Origin Records Reviews

Dave Hanson - Blues Sky
by Dan McClenaghan, All About Jazz

Pianist Dave Hanson opens his Blues Sky with a joyful barnburner, "Two Masters," a tip of the hat to Bill Evans and Chick Corea, two of the biggest names in piano jazz. Hanson is probably best known for his work as composer-arranger and co-leader of Denver's H2 Big Band, but he pares things down on his Blues Sky album release, thanks in part to a weeklong artist-in-residence gig at Denver's Dazzle Jazz club, which allowed him... read more

Rodney Whitaker - Mosaic: The Music of Gregg Hill
by BMan, BMan's Blues Report

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Mosaic: The Music of Gregg Hill, by Rodney Whitaker, and it's strong. Opening with title track, Mosaic, Rodney Whitaker on bass lays down an excellent groove, bound by Rick Roe on piano and Dana Hall on piano. Terell Stafford on trumpet sets the track on fire with excellent solo phrasing, followed by Tim Warfield on soprano sax. Very nice. Roe picks up his own lead on piano with... read more

Ben Thomas - The Mystagogue
by John Barrett, Jr., Jazz USA

Power -it's here by the truckload. While Ben Thomas brings his mallets down hard, his band stretches in serpentine, Zappa-like themes. There's tons of sustain on the title track, endless harmony for the drums to crash against. After Ben's mighty solo, we hear Eric Likkel's nervous clarinet, waddling with delight. His notes are delicate, and somehow fit amidst all this power. What is a mystagogue? Judging by the tune, something wonderful.... read more

Free Range Saxophone Quartet - Fireflies
by C. Michael Bailey, All About Jazz

Since inception, the Origin Classical imprint has existed as a stylistic hinge between classical music and jazz. Defying genre definition, Origin Classical's archive should properly be considered simply music?that which defies category. Only a single release, Linda Tsatsanis and John Lenti's And I Remain: Three Love Stories?Music of the Seventeenth Century for Voice and Lute (Origin Classical, 2009), deals with what might be considered the... read more

New Stories - Hope is in the Air
by Doug Ramsey, Rifftides

New Stories: Hope Is In The Air: The Music of Elmo Hope. Marc Seales, bassist Doug Miller and Origin's drummer proprietor, John Bishop, are the New Stories trio. The less famous peer of Bud Powell and Thelonious Monk, Hope was a splendid pianist who left an impressive body of compositions. Three of them, "Dee-Dah," "Bellarosa" and "Carving the Rock," are familiar to many through an early Clifford Brown recording. Seales's playing is less spikey,... read more

Laurie Antonioli - Songs of Shadow, Songs of Light
by Dr. Debra Jan Bibel, Amazon.com

Joni Mitchell certainly has gone far since June 1968 when I listened to the then emerging composer sing at New York's The Bitter End. Having become one of the honored greats of music, her numerous songs have been covered by many singers and instrumentalists. This includes jazz artists, which is appropriate since Mitchell herself wrote and performed jazz crossovers. The latest is from vocalist Laurie Antonioli, whose new album, Songs of... read more

Roberta Brenza - It's My Turn to Color Now
by Derek Ansell, Jazz Views (UK)

Any jazz vocal album that features Sheila Jordan as a guest on two selections is worthy of close investigation and this one is no exception.

Not that the veteran jazz singer is the only attraction here as Ms Brenza gives a sterling performance throughout this programme.

The opening title song swings away merrily and it is in fact the singer's very first composition dating from 2014. Song For My Father is given a brisk vocal treatment with... read more

Piet Verbist - Suite Réunion
by Tom Greenland, The New York City Jazz Record

Bassists aren't always the most extroverted members of an ensemble, so it's always intriguing to hear what they'll choose to present given the reins of leadership. German Holger Scheidt, Belgian Piet Verbist and Dane Morten Haxholm each reveal a bit of themselves in the way they handle these reins:

Antwerp-based Verbist surely falls on the 'team player' end of the bassist-as-leader personality spectrum, favoring a big round sound, eschewing... read more

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