Browse some recent Origin Reviews.
Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra - SRJO Live
by Jason West, All About Jazz
Like Shackleton's epic voyage of survival in Antarctica, one struggles to imagine the time, resources, social skill and organizational acumen necessary to lead a jazz orchestra. Even more mindboggling is the idea of stepping into the shoes of Duke Ellington, Count Basie or Jimmie Lunceford, transcribing their classic big band recordings, and performing them live on your orchestra's debut CD.
Yet, Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra directors... read more
The Spin Quartet - In Circles
by Paul Abella, Chicago Jazz Magazine
There's not a lot to know about The Spin Quartet, or their album, In Circles. There's no liner notes, and to tell the truth, I don't know much about leader and trumpeter Chad McCullough. I know that Clark Sommers has appeared on a few of my favorite local discs from the last few years. I know that Kobie Watkins is a beast behind the drums, and everything I've ever heard from saxophonist Geof Bradfield has been excellent. So, we can be... read more
Peter Erskine & The JAM Music Lab All-Stars - Vienna to Hollywood: Impressions of E.W. Korngold & Max Steiner
by Mark Griffith, Modern Drummer
Hopefully you have already read Peter Eskine's column this month on the making of his new record, so I'll skip the backstory, and just say that this is the best recording that Erskine has done as a leader since 3 Nights in LA. But it this a very different type of record, 3 Nights in LA was a freewheeling blowing date, Vienna to Hollywood is a carefully planned and arranged recording project with Erskine and Danny... read more
Brent Jensen / Rob Walker Quintet - Art of the Groove
by Adam Greenburg, All Music Guide
Alto sax player Brent Jensen here releases his third album, now in combination with flugelhornist Rob Walker. The theme of the album is creations based on the many stylings of Miles Davis, with the compositions stacked with originals from the pair. The album opens up with a bit of hard bop derived from a solo on a recording of Straight, No Chaser, where they fuse a little West Coast cool in for good measure. It Could Happen to You is the first... read more
Matt Jorgensen - Tattooed by Passion: Music inspired by the paintings of Dale Chisman
by Phillip McNally, Cadence Magazine
Finally drummer Matt Jorgensen leads a stellar 5tet on (4), and they work through an impressive series of compositions devoted to the painting of the late Dale Chisman. The nicely handled package displays several of the Chisman paintings which directly inspired Jorgensen, and makes listening to this set a programmatic experience. Trumpeter Thomas Marriott nearly steals the date, for he has a burnished perfect tone and a gentle lyric way with his... read more
Rodney Whitaker - Mosaic: The Music of Gregg Hill
by Stamish Malcuss, Jazz Sensibilities
Rodney Whitaker, a towering figure in jazz bass performance and education, has long been celebrated for his multifaceted musicianship and deep understanding of the genre. Mosaic: The Music of Gregg Hill is the latest collaboration between Whitaker and composer Gregg Hill. This album marks the fourth installment of their musical partnership, further solidifying their bond as one of modern jazz's most exciting creative forces. With Whitaker's... read more
Florian Hoefner - Luminosity
by S. Victor Aaron, Something Else!
About a year and a half ago, German-born pianist/composer Florian Hoefner did what few up-and-coming jazz musicians would dare to do, and that was to pull out of the bustling scene of New Your City to relocate to a far-away place that shared an ocean but little else with his former home. But from the relative solitude of St. John's, Newfoundland, Hoefner found the right environment to raise his game, and for his third album Luminosity (released... read more
Rich Thompson - Less Is More
by Jack Garner, Rochester Democrat & Chronicle
Rochester?s great jazz tradition has given birth to an inordinate number of superb drummers, including Steve Gadd, Joe La Barbera, John Beck, and Mike Melito. Right in that mix is Rich Thompson. This latest album ? his best yet ? is a polished, straight-ahead offering (but with none of its soulful grit polished off.) A wonderful quintet ? rising trumpeter Terell Stafford, saxophonist Doug Stone, pianist Gary Versace, and bassist Jeff Campbell ?... read more
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