Origin Records Reviews



Trio East - Best Bets
by Jeff Krow, Audiophile Audition

The Trio East's new album, Best Bets, is a decidedly relaxed affair, and that is in no way a bad thing. Clay Jenkins is a smart, economical trumpet player with an exceptional, dynamic rhythm section behind him. Jeff Campbell on bass plays smoothly and dramatically, and works very well in conjunction with Rich Thompson on drums. Thompson is an amazing drummer, with a strong sense of tempo, and his excellent playing adds tension and drama to the... read more

Pharez Whitted - For the People
by Robert Ratajczak, LongPlay: RadioJAZZ - Poland

Known for his work with musicians such as Wynton and Branford Marsalis, George Duke, Kirk Whalum, Elvin Jones, Ari Brown, John Mellencamp, Ramsey Lewis or The Temptations - American trumpeter, composer and producer Pharez Whitted's new release is the fourth album branded under his own name.

Following the huge success of his previous album (''Transient Journey'', in 2010) - nominated for the prestigious Independent Music Awards in the... read more

Michael Dease - MSU Jazz Trombones: Spartan Strong
by Jack Bowers, All About Jazz

4 STARS

Michael Dease, widely admired as one of the world's foremost jazz trombonists but rather less-known as an educator, dons his professorial garb on Spartan Strong, supervising a splendid session by a special corps of undergrads (and students in his trombone studio) who together comprise the MSU (Michigan State University) Jazz Trombones, twenty-three members in all when one counts Dease and the group's half-dozen bass... read more

Dan Cray - Meridies
by George Colligan, Jazz Truth

Every time I turn around, there is a another great jazz pianist. (I think we need to put a cap on the number of great pianists. Just kidding.....) Dan Cray is the latest to cross my path. His new CD, "Meridies", showcases his sparkling technique and intriguing musicianship. It's a disc that has some trio and some quartet. It's a very warm and balanced sounding album, and it's got some edge without being jarring. From the first track,... read more

Hood Smoke - Laid Up In Ordinary
by Chris Spector, Midwest Record

Am I hearing young Hawk Wolinski and Chaka Khan echoing in these grooves? A smoking Chicago crew that knows their groove history a well as their local history deliver Grandson of Rufus on this funky for the times set that's driven by their well honed chops. Fun stuff that'll be sure to tell you something good.... read more

Michael Dease - MSU Jazz Trombones: Spartan Strong
by George Harris, Jazz Weekly

You've got to love the moxie of trombonist Michael Dease, who thinks he can take on with his trombone and rhythm teams of Xavier Davis & Ethan Frank on piano, Jared Beckstead-Craan & Reuben Stump on bass and drummers Keith Hall, Brian Allen & Randy Gelispie, the MSU Jazz Trombone team consisting of 17, count 'em, 17 trombones and six (!) bass trombones. What could go wrong?

NOTHING! This album is a total delight, with every potential... read more

Florian Hoefner - Coldwater Stories
by Fountas Troussas, Diskoryxeion (Greece)

A German pianist with a good career, for which we reviewed last year's "Luminosity" (also on Origin), Florian Hoefner has a new album, solo this time, inspired by Newfoundland, Canada, in the Atlantic (a bit less than Greece!) and who obviously visited it while staying amazed by its natural beauty. The result is included in "Coldwater Stories" [Origin, 2017], a ten-piece CD , all written by Hoefner - and not only synthesized, but also framed by... read more

Eric Jacobson - Discover
by Paul Abella, WDCB

Milwaukeean Eric Jacobson has assembled a fantastic band with pianist Bruce Barth and Chicagoans Geof Bradfield (sax), Dennis Carroll (bass) and George Fludas (drums) for an outstanding new release called Discover. Discover is a mix of original material, Jazz classics (Dizzy Gillespie's "Con Alma") and standards ("I Hear a Rhapsody," "Old Folks"). All eight selections on the album are fantastic with "The Unknown" and "New Combinations"... read more

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