Browse some recent Origin Reviews.
Greta Matassa - Portrait
by Doug Ramsey, Rifftides
Greta Matassa has never stopped performing extensively or touring with her widely admired quintet, but it has been years since she has made a new recording. The singer's first album since 2011 is a reminder of the rare depth of her musicianship and her ability to fnd the essence of a song. The longtime colleagues with her on Portrait are veterans of the vital Pacific Northwest jazz community. Matassa selects thirteen songs that are among the... read more
Rodney Whitaker - Outrospection: The Music of Gregg Hill
by Cedric Hendrix, CirdecSongs
Bassist Rodney Whitaker is both a highly talented instrumentalist and the director of Michigan State University's Jazz program. He and his band (made up mostly of fellow Michigan State faculty members) bring marvelous life to the work of Lansing, Michigan composer Gregg Hill. The band's (quartets and quintets) instrumentals swing hard, riveting the listener from Note One. When vocalist Rockelle Whitaker brings her vocals to the mix on four... read more
Chuck Deardorf - Transparence
by Thomas Conrad, Jazz Times
Most major American cities (and, for that matter, most European ones) contain a jazz musician who is the default bassist of record. You run into them all over town, in all manner of ensembles, kicking ass and taking names.
In Seattle, Wash., it is Chuck Deardorf. He is known for making other people sound good, not leading his own projects. But Transparence argues that he is also a strong and smart bandleader. Deardorf blends various... read more
Nick Finzer - The Chase
by George W. Harris, Jazz Weekly
Trombonist Nick Finzer leads a sublimely swinging sextet through a collection of well crafted originals here. He teams up with Lucas PIno/reeds, Alex Wintz/g, Glenn Zaleski/p, Dave Baron/b and Jimmy McBride/dr and they glide easily with style and grace on medium tempo toe tappers like "Life Happens" and "All Hype." Finzer has a warm tone to his horn, easy and relaxed and it mixes well with Pino's tenor on the exotic "Spheres of Influence" while... read more
Doug Beavers 9 - Two Shades of Nude
by Ric Erben, Jazz Junction Review
Trombonist Doug Beavers has released an outstanding album that features spirited arrangements and soloing upon original compositions as well as music from other jazz composers. In Phil Woods parlance, this is a "little big band" as the instrumentation achieves a rich tonal pallet, sounding both tight and loose at the same time. Beavers has played in the Mingus Big Band and toured with Eddie Palmieri; and has found inspiration in the works of... read more
Mike Denny Rick Mandyck Jeff Johnson John Bishop - Now...Here...This
by Adam Greenburg, All Music Guide
Springing from a series of performances in Eugene, Oregon's art gallery walks, Now...Here...This is a studio recording attempting to mimic the dynamic of the live performances, minus the surrounding noise. The session was as a result unrehearsed and had no post-production. It's a very clean, very spontaneous sound. Mike Denny has a warm tone on the guitar throughout, which meshes well with Rick Mandyck's sax work (recorded not long before he... read more
David Friesen and Glen Moore - Bactrian
by George W. Harris, Jazz Weekly
Both David Friesen and Glen Moore play bass and piano on this collection of duets and solos. Friesen plays a Hemage bass and Moore a regular acoustic one, and they emphasize the rumbling conversations of the strings on the babbling "Still Waters" and the agile "Caravan." Friesen's piano is pensive with Moore on"Soft as Silk" and when the roles are reversed, a bop feel is created on "Kontrast." Quiet and... read more
Laurie Antonioli - Songs of Shadow, Songs of Light
by Marc Myers, JazzWax
Singer Laurie Antonioli avoids the mistake of trying to duplicate Joni's originals and instead gives the material a big jazz twist. Backed by a highly sensitive and carefully arranged quintet that includes jazz pianist Matt Clark, Antonioli delivers a fascinating Both Sides Now that turns the original inside out. All of the tracks here convert Joni's work into jazz standards. A coiled, innovative approach from a sensitive... read more
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