4-STARS Upcoming saxophonist Roxy Coss opens her splendid Origin Records debut, Restless Idealism with a traditional approach on her original tune, "Don't Cross the Coss." It's a happy and assertive sound, and when she takes her first solo, her and robust tone bring Coleman Hawkins comes to mind. Coss and her band, churning along on a well-lubricated drive train of a terrific rhythm section, know how to open show - feet are tapping... read more
5-STARS "The Color Of Angels" by the sextet of trombonist, composer and arranger Doug Scarborough presents a collection of new compositions that fuse Western music with traditional Middle Eastern music. The famous trombonist Bill Watrous describes the album as "some of the most interesting, original music coming from anybody in a long long time". Scarborough teaches at Whitman College in Walla Walla (Washington) and has been working for... read more
For decades, Jack Mouse has been a sideman for a long list of jazz greats, but Range of Motion represents his debut as a leader. Collaborating with several other Chicago-based musicians (Art Davis,trumpet; Scott Robinson, woodwinds; John McLean, guitar; Bob Bowman and Kelly Sill, bass), he has put together a terrific set of his original compositions.
Mouse?s high-energy and surehanded drumming is displayed front and center, but this is not... read more
Antigonish-based trumpeter Paul Tynan's latest album wastes no time in getting down to hard-swinging business.
After a few pickup bars, Tynan's composition More Than Just A Single Road treats listeners to authoritative post-bop that recalls the early '80s music of Wynton Marsalis thanks to some of its harmonic and structural details. Tynan's lead-off solo highlights his own muscular yet lyrical approach to improvising, while pianist Dan... read more
Pianist Sussman was a young player on the NYC loft scene back in the late '70s when he gathered a few of his friends together and made a record. The result was Free Fall, a record that received critical acclaim, but without the financial reward to enable Sussman to keep the band together. The keyboard player ended up teaching at the Manhattan School of Music, writing music for television, work with Hank Jones and even touring with Blood Sweat &... read more
Recording his second album of contemporary straight-ahead blistering big band music, Composer/arranger Phil Kelly's My Museum swings with a swagger, sophistication and style that blows you away with some very powerful musical winds. His previous release, Convergence Zone, was recorded with a group of Seattle-based area musicians in a big band he called The NW Prevailing Winds. Now residing in Bellingham, Washington, just North of Seattle, Kelly... read more
There's an unconventional dichotomy of sharp orchestration and quirky eccentricity on this debut from bassist Joonsam Lee. But even in this, it's a little different, as A Door is just as likely to flash some fangs as craft a catchy melody aimed at eliciting a smile and spurring the foot into action. That added dose of the unexpected is a big attraction for the recording, and it's why the likelihood of developing a minor addiction... read more
Tenor saxophonist Roxy Coss is a protege of trumpeter Jeremy Pelt, and on the 10 original compositions that make up Restless Idealism, it shows. Among other things she shares with Pelt (who appears on two tracks) are fondnesses for elaborate linear melodies and shifting times, and an eagerness to play with short-form conventions.
Not that Restless Idealism is far out: Actually, it's quite straight-ahead postbop. Coss and... read more
This is just a small collection of the Origin Records reviews. Click here to view all reviews or try to Search for your favorite CD title.
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