Origin Records Reviews



Brent Jensen w/ Bill Anschell, Jeff Johnson, John Bishop - One More Mile
by Larry Hollis, Cadence, April-June 2008

I certainly won't attempt to speak for all Cadence readers but when I think of states with a heavy Jazz scene, Idaho is not one of them. Lionel Hampton and the late Gene Harris had healthy associations with the state but having visited, it would not be the place where I would seek out a jam session. "One More Mile" spotlights an Idaho native in saxophonist Brent Jensen who has four previous issues under the Origin logo. He is joined here by... read more

Greta Matassa - Portrait
by Paul Rauch, Earshot Jazz

It has been nearly a decade since vocal artist Greta Matassa has spoken to us via a new recording. With Portrait, Matassa covers the best of the songs she has performed with her working band of the past 10 years. The result is a solid, swinging collection of tunes steeped in intimacy.

Whether diving into Michel LeGrand's "Pieces of Dreams," or reimagining Bob Dylan's late 90's jewel, "To Make You Feel My Love," Matassa takes on each piece... read more

Mimi Fox - Standards, Old & New
by Barry Cleveland, Guitar Player Magazine

Mimi Fox Expands Jazz Guitar from the Inside Out
MIMI FOX WAS A PRECOCIOUS YOUNGSTER, playing drums and then guitar before reaching her teens. She rapidly taught herself to play pop, folk, R&B, and other styles?but it was encountering John Coltrane?s Giant Steps that set her firmly on her current path. She relocated from New York to the San Francisco Bay Area around 1980, a time when there was a vibrant local jazz scene. ?I used... read more

Jim Norton Collective - Time Remembered: Compositions of Bill Evans
by Jack Bowers, All About Jazz

The late Bill Evans was so celebrated a pianist that even some partisans may overlook the fact that he was also a splendid composer with a number of oft-revisited jazz themes to his credit. Saxophonist / arranger Jim Norton hasn't forgotten, and has entrusted Time Remembered, his debut album as leader of the Jim Norton Collective, to music written and sometimes performed by Evans (with one exception, to be explained in due course).

These... read more

Tom Collier - Impulsive Illuminations
by Jeff Potter, Downbeat

***
On his eighth disc for Origin, mallet man Tom Collier takes a departure with a go-for-broke set of free improvisations. Joining Collier is Richard Karpen, who lends a modern classical sensibility with his bold, cascading piano excursions. A third guest is featured on each track, resulting in diverse tableaus.

A recently retired University of Washington professor, Collier has gathered notable guests who are also faculty colleagues.... read more

Eva Cortes - Crossing Borders
by Chris Spector, Midwest Record

A crowd funded Latin jazz vocalist funded by a crowd that knows their apples, if this feels like a Brazilian record that you just can't put your finger on, it's because she's from Honduras and the crew is playing with pan Caribbean chops. It might not be Brazilian, but it has all the sound and feel of the Brazilian jazz vocal set you've been jonesing for lately. Killer stuff throughout from an international star that really needs to plant a... read more

Dave Hanson - Blues Sky
by Thierry De Clemensat, Paris Move

If you are drawn to albums that immediately immerse you in a refined, poetic atmosphere, this one is for you. It stems from a particularly captivating artistic approach, during his week-long residency at the Dazzle Jazz Club in Denver in 2024, Dave Hanson took the opportunity to highlight both his piano playing and his arrangements for a small ensemble. The result is this quartet recording, his first in such a format. Joined by saxophonist Wil... read more

Christopher Icasiano - Provinces
by Dave Segal, The Stranger

Chris Icasiano has established himself as one of the boldest musicians in Seattle's jazz and experimental-music scenes as a drummer in the Bad Luck duo with saxophonist Neil Welch. Together they've delved into free-jazz maelstroms and more nuanced and somber pieces with masterly skill.

Icasiano's debut solo album, Provinces (out today), consists of field recordings he took during a trip to the Philippines, where his ancestors lived; he's... read more

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