Browse some recent Origin Reviews.
Chris Walden Big Band - Full-On!
by Bliss, Pasadena Weekly
The Grammy-nominated arranger makes bank working with A-list pop stars (Stevie Wonder, Diana Krall, Michael Bublé), but his passion's his swinging, 18-piece big band. They give Leonard Bernstein's "I Can Cook Too" a hard jump-blues snap, and make Wonder's "Sir Duke" and Hank Williams' "Hey Good Looking" swing with joy, while Tierney Sutton (one of six vocalists) adds resigned luster to the Frank Sinatra chestnut "Only the... read more
Corey Christiansen - Dusk
by George W. Harris, Jazz Weekly
Corey Christiansen makes his guitar sounds range from folksy countrified to post bop fusion on this collection of mostly originals. A team of Jeremy Allen/b, Matt Jorgensen/dr, Zach Lapidus/key and Michael Spiro/perc go from assertive fusion grooves with rapid note runs as on "Black-Eyed Susan" and the sleekly percussive "Palouse" to a spacious and Nashville twanged "Turtle Dove." A stripped down trip without keys and percussion have the leader... read more
Doug Beavers 9 - Two Shades of Nude
by Kyle O'Brien, Jazz Society of Oregon
Trombonist Beavers is known for being a member of the Mingus Big Band and also for his association with Eddie Palmieri. On his second disc as a leader and composer, Beavers leads eight other fine musicians through a disc of originals and tightly arranged covers. It's a small, modern jazz big band that tackles the music with verve. The title track shows off Beavers' fortitude as a composer. Its long note theme soars over a bubbling bop, and his... read more
Ray Vega & Thomas Marriott - East West Trumpet Summit: Coast to Coast
by Tom Haugen, Take Effect
Ray Vega and Thomas Marriott bring their trumpets to these jazz-fueled pieces that celebrate Fats Navarro, Howard McGhee, Freddie Hubbard and Woody Shaw's recordings, and they've got Orrin Evans, Michael Glynn and Roy McCurdy along for the ride.
"One Day at a Time" opens the listen with the bright brass and McCurdy's swift drums making for a lively and melodic landscape, and "I Told You So" follows with Evans' meticulous piano helping... read more
Kim Richmond Concert Jazz Orchestra - Refractions
by Ben Ohmart, Music Dish
My favorite jazz label is back with something you don't hear every day. The Kim Richmond Concert Jazz Orchestra goes much further than the average big band. In fact, this isn't a big band in the accepted sense. It's more akin to an orchestra doing movie music. When the opening track starts, you'll think you've wandered in to a mid-70s Airport film being scored for a main title. Well, maybe not quite that extreme, but there's something about the... read more
Darrell Grant - Truth And Reconciliation
by Dick Crockett, Bopn' Dicks 10 picks June 2007
Darrell Grant is a student of jazz, of life and multiple incarnations, a professor, a side man and scholarly to aspiring to young jazz musicians, which means there's a process at work, from an evolving artist of multiple musical styles to an eventual teacher to spread the word, the joy, to play jazz. Grant has developed that purpose from experience, as pianist for Betty Carter and Chico Freeman and scores of cd's featuring him as a leader. Geri... read more
Kelly Sill / Jim McNeely / Joel Spencer - Boneyard
by Tom Conrad, JazzTimes
Jim McNeely is best known as a composer-arranger for large jazz bands. On Boneyard, he applies the mindset of a big-band arranger to the minimalist format of the piano trio. He also gets space (rare in his discography) to display his considerable prowess as a fleet, sophisticated, percussively ornate pianist.
McNeely is able to approach this recording architecturally because he is so familiar with its building blocks. McNeely, bassist... 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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