Browse some recent Origin Reviews.
Kiki Valera - Vivencias en Clave Cubana
by Paul Rauch, Earshot Jazz
The legacy of Cuban cuatro master Kiki Valera began with one of the most influential bands in the history of Son Cubano—La Familia Valera Miranda. The current Seattle resident has released an album of twelve original compositions on the highly regarded Origin Records label.
Valera's innovative approach to improvisation is well within the Son tradition, the music and dance of the eastern hill country of Cuba. There is however, a freedom and... read more
Anthony Branker - Beauty Within
by Carol Banks Weber, AXS
These are the musicians you want on any heart-stopping new jazz recording: guitarist Pete McCann, pianist Fabian Almazan, double-bassist Linda Oh, tenor/soprano saxophonist Ralph Bowen, and drummer Rudy Royston. They're in-demand jazz side men and session players who do a number on nine compositions by bandleader and composer Anthony Branker for his and his Imagine Quintet's new album on Origin Records, Beauty Within, recorded on April... read more
John Stowell - Solitary Tales
by John Barron, All About Jazz
An entire disc of solo, improvised guitar music could easily run the risk of sounding like one continuous tune. Fortunately, Portand, Oregon-based guitarist John Stowell applies enough depth and open-minded searching to his nylon-string guitar to keep things interesting throughout Solitary Tales. The eleven-track disc was recorded live at the home of master guitar luthier Mike Doolin, who builds guitars for Stowell. Relying heavily on... read more
David Friesen Circle 3 Trio - Where the Light Falls
by Andrew Majak, MULTIKULTI PROJECT (Poland)
The influential Downbeat Magazine wrote about the disc "Whatever the game is a trio impresses with its multicolored diversity, and strongly marked musical personalities lend stigma original music. The depth of the harmonic solutions, intense rhythm, perfect, refined in detail the cooperation of musicians hypnotizes the audience ."
Led by the enthusiastic reviews, David Friesen, an American bassist who has worked with such greats as Sam... read more
Hal Galper - Live at the Berlin Philharmonic, 1977
by Chris Spector, Midwest Record
One of the great you wish you were there moments is finally getting it's long over due release, this live date finds Galper fresh off the road from three years with Cannonball Adderley now fronting a band with the Brecker Brothers blowing away. With echoes of Miles in the air, along with a finger pounding that could only have led to early arthritis, this is a killer reminder why the late 70s was a golden and classic period for music no matter... read more
Tom Collier - Alone in the Studio
by George W. Harris, Jazz Weekly
Tom Collier plays vibes, marimba, piano, drums and bass synthesizer all by his lonesome on this mix of standards and originals. He's a one man band on the bouncy take of "Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise" and the deftly swinging "Five Brothers" and can create a full bodied funk on his own "Orbital Dance." His vibes can glow and chime on "Little Green Thing" and "Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most" while on marimba he sets a nice mood on the... read more
Toby Koenigsberg - Sense
by Inka Bajandas, The Daily Emerald
University faculty don't just write textbooks. Some of them are producing their own CDs.
The Toby Koenigsberg Trio, featuring three University Jazz Studies Department faculty members, will celebrate the release of its new album tonight at the Luna jazz club. Toby Koenigsberg on the piano, Tyler Abbott on the bass and Jason Palmer on drums will play several songs from their new CD, as well as pieces by New York City-based jazz composer Andr�... read more
John Stowell | Michael Zilber - Shot Through With Beauty
by Michael Steinman, Cadence
It's a compliment to 'Shot Through with Beauty' that the music the quartet makes seems deeper (not louder) than what you'd expect from four players. Yet it's not assertive thrashing, but exploratory music, often probing. And the quartet is capable of both great assertiveness (on the first track) and serenity (on "Con Alma")--and combinations ( on Joun Scofield's "The Beatles," which manages to summon up some of that group's roaming and... read more
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