VanHemert has performed alongside such luminaries as John Daversa, Dmitri Matheny, Rodney Whitaker, John Webber, Geri Allen, Chris Vadala, Vince DiMartino, and Dave Eggar. His work has resonated in venues like ShapeShifter Lab, Painted Bride, the Blue LLama, Edgefest, the Elkhart Jazz Festival, and the Korean Cultural Foundation in Philadelphia, among others.
A holder of a Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) from the University of Illinois at... read more
Another extraordinary vocal stylist we never hear enough from is Giacomo Gates. He's often and accurately credited as a contemporary Eddie Jefferson, but with his full bodied baritone and blazing inventiveness, he sounds like the love child of Billy Eckstine and Kurt Elling. As bracing an innovator as he is an interpreter, Gates transforms his third studio album, Centerpiece (Origin), into a cornucopia of delicacies that extends from a smooth,... read more
When listening to Bobby Broom's Trio perform on his new CD, Song and Dance, one is immediately struck by how much s-p-a-c-e there is. With lesser musicians that could be a problem, but Broom and stalwart Dennis Carroll on bass and relative newcomer Kobie Watkins on drums, do an excellent job of presenting the necessary notes, pauses and attacks to frame the music for the listener, a feat not to be taken lightly. The majority of the disc is... read more
Portland, Oregon's Upper Left Trio has been together nearly a decade. The group began its recording journey on Origin Records in 2003 with Cycling. Ulternative is the trio's fourth recording for the label, and continues to push its music forward.
The piano trio has, since pianist Bill Evans' late 1950s/early 1960s recordings with bassist Scott LaFaro and drummer Paul Motian, ridden the three-way interaction approach rather than the earlier... read more
The preciousness of youth. Douglas Detrick is not even 30 years old, and already has multiple ensembles and music projects going on the East and West coasts. One such music combo is the AnyWhen Ensemble, which Detrick terms a "Chamber Jazz Group." The music he pushes through this group is not as easily categorized. Part of the charm is that the makeup of the AnyWhen ensemble resembles more a "parlor" ensemble of family musicians, bringing... read more
Mike Pope is a musician no one in Europe has on their radar. This engaging music, based on a shared musical language, is highly dynamic and full of beautiful sounds when it comes to bassists in jazz. The American is one of many instrumentalists who primarily work as sidemen. When these musicians record an album themselves, it often holds its own against the big names. Even if Pope occasionally betrays the routine of a virtuoso studio musician,... read more
Bassist Piet Verbist brings his compositions to the table with Bart Borremans/ts, Bram Weuters/p, and Dre Pallemaerts-Wim Eggermont/dr. Verbst's bass is sonorous and reflective on his solo piece "Mygratum" and uses his strings to lead into pieces like the spacious and sparkling "Hope in Despair" and serpentine "Devious Ways." Weijters is peppy on the upbeat boppers "Bright Minor" and "Blues Excuse, as Borremans creates warm and long shadows on... read more
Electric bassist Dan Dean might not be well known by general jazz fans but he has extensive credits as a sideman for Ernie Watts, Diane Schuur and others; has contributed to television and film music; and is a music educator and an author of instruction books. Other artists, however, regard him with respect and four accomplished keyboardists are involved in Dean's latest outing, 251, a series of bass/keyboard duets.
The album title alludes to... read more
This is just a small collection of the Origin Records reviews. Click here to view all reviews or try to Search for your favorite CD title.
Abate Berihun & The Addis Ken Project - Addis Ken
by Hanna Kay, Cult News (Paris)
Abate Berihun & The Addis Ken Project - Addis Ken
by Budapest, Rudolf Radnai
Abate Berihun & The Addis Ken Project - Addis Ken
by Editor, Bman's Blues Report
Jared Hall - Hometown
by Editor, Bman's Blues Report
Dawn Clement - Dear Ms. Dearie
by Editor, Bman's Blues Report
Jared Hall - Hometown
by Dee Dee McNeil, Making A Scene
Affinity Trio - New Outlook
by Tom Haugen, Take Effect
Michael Dease Big Band - Return Trajectory
by Thierry De Clemensat, Paris Move
Brad Goode Quintet Feat. Ernie Watts - Live Your Dream: Live at North Street Cabaret
by Thierry De Clemensat, Paris Move
Maja Jaku - Blessed & Bewitched
by Tom Haugen, Take Effect