Origin Records Reviews



Ark Ovrutski - Intersection
by Mike Jurkovic, Elmore Magazine

Since his arrival in America from Kiev in 2005, bassist/composer Ark Ovrutski has steadily gained deserved entrance into the NY jazz scene with his intuitive fusion of global musics and their vivid interplay, all of which is on full display on Intersection.

Bill Evans's imitable "Waltz for Debby" opens Intersection and finds this top-shelf quintet - trombonist Michael Dease, saxophonist Michael Thoms, pianist Helio Alves, percussionist... read more

Charlie Ballantine - East by Midwest
by Editor, Bman's Blues Report

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, East By Midwest, by Charlie Ballantine and it's great! Opening with Storyteller, a lush, instrumental ballad, Charlie Ballantine on guitar crafts a beautiful melody, saturated with reverb and tone. Joined by Quinn Sternberg who's bass work is active and Dan Weiss on drums who keeps it light but effective makes for a brilliant opener. Monk's, Trinkle Tinkle, has real forward thrust... read more

Marlene Rosenberg - MLK Convergence
by Matt Silver, WRTI, Philadelphia

Jazz Album of the Week: Bassist Marlene Rosenberg's MLK Convergence Captures Spirit of Protests

Inspired by the protest music of the '60s that helped dismantle the codified racism of that era, bassist Marlene Rosenberg's latest album, MLK Convergence, released almost exactly a year ago, presents a new catalogue of socially conscious compositions with the exigency of our current moment in mind, taking aim at the vestiges of... read more

Piet Verbist Zygomatik - Cattitude
by Brent Black, Bop-N-Jazz

To refer to bassist Piet Verbist as cutting edge would be cliché, to refer to Cattitude as one of the most adventurous releases for 2014 would be an understatement.

Hybrid genres are nothing new. A largely acoustic ensemble that can pull from improvisational music along with soul, rock and funk and accomplish this daunting task utilizing their own artistic vision is remarkable at best. A trio joined by two accomplished saxophonists... read more

Rich Thompson - Generations
by Tom Kohn, The Bop Shop - Rochester, NY

Drummer Rich Thompson has been in demand as a top call drummer in Rochester for the past 25 years. Besides serving as the drum set instructor at the Eastman School of Music since the fall of 1996, Rich has toured, performed, and recorded with the ?who?s who? of jazz greats including pianist James Williams (Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers), The Count Basie Orchestra, Tito Puente, Frank Foster, The Byron Stripling quartet, saxophonist Rich... read more

Cathy Segal-Garcia & Phillip Strange - Live in Japan
by Paul Freeman, Pop Culture Classics

Good things are worth waiting for. And it's been a very long wait for the release of this exceptional set, performed by jazz vocalist Cathy Segal-Garcia and pianist Phillip Strange. It was recorded in Osaka, Japan, 30 years ago. But what dazzled listeners in 1992 will still do so in 2022 and beyond.

This two-CD package contains 21 classic tunes, attractively arranged and entrancingly performed. Segal-Garcia's ability to utilize unique... read more

Nick Finzer - The Chase
by Dan Ouellette, Downbeat Profile

Trombonist Nick Finzer, 27, keenly recognizes the ebbs and flows of the jazz idiom. He appreciates its fluidity as pop music melds into the straightahead language of the jazz legacy. But he's taken a different road for revitalizing the heritage of jazz for the modern age.

"I don't want to abandon the tradition," said the tall and slender Finzer, who plays his instrument with a combination of fat-sound power and rich lyricism. "I want to... read more

Michael Dease - City Life: Music of Gregg Hill
by David R. Adler, JazzTimes

The Year in Trios, 2025
This is the eminent trombonist's third effort devoted to the music of Michigan composer Gregg Hill (who coproduced the set). It's a double album but the first half fits our mandate, with just trombone, bass (Linda May Han Oh) and drums (Jeff "Tain" Watts). Virtuosity, blues feeling, swing rhythm sharpened to a dagger's edge — need I say more? Don't listen to me, listen to... read more

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