4 1/2 STARS There is a risk in creating art that reflects in essence, one's own personal journey. What that journey reveals within the context of one life may not carry the same value to a collective audience. In the case of Chicago based composer/pianist Ryan Cohan, his explorative delve into his own bi-cultural roots as presented on his new release, Originations (Origin, 2020), would not resonate with listeners if the music itself was... read more
Rare is the artist these days that plays only the flugelhorn, but for this album Dmitri Matheny makes it work and work elegantly with his team of Charles McNeal/ts-ss, Bill Anschell/p, Phil Sparks/b and Mark Ivester/dr on this collection of originals and covers. Of the former, Anschell is rich and easy with Matheny and McNeal's tenor on the pulsating read of the rarely interpreted "On A Misty Night" while Jimmy Webb's "Witchita Lineman"... read more
In 1977, studio guys like Hal Galper, Mike Brecker and Randy Brecker were able to make good bucks as studio musicians. Galper just got off doing a stint with Cannonball Adderley and teamed up with the Brecker Brothers, bassist Wayne Docker and drummer Bob Moses to set up ship in NYC's Sweet Basil for a year to work on their own songbook. What came out of that effort was this hard hitting two disc set, a recorded gig while on tour in Berlin of... read more
Seattle-based Dawn Clement is an outstanding composer, arranger, pianist and vocalist. I make that assessment based on just this album.
She has played and recorded with several groups, including a previous release under her leadership, but this is my first exposure to her. My bad, in the words of today's youth.
Let's begin with her talen as a pianist: She's the most inventive, lyrical and swinging artist I've heard in years. Her covers of... read more
Trumpeter Thomas Marriott spent time paying his dues in the New York scene, moving back to his native Northwest after a few years and becoming a darling of the local jazz scene. On Flexicon, he pulls out sounds and styles from both areas of influence. The album opens with Freddie Hubbard's "Take It to the Ozone," jumping directly into full-speed, full-power, high-energy, post-bop melodies and using the solos to explore every possible nuance of... read more
Karrin Allyson's A Kiss for Brazil is a lush, evocative journey into the rich rhythms and melodies of Brazilian music, delivered with Allyson's signature vocal grace and impeccable artistry. Her voice glides effortlessly over the bossa nova and samba grooves, capturing the essence of Jobim classics with her own unique flair. Allyson is joined by a stellar ensemble featuring Yotam Silberstein on guitar, Vitor Concalves on piano, Rhodes and... read more
A hard-blowing tenor player from the Pacific Northwest, Richard Cole joins trumpeter Randy Brecker, pianist Bill Anschell and various rhythm tandems on his fourth album as a leader for the Origin label. Cole and Brecker demonstrate a tight chemistry on the urgent opener "J&J," the hard-boppish "Blame It on My Reed" and a swinging "Secret Love." Cole settles into Anschell's subling ballad "Lana" with smoky Ben Webster-ish tones, and delivers a... read more
A cast of heavyweight talent?
****1/2 Stars
Origin Records has pulled in first string talent for drummer Rich Thompson's second release for the label. Thompson, who has been a jazz educator for the Eastman School of Music, as well as having a tenure with a Count Basie tribute band, has a quintet with all-star pedigree, including the virtuosic trumpeter Terrell Stafford, and multi-instrumentalist Gary Versace, both who... 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