Browse some recent Origin Reviews.
Brent Jensen with The Acoustic Jazz Quartet - The Sound of A Dry Martini
by Dave Nathan, All Music Guide
Educator, clinician, and A-one alto sax player, Brent Jensen honors one of the most self-effacing musicians in the history of jazz, Paul Desmond. The title comes from Desmond's ambition to "sound like a dry martini," probably very light on the vermouth. There are many "Desmond-isms" that he liked to use to describe his work. On the secret to his unique tone, he said "I honestly don't know! It has something to do with the fact that I play... read more
Chris Walden Big Band - Home Of My Heart
by Adam Greenburg, All Music Guide
A young big band conductor. A rarity to be sure, but not necessarily an oxymoron. Chris Walden proves that in this album, a surprisingly versatile primer of the big band. Walden can use traditional techniques, with a soloist over the top of a soft backing of horns, as you'll hear in the Christopher Cross-penned "Rainy Day in Vancouver," as well as his own Film Noir series. He can invoke the spirit of Tadd Dameron's bop big bands, which you'll... read more
Hadley Caliman | Pete Christlieb - Reunion
by C. Michael Bailey, All About Jazz.com
Both Hadley Caliman and Pete Christlieb were active on Los Angeles jazz scene going on 50 years ago, and the two tenor saxophonists actually performed together at the time. Real life got in the way, guiding each man in his allotted direction. Origin Records' house pianist (and All About Jazz Contributor) Bill Anschell brought the two together for Reunion, composing a good old fashioned cooker to open the disc.
"Little Dex" (after... read more
David Friesen Circle 3 Trio - Where the Light Falls
by Rick Anderson, CD Hotlist
Joined by pianist Greg Goebel and drummer Charlie Doggett, legendary bassist/composer David Friesen presents here a two-disc set of live and studio recordings comprised entirely of originals, all of them in a generally straight-ahead but harmonically adventurous style. Guitarist Larry Koonse pitches in on about half of the tracks as well, and those are some of the most enjoyable — though the whole album is great. Friesen's backup playing is... read more
Clark Sommers - Ba(SH)
by Peter Margasak, Chicago Reader
Over the past decade Clark Sommers has emerged as one of Chicago's finest bassists, lending myriad bands an agile but hefty center of gravity and a muscular, propulsive kick. For his first recording under his own name, he leads a trio with drummer Dana Hall and reedist Geof Bradfield, two players who've worked with him on and off in many settings over the years. In the liner notes for the new Ba(SH) (Origin), Chicago bassist Dennis Carroll... read more
Les DeMerle - Hittin' The Blue Notes, Vol. 1
by , JazzReview
There's no doubt from the downbeat of the first tune on Hittin' The Blue Notes--that tune being "Just Friends"--that this is a drummer's project. In the same way that, say, Art Blakey or Buddy Rich drove their bands, DeMerle establishes an undeniable presence that characterizes his band as well.
First of all, Les DeMerle kicks off the track with an 8-bar introduction (played in 8 seconds), effectively preparing the listener for the intensity... read more
Jeff Johnson - My Heart
by George W Harris, Jazz Weekly
Bassist Jeff Johnson teams up with John Gross/ts, Art Resnick/p and Billy Mintz/dr for a collection of lyrical originals. He links well with Mintz, blending in with the brushes on the soft "My Heart" while adding textures around "Watercolors" and subtly soloing on a reflective "Companions". Resnick is in a Bill Evans mood on "Watercolors", while giving a rich intro to the supple "Leviathan" with Gross in a warm ember mood for the richly swinging... read more
Les DeMerle - Gypsy Rendezvous, Vol. 1
by Kyle O'Brien, Jazz Society of Oregon
Any time anyone calls their group Dynamic, it's cause to put up a red flag for cheesiness. But the rousing Gypsy jazz that comes from this group is, well, rather dynamic. The disc came about during DeMerle's vacation to Maui, where he and Bonnie Eisele jammed with a local group. The result is a modern Hawaiian Gypsy jazz disc with a bit of a surf vibe, thanks to the dual guitars of Gypsy Pacific, Tom Conway and Phil Benoit. DeMerle's energetic... read more
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