Inbox Jukebox Track of the Day: The Bitches Brew-like Zoner "Four" by Seattle Jazz Duo Bad Luck
Bad Luck, "Four" (Origin). Seattle duo Bad Luck—saxophonist/loop manipulator Neil Welch and drummer Chris Icasiano—have been making jazz fiery again over the last few years. They generate a lot of heat and fury for two people, and their live performances have been whirlwinds of inventive energy and technical mastery—chaos harnessed to... read more
4-STARS In spite of its rather intriguing title (and those of several of its selections), Secret Exit to Another Dimension, by Belgian bassist Piet Verbist's well-schooled trio, consists for the most part of the sort of gentle, heartwarming jazz one might hear on a given evening in any number of upscale nightspots around the world. In fact, if guitarist Hendrik Braeckman were to be replaced by pianist Tamir Hendelman, Verbist's threesome... read more
Altoist Kim Richmond and his co-leader, trumpeter Clay Jenkins, contributed six of the nine songs to this sextet session. The originals and the improvisations are very harmonically advanced and thick with chords, while still swinging. The underrated tenor saxophonist Rich Perry takes many creative solos, as does Richmond, Jenkins, and pianist Harold Danko. While none of the originals are destined to become standards in the future, the music is... read more
MLK Convergence showcases Chicago bass stalwart Marlene Rosenberg's muscular sound, rocksteady time and imaginative solo ideas far better than her first Origin recording, 2012's Bassprint. The title of this recent recording comes from the "convergence" of Dr. King's initials with those of her star-studded trio—Marlene, Lewis (Nash) and Kenny (Barron). It's also an allusion to the album's affirmative theme of social justice.
Hope emanates... read more
The unorthodox trio of Kevin Woods on trumpet and flugelhorn, pianist Miles Black and John Stowell on steel, nylon and fretless baritone guitars makes for playful work of originals and some jazz standards. Woods and Stowell dance around "I Hear A Rhapsody" with Black waxing eloquence on Wayne Shorter's "Virgo". The three play peek-a-boo on Bill Evans' "Peris-Scope" and are languid for Jobim's "Inutil Paisagem." Most lyrical is Black's romantic... read more
Music and poetry have a close relationship, always, from rhyming pop tunes to metaphoric tone poems to soundtrack art songs, lieder, of which classical music abounds. Musical accompaniment has been scored for Goethe and Paul Verlaine and, more recently, Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson and even Bob Dylan. Thinking specifically about jazz and poetry takes us to the 1950s and San Francisco's North Beach and Manhattan's Greenwich Village.... read more
Like so many jazz guitarists, Shawn Purcell was awed by the playing of Pat Martino, whose classic album El Hombre truly opened his ears to the possibilities of the guitar-organ trio. And certainly, Martino's influence echoes throughout 180 (Origin), the Washington, D.C.-based Purcell's most recent release. Teaming up with organ virtuoso Pat Bianchi and drum phenom Jason Tiemann, Purcell explores and updates the dynamics of the classic organ... read more
During his early childhood, Keigo Hirakawa moved to the United States with his parents and obtained a doctorate in engineering. At the same time, he studied under renowned musicians such as Danilo Perez and Stephen Scott at the New England Conservatory of Music. Over the years, he has collaborated with numerous artists, including Donald Byrd and Joe Lovano. Currently based in Dayton, Hirakawa excels as a jazz pianist and in educational... 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