Browse some recent Origin Reviews.
Arthur Kell Speculation Quartet - Live at LunÀtico
by Brian Morton, DownBeat
4-STARS Arthur Kell seems to have played with everyone without (yet) making a wider splash. He's probably too generous an artist for stardom, and in this terrific group, he leaves much of the spotlight to the two guitarists and drummer. But when you listen to the nicely dotted rhythms of "The Djado," or the resonant intro and sustained lead line to "Lullaby/Omni," it becomes obvious that he's always the foundation stone of the... read more
John Stowell | Michael Zilber - Live Beauty
by Chris Lunn, Ancient Victorys
Stowell's inventive, warm approach to the guitar with a delicate touch meets Zilber, whit his big saxophone sound and edgy intensity. They have found a musical vocabulary across the past decade in duo, trio and quartet formats. This is their second quartet undertaking and was recorded live at the California Jazz Conservatory in Berkeley, California. They are joined by the large warm sometimes rumbling bass work of John Shifflett and the... read more
Jim Knapp Orchestra - Secular Breathing
by Jack Bowers, All About Jazz
The cleverly titled Secular Breathing is the third recording by composer/arranger Jim Knapp's Seattle-area orchestra and arguably the best to date, thanks to Knapp's handsome and provocative charts, the presence of guest trumpeter Ingrid Jensen and the return of former JKO drummer Jon Wikan, who now lives in New York City. Knapp's richly textured arrangements lend muscle to the ensemble, making it seem larger and more robust than its actual... read more
Deep Blue Organ Trio - Wonderful!
by Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
It's always amusing when a jazz snob claims that jazz and classical are the only legitimate forms of music and that popular culture, past and present, has no artistic value whatsoever. Typically, those who make such ludicrous statements will turn around and sing the praises of The Great American Songbook, meaning prolific Tin Pan Alley pop composers such as George Gershwin, Irving Berlin, Harry Warren and Cole Porter; in other words, they are... read more
Rodney Whitaker - Mosaic: The Music of Gregg Hill
by Ayana Contreras, DownBeat
4-STARS From the opening title track, this album is a declaration of mastery. It's also a formidable showcase to the collective strength of this combo as well as of Gregg Hill's compositions: It's all killer, no filler. "Mosaic" is a bouncy, juicy number held down by the alchemy present in the interplay between Whitaker's walking bass line that's sharp as a fresh straight razor and Dana Hall's simply effervescent drumming style. Each... read more
Mike Pope - The Parts You Keep
by Bman, Bman's Blues Report
I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The Parts You Keep, from Mike Pope, and I really enjoy it. Opening with Misgivings, a lively track with a driving piano melody featuring Geoffrey Keezer, building with an aggressive snare rap by Nate Smith and breaking into a sensual bass solo by Mike Pope who builds the track with the hands of a sculptor. Very nice. I love the cover of Charlie Parker's Steeplechase featuring Roxy... read more
Hal Galper Trio - The Zone: Live at the Yardbird Suite
by Mike Joyce, JazzTimes
It's not often that seasoned jazz musicians find one of their own recordings truly revelatory in hindsight. Yet here's a striking example. As acclaimed veteran pianist Hal Galper recalls in his CD liner notes, he had no intention of releasing this live 2016 trio session with bassist Jeff Johnson and drummer John Bishop until he heard a playback and found himself wondering, "Who is this pianist?" To Galper, the playback revealed such a heightened... read more
Matt Jorgensen + 451 - Another Morning
by Christopher DeLaurenti, The Stranger
With Another Morning (Origin), Matt Jorgensen+451 continue their pathbreaking combination of jazz, rock, and funk, all without succumbing to the excesses of yore: aimless solos, straitjacketed arrangements, and second-rate riffs. My favorite track, "Lock Down," begins with Ryan Burns laying down some serene electric piano chords but a sequence of ascending harmonies takes over, giving the tune a yearning, Pet Sounds?era Brian Wilson feel. Fine... read more
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