Browse some recent Origin Reviews.
Geof Bradfield - melba!
by Howard Reich, Chicago Tribune
You'd think that any jazz musician who wrote for Marvin Gaye, the Supremes, Billy Eckstine and Randy Weston -- and also played trombone for Dizzy Gillespie, Quincy Jones and Gerald Wilson -- would be known to all the world. But outside of connoisseurs, few are familiar with the pioneering work of Melba Liston, who arranged two of pianist's Weston's most ambitious compositions, "Uhuru Afrika" and "Highlife," and enjoyed a long-lasting... read more
Jared Hall - Hometown
by Editor, Bman's Blues Report
I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Hometown, by Jared Hall, and it's quite good. Opening with title track, Hometown, Jared Hall on trumpet and Troy Roberts on tenor sax create the melody, joined by Ben Markley on piano, Michael Glynn on bass and Kyle Swan on drums. Hall takes the first opportunity to explore and creates solid, intuitive melodic statements, punctuated by Markley. Roberts' solo is much more sensual and... read more
Michael Orenstein - Aperture
by Tom Haugen, Take Effect
The Los Angeles pianist and composer/arranger Michael Orenstein makes quite an impression with this debut recording, where Logan Kane plays bass, Myles Martin handles drums and several esteemed guests contribute their inimitable skills.
"Opposite World" starts the listen with the meticulous keys and warm bass, as Sam Klein-Markman's glowing guitar helps illuminate the flowing jazz climate, and "Not Today" follows with a swift and busy... read more
Oscar Hernández & Alma Libre - The Art of Latin Jazz
by Chip Boaz, Latin Jazz Corner
ALBUM OF THE WEEK We spend a lot of time talking about the minutiae of music making, digging into theory, history, and the way that the sounds make us feel; far too often, we leave the idea of artistry out of our conversations. The exclusion of this topic is a bit ironic, as artistry is probably the most important piece of the puzzle. The decisions that a musician makes about their product, the time they spend refining their craft, and... read more
Hal Galper Trio - The Zone: Live at the Yardbird Suite
by Brian Morton, Jazz Journal (UK)
Galper has had a fantastic run on Origin records, and indeed for years before that, but, unless I'm mistaken, rarely turns up on anyone's list of essential contemporary piano players. This November 2016 live date was made shortly after the Cubist sessions and the group was apparently beat and lagged when they went on. But, as Galper has said before, there is sometimes a shared chemistry that pushes exhausted players into a zone where they play... read more
Bongwool Lee - My Singing Fingers
by Editor, DiscUnion (Japan)
Born in Seoul, Korea, debut work by a woman pianist, Bongwool Lee, living in NY. Piano trio work with Luques Curtis on bass and Kendrick Scott drumming - a rhythm team representing NY. Taylor Eigsti joins in on the fender Rhodes on the 8th song, and he has acclaimed that her music is "a strong melody, rich harmony, and a unique blend of unpredictable balance that is accessible and unpredictable." One more person in the NY jazz scene, a new... read more
Steve Korn - Here and Now
by Paula Edelstein, Jazz Review
Review: Steve Korn's debut on Origin Records, HERE & NOW, is his first as a leader and it is excellent. The nine compositions are a perfect balance of musical designs that feature his successful sextet of Rob Davis on tenor saxophone, Jim Knapp on trumpet, Dave Peterson on guitar, Marc Seales on piano and Jeff Johnson on bass. Rob Davis kicks off the set with great tenor sax on "Blue," with a top-to-bottom command of his horn. Steve Korn... read more
Jovino Santos Neto Quarteto - Mais Que Tudo: Live at Kerry Hall 1995
by Katchie Cartwright, All About Jazz (Interview)
Following a years-long recording hiatus, Brazilian-born Seattle-based Grammy- nominated pianist and composer Jovino Santos Neto released three albums in 2025, all captured live. Two are digital-only releases, both recorded in 2024: Retratos: Brazilian Portraits (Audiophile Society), a duo performance with Estonian bassoonist Martin Kuuskmann in a program of great Brazilian composers, and A Onça e o Pajé (Self- Produced), recorded live at the... read more
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