Browse some recent Origin Reviews.
Doug Lofstrom - Concertino: The Music Of Doug Lofstrom
by Laurence Vittes, Gramaphone
Chicago composer Doug Lofstrom has coupled first recordings of two modestly appealing orchestral concertinos for oboe and harp with an archival reprise of his Plumed Serpent studio fantasy from 30 years ago. There isn't much in either Concertino that hasn't been heard before - Richard Strauss and Hollywood musicals come to mind, though more svelte, brought up to date and internationalized - but they are both beautifully written for the... read more
Richard Sussman - Continuum
by Doug Simpson, Audiophile Audition
Richard Sussman is not a well-known jazz musician, but perhaps that is because he has issued only three albums as a leader since his 1978 debut, Free Fall. The others include his 2010 release, Live at Sweet Rhythm, and this year's Continuum. Sussman may not be a household name, but he has had important roles in the jazz community as a composer (he won the ASCAP Jazz Commission for Established Composer in 2008), arranger... read more
Barry Greene - Giants
by Robert Silverstein, Roots Music Report
5-STARS The name Barry Greene might not be immediately recognizable by a majority of guitar fans yet he's just released one of the finest instrumental jazz albums of the year. Backed by an alternating quintet and organ trio, Giants finds the Northern Florida based musician and guitar educator stretching out on a well-tempered, 10-track 68 minute album.
Having already released several albums and a range of jazz-guitar study books,... read more
Dominic J. Marshall - Spirit Speech
by George W. Harris, Jazz Weekly
Pianist Dominic J. Marshall's star keeps rising on this session of originals with Tobias Nijboer/bass and Jamie Peet/drums. He's got a thoughtful touch that is able to be both swinging and romantic. His compositions are clever, sophisticated and accessible, ranging from the driving "Book of Machines" to the elegant ballad "Unflinchingly." A gentle but assertive groove leans forward on "Tiwanaku" while the team of bass and drum make some... read more
Clipper Anderson - Ballad of the Sad Young Men
by Chris Spector, Midwest Record
Ballad of the Sad Young Men: In which we find the piano jazz trio amiably recreated as a cabaret act with the singing bass payer at the wheel. Digging into the oldies vocal canon and blowing off all the obvious choices for some more daring and overlooked picks, the sum total is a grand set of sophisticated listening by one of those rare male vocalists that doesn't feel the need to ape Robert Goulet or Tony Bennett. There isn't a false note in... read more
Gary Hobbs - Of My Times
by Scott Yanow, All Music Guide
Of My Times has intriguing arrangements by drummer Gary Hobbs that keep the music quite unpredictable. Some selections utilize electronics while others are more straight-ahead. Among the highlights are "Fever" which has an effective vocal by Britta Hobbs and uses an atmospheric bass clarinet, "Hades Ladies," which is reminiscent of early fusion and has Marc Seales playing Fender Rhodes electric piano, and a fairly straightforward "Besame Mucho"... read more
Abate Berihun & The Addis Ken Project - Addis Ken
by Malick Gaye, Le Quotidien (Senegal)
Preceded by a lively geopolitical controversy linked to alleged funding, Abate Berihun's performance was the most anticipated and feared event of the St. Louis International Jazz Festival. On Baya Square, the Ethiopian artist and his Addis Ken Project swept away the tensions to leave only the magic of the notes. The story of a therapeutic concert.
He was the most commented guest of the festival, even before he had set foot on... read more
Clay Giberson - Minga Minga
by Rotcod Zzaj, Improvijazzation
It's difficult to pull off solo piano when the genre/content is jazz/blues based, but Portland, Oregon pianist Clay is able to do that without a hitch. Songs like the opener, "Little Bird", will give your ears a clear image of just how intimate/bluesy his keyboards can be. It's all about the birth of his daughter, and will be a gift to her that will last forever. I particularly enjoyed pieces like "Burst", which isn't (at all) what the title... read more
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