Browse some recent Origin Reviews.
Michael Zilber - East West: Music for Big Bands
by George W. Harris, Jazz Weekly
Tenor saxist and leader Michael Zilber delivers two different big bands, one from the East Coast and the other from San Francisco on this two disc set. The "East" team has some nice mysterious work on the Wayne Shorter piece"Fall" with bold brass punching away on "Joshua". Tough tenors go gunning on "The Breckerfast Club" and an elegiac "Fantasia on Trane Changes" is a lithe delight. The "West" Team has some searing sax work on the tribute to... read more
Kobie Watkins - Involved
by Howard Reich, Chicago Tribune
Finally, drummer Kobie Watkins segues from hard bop to jazz funk to unabashedly romantic balladry in his CD "Involved" (Origin Records). If the constantly shifting jazz languages point to a young musician perhaps trying a bit too hard to show everything he can do, Watkins nonetheless handles it all. He benefits from hard-charging contributions from a cast of Chicago all-stars, particularly saxophonists Jarrard Harris and Geof Bradfield,... read more
Jack Mouse - Range of Motion
by Grady Harp, Amazon
Jack Mouse is mighty - on the drums, on technique and on assembling a group of pros to bring this body of unique music together. There is a mixture of the hot new sound with an equal dose of nostalgic tunes that defy the listener to sit still. This is big sound jazz with a touch of Blue Note sound and despite the fact that the quintet numbers only five members, the manner in which they attack and play with the songs here makes it sound like a... read more
Anthony Branker & Ascent - Dance Music
by Edward Blanco, All About Jazz
Dr. Anthony Branker holds an endowed jazz chair, and is currently director of the Program in Jazz Studies at Princeton University. A composer and musical director, Branker established the jazz collective, Anthony Branker & Ascent in 2004, featuring an A-list of players?among them, saxophonists Tia Fuller and Ralph Bowen fronting a light ensemble, with vocalist Kadri Voorand. Dance Music is the group's third album of all-original music, inspired... read more
Scenes - Destinations
by Chris Spector, Midwest Record
A long standing guitar trio of Portland/Seattle cross pollination, their sound and vibe only deepens with each outing. A solidly burnished set that stands toe to toe with any modern genre highlight, this is sitting down jazz that gets you standing up and cheering. Smart, angular stuff that'll more than bring out the high tone, up market listener in you.... read more
Rodney Whitaker - All Too Soon: The Music of Duke Ellington
by George W Harris, Jazz Weekly
When in doubt, keep with the classics. That's what bassist Rodney Whitaker does in delving into jazz's greatest composer and giving eternal songs a modern touch. Whitaker brings together a strong team in trumpet legend Brian Lynch along wit Diego Rivera/ts, Michael Dease/tb,Richard Roe/p, Karriem Riggins-Kavon Gordon and guest vocalist Rockelle Whitaker.
Whitaker's thick and palpable tone is a work of art itself, and it's used well leading... read more
Jovino Santos Neto Quarteto - Mais Que Tudo: Live at Kerry Hall 1995
by Dee Dee McNeil, Making a Scene
Brazilian Pianist, Jovino Santos Neto left Rio de Janeiro and relocated to Seattle in 1993. He established himself at Cornish College of the Arts, a thriving incubator of creativity, since the early 1900s. Within weeks his reputation spread. Musicians from all over were drawn to Jovino's unique blend of Brazilian, classical and jazz music. Neto formed a group with his fellow faculty members. This 'live' recording captures the first public... read more
Hal Galper & the Youngbloods - Live at the Cota Jazz Festival
by Robert Rusch, Cadence Magazine
Origin Records presents Galper's new quartet [Nathan Bellott-as, Dean Torrey-b, David Frazier-drm] which he calls The Youngbloods. Galper who is on the upslope to 80 and who was once a youngblood himself 60 years ago shows musically there is no generation gap with these youngsters (former students of Galper's at Purchase Conservatory). This gig [9/11/16] came about a year after they first played as a group and was part of a festival honoring the... read more
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