf/ts, Ben Patterson/tb, Darden Purcell/voc, Chris Ziemba/p-key, Jeff Reed/b and Steve Fidyk/dr for a... read more
Bobby Selvaggio - Short Stories
by Mark Corroto, All About Jazz
Like the Japanese calligraphy art know as enso, the condensed and succinct introduction alto saxophonist Bobby Selvaggio delivers on the track "Price Of Being (Intro)" is a disciplined stroke, delivered with an ease and elegance that belies the character and control required for such a statement. He works his instrument through this exercise with such command and strength, the sound gives the impression it is effortless.
But then, such is... read more
Ben Patterson Jazz Orchestra - Mad Scientist Music
by Dick Metcalf, Contemporary Fusion Reviews
Brilliantly balanced jazz sophistication Ben Patterson Jazz Orchestra - MAD SCIENTIST MUSIC:
This album is one of the most brilliantly balanced jazz albums I've ever listened to. If you're craving the ultimate in hip, you'll find the 7:23 "The Mixup" fills that bill very nicely... unpredictable, yet totally accessible... you'll find yourself grooving right along on every notel
From my perspective, it was (unquestionably) the 6:27 closer,... read more
Aaron Germain - Chance
by Hrayr Attarian, Chicago Jazz Magazine
Ten intriguing pieces in an intimate ambience comprise guitarist Scott Hesse's Stillness of Motion. The vibrantly organic music brims with spontaneity within its intricately constructed framework, occupying a space between a free blowing session and a rigidly adhered interpretation. This delightful and seamless blend of the improvised and the composed is one of the major distinguishing features of the album. The easy flow of ideas among... read more
Paul Marinaro - Mood Ellington
by Lance Liddle, BeBop Spoken Here
A somewhat belated review, it was released in November but only reached my Victrola this month, otherwise it would have been highly placed in the 2025 Vocal Albums of the Year. Apologies to all concerned.
I reviewed one of Marinaro's previous albums - Not Quite Yet - back in 2022 and I was impressed. Mood Ellington is equally impressive maybe even more so because of the material, the arrangements and Marinaro himself.
Not every vocalist... read more
Tito Carrillo - Urbanessence
by Paul Rauch, All About Jazz
Trumpeter Tito Carillo's second bite of the apple on Origin was more than a decade in the making, following up his outstanding first release, Opening Statement (Origin, 2011). With Urbanessence (Origin, 2022), the Chicago-based artist is truly up to the task, producing a work which is an homage to everyday life in the city. The narrative makes the point that cities are home to creators, visionaries and an army of people who are... read more
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