Browse some recent Origin Reviews.
Doug Beavers Orchestra - Jazz, Baby!
by Stefan Sheppard, Zooglobble
All 10 songs here are traditional ("Twinkle Twinkle," "Shortnin' Bread," "Working' On the Railroad"), and the vocals take center stage. If there is any difference it's that the arrangements are stronger, with strong versions of "Twinkle Twinkle" and "Itsy Bitsy Spider" that take full-advantage of a 20+ member big band being two highlights. "She'll Be Comin' Round the Mountain" is done in a fun cha-cha style. It's a polished recording, and while... read more
Ben Thomas Tango Project - Eternal Aporia
by Jack Bowers, All About Jazz
They say it takes two to tango. On Ben Thomas' new album, Eternal Aporia ("uncertainty; doubt"), it takes at least three, and sometimes half a dozen. That's not a bad thing, as Thomas' splendid core trio is fleshed out on three numbers by cellist Gretchen Vanover and on two others by Vanover, violinist Brandon Vance and pianist Jonathan Greer, making the tango more lustrous and enchanting than ever. Thomas himself plays vibraphone, bandoneon and... read more
Keigo Hirakawa - Pixel
by Kazune Hayata, Jazz Life (Japan)
During his early childhood, Keigo Hirakawa moved to the United States with his parents and obtained a doctorate in engineering. At the same time, he studied under renowned musicians such as Danilo Perez and Stephen Scott at the New England Conservatory of Music. Over the years, he has collaborated with numerous artists, including Donald Byrd and Joe Lovano. Currently based in Dayton, Hirakawa excels as a jazz pianist and in educational... read more
Bobby Broom - My Shining Hour
by Brent Black, Critical Jazz
My Shining Hour is far more than one more artist taking the easy way out by banging out a selection of tunes from the Great American Songbook. Bobby Broom doesn't play covers, he reinvents and meticulously manipulates melodies to find a new way of looking at some time tested classics. To call some of these selections "eclectic" would be the equivalent of beating the proverbial harmonic dead horse. To call some of these selections... read more
John Moulder - Metamorphosis
by Jack Bowers, All About Jazz
As approximately fifty of the sixty-eight minutes on Chicago-based guitarist John Moulder's new CD, Metamorphosis, are devoted to the seven-part "Metamorphosis Suite," that seems an appropriate point at which to start any appraisal of its contents and purpose. First and foremost, it is clear that considerable thought was given to mapping the structure of the suite, and that Moulder's quartet came well-prepared to accept and conform to his frame... read more
Corey Christiansen - Outlaw Tractor
by Kyle O'Brien, Oregon Jazz Scene
Soul jazz has been updated again by Christiansen. His second recording on Origin finds the hythmic guitarist mining the funky, organ-based music made famous in the ?60s and making it his own. With Pat Bianchi on organ, David Halliday on sax and Matt Jorgensen on drums, Christiansen ? a teacher at Utah State University ? is in good company. The bluesy "Carefree" is a light romp that gives both he and Halliday a chance to show off their chops.... read more
Mike Pope - The Parts You Keep
by MICHAEL STÜRM, Jazz Podium (Germany)
Mike Pope is a musician no one in Europe has on their radar. This engaging music, based on a shared musical language, is highly dynamic and full of beautiful sounds when it comes to bassists in jazz. The American is one of many instrumentalists who primarily work as sidemen. When these musicians record an album themselves, it often holds its own against the big names. Even if Pope occasionally betrays the routine of a virtuoso studio musician,... 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
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