Browse some recent Origin Reviews.
Bobby Rozario - Spellbound
by Tom Haugen, Take Effect
The guitar wizard Bobby Rozario heads right into Latin and Afro Latin ideas here, where plenty of esteemed players are on hand for the 11 cultured tracks.
"Peace Pilgrim" opens the listen with Gary Grainger's warm bass and Dennis Chambers' fluid drumming alongside the meticulous guitar playing for the rock focused climate, and "Spellbound" follows with Mauricio Herrera's playful congas and Ismael Kouyaté's expressive voice for the busy,... read more
Florian Hoefner - Coldwater Stories
by Dave Sumner, Bird is the Worm
Florian Hoefner knows how to work a melody. His 2012 release Songs Without Words was one of the very best things to get released that year, and it was in no small part a result of the pianist's vibrant display of melodicism. Two releases since then did nothing to diminish that reputation.
This 2016 performance at the Bremen, Germany venue Sendesaal provides the opportunity to hear that melodic talent unfold in a solo setting. Live and all... read more
Joe Locke - Subtle Disguise
by Dan Bilawsky, All About Jazz
Have we been dealing with two different Joe Lockes for all these years? To some, the vibraphonist presents as a technically adept and intellectually curious seeker, constantly pushing through to new levels of possibility and commitment with his music. But for others, Locke is a conduit to understanding the human condition. This is a dichotomy that obviously speaks to vantage points and perspectives, with neither understanding ringing false. And... read more
Shawn Purcell - Oblivity
by Thomas Houbron, Couleurs Jazz (Paris)
Weightless guitar, between dream and introspection.
With Oblivity, guitarist Shawn Purcell delivers a refined and adventurous collection of ten original compositions, blending lyricism, tension, and ingenuity. His playing moves effortlessly between swing, post-bop, and more modern textures, all underpinned by a finely tuned ensemble. Tenor saxophonist Walt Weiskopf proves a perfect counterpart, offering counterpoint when needed,... read more
Purna Loka Ensemble - Metaraga
by Sumana Ramanan, FirstPost (India)
Geometry Sings the Blues in Indian-American Mathematician's Radical New Music System - CURVED PHRASES from Indian ragas melt into languorous blues microtones. The strains of music born on the American South's slave plantations mutate into the more angular notes and layered melodies of the Western classical genre. The different sounds weave in and out of one another, creating a shifting and arresting aural landscape that feels at once both... read more
Ben Thomas Tango Project - The Hat with the Grin and the Chuckle
by Paul Rauch, Seattle Jazz Beat
Dr. Ben Thomas is an impossible musician to forget, once he makes a first impression. This is the case whether you are witnessing his virtuosity on the vibraphone in a jazz or Brazilian music setting or performing in a tango ensemble on bandoneon. There is the music of course, with melody and harmony seemingly exiting his instrument in free flight, pushing aside time and space and settling in as something as natural as the air that fills the... read more
Kelly Harland - Twelve Times Romance
by Christopher Loudon, JazzTimes, May 2003
Through no real fault of her own, fellow Seattleite Kelly Harland fares less well with her debut effort, Twelve Times Romance (Origin). Harland, who closely resembles actress Teri Garr, has a fresh, sunny sound garnished with a healthy dollop of Lena Horne's phrasing. The former backup singer and respected vocal coach handles a broad spectrum of standards, ranging from the plaintive regret of "Too Late Now" to the Broadway bravado of "I... read more
John Wojciechowski - Focus
by Georges Tonla Briquet, Jazzmozaiek (Belgium)
Saxophonist John Wojciechowski's been active on the jazz scene in Chicago for nearly a decade. On hearing this CD, the immediate question is why he has remained under the radar outside of the "Windy City" for so long. The opening track from his second album was an instant hit. Balanced elaborated, saxophone solo in the right place, perfectly dosed with a clear knowledge of the tradition (from swing to bop and beyond), yet with a contemporary... read more
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