Browse some recent Origin Reviews.
Marlene Rosenberg - MLK Convergence
by Paul de Barros, Downbeat (HOT BOX)
MLK Convergence showcases Chicago bass stalwart Marlene Rosenberg's muscular sound, rocksteady time and imaginative solo ideas far better than her first Origin recording, 2012's Bassprint. The title of this recent recording comes from the "convergence" of Dr. King's initials with those of her star-studded trio—Marlene, Lewis (Nash) and Kenny (Barron). It's also an allusion to the album's affirmative theme of social justice.
Hope emanates... read more
Bobby Broom - The Way I Play: Live In Chicago
by Owen McNally, The Hartford Courant
Since making his Carnegie Hall debut at 16 with Sonny Rollins, Bobby Broom has been universally hailed as a consummate sideman, the guitarist of choice for artists ranging from Rollins to Dr. John.
Many sidemen lead quiet lives of desperation, lacking the chutzpah to step out front with their own albums.
Not so with Broom who has ventured out before, but never with such convincing authority as he whisks through chord changes with his... 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
Kim Richmond / Clay Jenkins Ensemble - CrossWeave
by Online review, CD Universe
For those not familiar with the Kim Richmond/Clay Jenkins Ensemble, this disc is an excellent introduction into how jazz sounds when the rhythm section is real (non-synth) and the arrangements pull the horns together in a rhythmically complex yet harmonically clean unison that has become the trademark of Kim Richmond's arrangements. "Trouble Shooter" has an almost film-noir Johnny Mandel flavor with a frenetic tension that builds through the... read more
Piet Verbist Zygomatik - Cattitude
by Frank Huser, Jazzflits (Netherlands)
What is it that bassist Piet Verbist has with the cheekbone? In Latin "zygomaticum." The shape of the cheekbone has to do with the sight of the face, unlike for example the tibia which is much more uniform than the cheekbone. The word in the name of this quintet intrigues and makes you look for an explanation, that might follow when you listen to the music on "Cattitude," which is multiform. In eight compositions, Piet Verbist creates a... read more
David Friesen - A Light Shining Through
by Dan McClenaghan, All About Jazz
4-STARS The music of bassist David Friesen is inspired by two major sources: his ancestral Ukrainian roots and his Christian faith. While the Christian aspect of the inspiration is probably long-term, the familial roots part of the equation seems to have gained traction with Testimony (Origin Records, 2021), a piece recorded with a jazz quartet 2018 in Kiev with the National Academic Symphonic Band Of Ukraine. Expansive in thematic scope... read more
Geoff Stradling & The StradBand - Nimble Digits
by Tom Haugen, Take Effect
The Los Angeles composer, arranger and keyboard player Geoff Stradling pens a modern jazz orchestra listen, where his excellent band helps cultivate global ideas into the 10 tracks.
"Blue Note" starts the listen with the flowing brass and meticulous piano from Stradling that emits plenty of soaring musicianship, and "Brecker Sketch" follows with the dreamy winds complementing the agile drumming of the lively climate.
"Baton Noir" arrives... read more
Josh Nelson - The Sky Remains
by Dan Bilawsky, All About Jazz
4 1/2 STARS Josh Nelson has seen quite a bit in recent times, diving deep into the human psyche with singer Sara Gazarek, moving through inner spaces with vibraphonist Tyler Blanton, exploring retrofuturistic realms inspired by the writings of H.G. Wells and Jules Verne, and touching down on Mars for a thorough musical exploration of the Red Planet. So where could he possibly want to go after traveling so far and wide with his pen and... read more
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