Born in 1938, he has remained a "musicians' musician" despite a long career as an instrumentalist, band leader, composer, arranger and teacher. He was a member of the Cannonball Adderley quintet for almost three years, followed by a further ten in that of Phil Woods. In the second half of the 1970s he himself headed a band whose line-up is easy to find: the two Brecker brothers Randy and Mike formed the explosive front line, Wayne Dockery (not... read more
Karrin Allyson's annual visits to Catalina Bar & Grill are always well worth attending. While she recorded her debut album back in 1992, she is still very much in prime form 32 years later. At Catalina's she was joined by the very talented pianist Miro Sprague, bassist Karl McComas-Reichl, and drummer Dan Schnelle.
Since the singer's most recent album is A Kiss For Brazil, she included several Brazilian numbers that she sang in Portuguese and... read more
4 1/2 STARS Trumpeter Thomas Marriott has established his jazz credentials over the years through a collection of beautifully inspired and well received albums on the Origin Records label. His formidable chops, extensive vocabulary, respect for tradition and penchant for musical adventurism has put him into the conversation concerning the top practitioners of his instrument in modern times. Marriott has the rare ability to look deeply into the... read more
Bobby Broom, joined by Dennis Carroll (bass) and Kobi Watkins (drums), plays eight Thelonious Monk compositions in this guitar trio take on the great pianist's music.
Jazz musicians have never found it easy to capture the wonder and the eccentricity of Monk's music in any terms other than his own. Yet that has not stopped generations of players from taking on this challenge, so pervasive is his influence as one of the initiators of bop. Many,... read more
Guitarist Shawn Purcell is back with a new album, and he put together about as good of an organ trio as you could possibly put together in 2022, with Jason Tiemann behind the drums and Pat Bianchi in the hot seat. In this largely original program, Purcell comes out swingin' on "Cat and Mouse," and romps through a pretty varied set of 11 tunes. He clearly feels at home on the bossa nova-esque grooves of "Fond Illusion" and "A Long Stroll" and his... read more
Anthony Branker's latest Origin Records release, Dance Music, is well named. The jazz instructor, composer and arranger was inspired to infuse his newest crop of compositions with the spirit and flexibility of dance, resulting in a dynamic and energized recording which flows with an upbeat bop-oriented bustle and a bluesy grace.
Branker's jazz collective, Ascent, was formed in 2004 to showcase Branker's original music and on the... read more
Big band leader Dave Slonaker brings together a collection of some of the West Coast's top session studs to interpret his charts and tunes on this collection of mostly originals. The only cover is a velvety rendition of "I Had The Craziest Dream" that gives trumpeter Wayne Bergeron a chance to give a rich aria. Many of the tunes have an Aaron Copland type of majesty, with rich section work on the swinging "Convergency" or elegiac harmonies on "A... read more
Indispensable - A Sumptuous Production Showcasing the Talent of a Promising Trombonist A debut album of remarkable opulence, conceived to highlight the artistry of a young Japanese-born trombonist now based in Michigan. The recording assembles a dream ensemble of musicians, beginning with her mentor, the esteemed trombonist Michael Dease (who also plays saxophone and baritone), alongside the brilliant pianist Xavier Davis. The lineup is... 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.
Abate Berihun & The Addis Ken Project - Addis Ken
by Hanna Kay, Cult News (Paris)
Abate Berihun & The Addis Ken Project - Addis Ken
by Budapest, Rudolf Radnai
Abate Berihun & The Addis Ken Project - Addis Ken
by Editor, Bman's Blues Report
Jared Hall - Hometown
by Editor, Bman's Blues Report
Dawn Clement - Dear Ms. Dearie
by Editor, Bman's Blues Report
Jared Hall - Hometown
by Dee Dee McNeil, Making A Scene
Affinity Trio - New Outlook
by Tom Haugen, Take Effect
Michael Dease Big Band - Return Trajectory
by Thierry De Clemensat, Paris Move
Brad Goode Quintet Feat. Ernie Watts - Live Your Dream: Live at North Street Cabaret
by Thierry De Clemensat, Paris Move
Maja Jaku - Blessed & Bewitched
by Tom Haugen, Take Effect