Browse some recent Origin Reviews.
Dan Heck - Compositionality
by Adam Greenberg, All Music Guide
Though he'd left Seattle (and his earlier band, Bebop & Destruction) a few years prior, guitarist Dan Heck pulled some Seattle affiliates down to Florida for a recording session on Compositionality, a collection of originals spanning a range of ideas from bossa nova to modern drum-centric workouts. The album opens with a bumpy groove in a '60s vein that includes an electric bass solo courtesy of Rick Doll bubbly enough to have made Jaco... read more
David Friesen - A Light Shining Through
by Ferdinand Dupuis-Panther, Jazz'halo (Belgium)
In Down Beat we read about David Friesen: "Though a major international jazz figure for decades, it wasn't until 2015 that a tour allowed bassist-composer David Friesen the opportunity to visit his mother's ancestral home of Ukraine for the first time. Welcomed by a camera crew and introductions to pivotal musicians and cultural institutions, his journey was first documented on 2020's critically acclaimed Testimony, recorded live at Kyiv's... read more
New Stories - Hope is in the Air
by Thomas Conrad, Jazz Times
This Elmo Hope revival project exudes class. It includes cameos by seven guest musicians (most notably producer/trumpeter Don Sickler and alto saxophonist Bobby Porcelli), but is defined by New Stories: pianist Marc Seales, bassist Doug Miller and drummer John Bishop, who have constituted the best piano trio in Seattle, Wash., for 17 years.
Elmo Hope composed quirky, beautiful, unforgettable music, now all but lost in the shadows of history.... read more
Carl Schultz - The Road to Trantor
by Ferdinand Dupuis-Panther, Jazz'halo (Belgium)
The label writes about the musician and the album: "While composing for his newest recording, saxophonist Carl Schultz realized he was visualizing rich cinematic landscapes as his tunes were taking form. Likely related to his rereading of Hugo Award winning science fiction books at the time, it made sense to flesh out a complete narrative for the compositions to take, thus The Road to Trantor, the soundtrack of an epic tale that exists only in... read more
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
Human Spirit - Dialogue
by Dan McClenaghan, All About Jazz
The three players who now call themselves Human Spirit - drummer Matt Jorgensen, trumpeter Thomas Marriott and alto saxophonist Mark Taylor - have a very successful track record of recording together. They teamed up on Jorgensen's magnificent Tattooed by Passion (2010) and Another Morning (2008), and on Marriott's strange and splendid Crazy: The Music of Willie Nelson (2008) and Flexicon (2009), all on... read more
Michael Waldrop - Time Frames
by George W Harris, Jazz Weekly
Playing marimba, drums, keyboard sequencing and vibes, Michael Waldrop creates a percussion discussion with Jose Rossy/perc, Marko Djordjevic/dr, Gordon Stout/mar and a sometime guest team of Alex Peshounin-Sam Shoup/b and Steve Snyder-Ivana Cojbasic/p. The sticks get tribal and pretty on "Fractals" with African heat beating on "Leon De Palamidi" and the graceful "Notte Venezia". Stark piano is moody on the mysterious "Almost Beyond" and rapid... read more
Yumiko Endo Schlaffer - Rhapsodie
by Alison Young, Harp Column
Like the luscious glamour of her CD cover, Japanese harpist Yumiko Endo Schlaffer plays with a luxurious richness as soft as the velvet she lightly places herself on. Rhapsodie is sheer grace and elegance.
I am convinced a great deal of planning went into this CD. It?s not just one beautiful number after another with several French pieces that leaves us breathless and relaxed?Yumiko takes us far afield. One of my favorites is from her native... 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