Browse some recent Origin Reviews.
Scott Reeves Quintet - The Alchemist
by Dee Dee McNeil, Musical Memoirs
This lost recording was originally performed 'live' at the City College of New York in 2005, sixteen years ago. During the 2020 pandemic, when Scott Reeves had time on his hands, like thousands of other musicians, out of curiosity, Scott Reeves gave this long shelved project a listen.
"I was excited to hear how the quintet played so well together and I felt this may have been among my own personal bests. During the time of this... read more
Hadley Caliman | Pete Christlieb - Reunion
by Ken Dryden, All Music Guide
Hadley Caliman recorded a few albums in the 1970s then didn't record as a leader for several decades until after retiring from his teaching job, then came a series of CDs issued by Origin, of which this is the third. This reunion with fellow tenor saxophonist Pete Christlieb marks their first opportunity to play together since the mid-1960s, aside from one brief meeting in the forty plus year stretch leading up to this record date. Many two... read more
John McLean - Better Angels
by Scott Yanow, All Music Guide
Guitarist John McLean's Better Angels is certainly difficult to classify. Some pieces, such as "Ready for the War," come across as modern pop. Others are closer to the music of the Pat Metheny Group, while a few tunes are modernized swing standards including one of the strangest versions of "Airmail Special" one will ever hear. While there are some individual spots, the emphasis during most of the selections is on the haunting ensemble sound... read more
R|E|D|S - Sign of Four
by Jerome Wilson, Cadence
Sign of Four is by a simpler quartet formation with guitar and baritone sax as the leads. Epstein plays a mobile and hard swinging baritone that brings Serge Chaloff to mind, especially in his ballad work. While Roupe has a thick, cushiony guitar sound reminiscent of Abercrombie or Coryell. The two of them really mix it p and dance on "Last Call" and "Space Acre." "Cambodia" is a swirling, Rock bossa nova "Tuca's Song" s a nice vehicle for... 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
Benjamin Boone | Philip Levine - The Poetry of Jazz, Vol. 2
by Andrew Gilbert, San Francisco Classical Voice
In many ways, Fresno saxophonist/composer Benjamin Boone is in the vanguard of the jazz/poetry movement. Last year he released his captivating collaboration with the late Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Philip Levine, The Poetry of Jazz (Origin), which garnered glowing praise everywhere from The Paris Review to JazzTimes and Downbeat. He followed up in January with The Poetry of Jazz, Vol. 2 (Origin), another musical excursion into the heart of... read more
David Friesen Circle 3 Trio - Triple Exposure
by Rotcod Zzaj, Improvisation Nation
Since our reviews are about the most creative and original artists on the globe, David's "Hemage" bass playing on this eleven-song all-original opus is the PERFECT way to close this issue out! Heck, even the artwork (by David) is an original! As you listen to songs like the beautiful 7:08 "Rainbow Song", you'll be aware, immediately, that this is the kind of jazz you've been seeking all these years... Greg Goebel's piano is wonderful on this... read more
Roberta Brenza - It's My Turn to Color Now
by George W Harris, Jazz Weekly
On the cover, vocalist Roberta Brenza doesn't wear her singing influence on her sleeve, but on her T-shirt, as a picture of bop pioneer Sheila Jordan peeks through with a smile. Her presence is felt and heard here, as Brenza mixes bop and modern jazz with a team of Stacy Dillard/ts-ss, Dawn Clement/p-key, Cameron Brown/b and Matthew Wilson/dr. Jordan jumps in for a couple tunes having a hoot of a time with Brenza and tenorist Dillard on a snappy... read more
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