Browse some recent Origin Reviews.
Benjamin Boone - The Poets Are Gathering
by Benjamin Kirk, Fresno State University Arts & Humanities
"That's my son collapsed there," poet Patricia Smith bluntly speaks in the album's opening line. "My son crumpled there," a rhetorical finger points past the distracting noise of the pundits and protests to the human crux of the issue. Smith's voice sharpens the accusation as Benjamin Boone's saxophone unravels the emotion behind the mother's words.
"My son dangling there. My son caged there...My daughter splayed there...My son hanging... read more
Clark Sommers - Ba(SH)
by Peter Margasak, Chicago Reader
Over the past decade Clark Sommers has emerged as one of Chicago's finest bassists, lending myriad bands an agile but hefty center of gravity and a muscular, propulsive kick. For his first recording under his own name, he leads a trio with drummer Dana Hall and reedist Geof Bradfield, two players who've worked with him on and off in many settings over the years. In the liner notes for the new Ba(SH) (Origin), Chicago bassist Dennis Carroll... read more
Eric Jacobson - Heading Home
by Paul Abella, WDCB, Chicago
Trumpeter Eric Jacobson has a new album out, Heading Home, and I'm digging this one a whole lot. The Milwaukee native put together an outstanding band to play eight of his compositions on the disc, with the excellent pianist Bruce Barth, as well as familiar faces in saxophonist Geof Bradfield, bassist Dennis Carroll, and drummer George Fludas. Jacobson gets right down to business with the opening cut, "Survival" which burns pretty hot. Barth... read more
Zem Audu - Spirits
by S. Victor Aaron, Something Else Reviews
Many of the more progressive jazz types these days boast diverse ethnic/world music bonafides that they creatively infuse into their music that broadens the jazz vernacular. Saxophonist Zem Audu 's brand of jazz is internationally flavored, too, but he didn't get that way out of mere curiosity; he's lived that kind of life.
Born in Nigeria and raised in England, Audu made his way to the jazz epicenter New York seven years ago. Along the... read more
Anthony Branker and Ascent - Together
by John Barron, The Jazz Word
Composer Anthony Branker continues his pattern of assembling a first-rate group of musicians to interpret his works on Together, his fourth release for Origin Records. This rhythmically charged set features saxophonists Mark Gross and Ralph Bowen, along with the rhythm section of Jonny King on Fender Rhodes, Kenny Davis on upright and electric bass and drummer Donald Edwards.
The music gets off to a brisk start with "Unity," a pulsating... read more
Christopher Icasiano - Provinces
by Max Level, KFJC 89.7FM
Drums and keyboards-everything played by Icasiano, a mainstay of the Seattle free music scene. There are two "suites" here and within each suite the pieces tend to track together. Several of the tracks have repeating-in some cases one could say relentless-drum patterns, augmented with simple keyboard/synth melodies, drones, and sounds. Field recordings pop up occasionally, some of them including voices. I really enjoyed Track 3, a jagged... read more
Jim Gailloreto Jazz String Quintet - American Complex
by HRAYR ATTARIAN, All About Jazz
Chamber jazz or third stream - or whatever the amalgamation of western classical music and jazz is called - has had a handful of talented proponents sprinkled throughout the history of music. They have ranged from the more structured compositions of Igor Stravinsky to the looser improvisations of the Modern Jazz Quartet. Soprano saxophonist Jim Gailloreto has recently joined the ranks of these musicians.
On American Complex, Gailloreto is in... read more
David Weiss Sextet - Auteur
by Edward Blanco, All About Jazz
4-STARS Trumpeter, composer and bandleader David Weiss delivers the fourth album from his exquisite sextet entitled Auteur, a French term originally used to define film directors as the "author' of the film and in musical respects here, to mean the director or "scene setters" of the music. A master of the bebop sound Weiss, as stated in the excellent liner notes from author Aidan Levy, "is dedicated to the proposition that there are... read more
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