Browse some recent Origin Reviews.
Mark Taylor with RadioAction - After Hours
by Dave Nathan, All Music Guide
Working with fellow Origin labelmates, alto/soprano saxophonist Mark Taylor delivers his maiden album, featuring four compositions written by him or by the piano player on the session, Whitney Ashe. The remaining four are works similarly fashioned out of the modern jazz mold. Taylor is one of those younger jazz players who perceives this musical genre has something more than dazzling technique, improvisations on standard pop material, or... read more
Marc Bernstein & Good People - Hymn For Life
by Dave Sumner, emusic Review
Bernstein is intoxicatingly lyrical on woodwinds, and that he often switches between the sweet disposition of soprano sax and the soulful irreverence of bass clarinet often within the span of an album just makes the synthesis of sounds even more delectable. On this current release, he adds Jacob Anderkov on piano, Jonas Westergaard on bass, Rakalam Bob Moses on drums, and the vocals of Sinne Eeg. Beautiful moody music that crackles with life.... read more
Shawn Purcell - Oblivity
by Bman, Bman's Blues Report
I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Oblivity, by Shawn Purcell, and it's intensively satisfying. Opening with title track, Oblivity, Shawn Purcell on guitar and Walt Weiskopf on tenor sax chisel out a really cool melody supported by Chris Ziemba on piano, Jeff Reed on bass and Steve Fidyk on drums. Weiskopf really rips a great sax solo, tightly punctuated by Ziemba on piano, then surrendering the lead to Ziemba who... read more
Jessica Williams - Songs of Earth
by Rob Young, Urban Flux
It wasn?t until recently had the honor to listen to pianist Jessica Williams play for the first time. With that said, her latest recording ?SONG OF EARTH? is simply stunning accomplishment for her. In fact, I have a tendency of shying away from solo recordings but I?m reminded with this lovely offering by Williams of the importance of artists recording solo projects. Moreover, I?m still in awe by the fluidity of her compositions, ambient tone... read more
Andrea Brachfeld - Brazilian Whispers
by George W Harris, Jazz Weekly
Andrea Brachfeld plays flute and the darker alto flute set to a collection of Brazilian themes dominated by Antonio Jobim. She mixes and matches with Bill O'Connell/p-key, Harvie S-Lincoln Goines/g, Roni Ben-Hur/g, T. Porinho-Jason Tiemann/dr and Chembo Corniel/perc with some boppy pieces like her own "Espaco Aberto" and a relaxed "Triste E Solitaria." Jobim's "Double Rainbow" is a soulful keyboard affair with Brachfeld's flute floating to the... read more
John Stowell | Michael Zilber - Live Beauty
by Bill Milkowski, Downbeat
4-STARS The potent partnership of guitarist John Stowell and saxophonist Michael Zilber plays out on this highly interactive and adventurous set recorded before a live audience at the California Jazz Conservatory in Berkeley. Fueled by the remarkably empathetic Bay Area rhythm tandem of bassist John Shifflet and drummer Jason Lewis, Stowell and Zilber take their time and follow their muse quite freely throughout this intimate concert.... read more
Jay Thomas with the Oliver Groenewald Newnet - I Always Knew
by Robbie Gerson, Audiophile Audition
5-STARS The history of jazz arrangement is prodigious. Musicians like Billy Strayhorn, Duke Ellington, Gil Evans, Quincy Jones, Marty Paich, Stan Kenton, Terence Blanchard, Michel Legrand, Gerry Mulligan, Don Costa, Nelson Riddle, Glenn Miller and Artie Shaw integrated larger ensembles successfully. A wide variety of instruments (often with multiple "same" instruments) built a complex structure and dynamics. Big band arrangements and... read more
Dave Slonaker Big Band - Shifty Paradigms
by Dee Dee McNeil, Musical Memoirs
Years ago, you may have found a young Dave Slonaker hunched over books and piles of music sheets at Pittsburg's Carnegie Library, researching the nuts and bolts of how big band music is created. His fascination developed when he was just a teenager and has continued for decades.
Today, Slonaker heads a 15-year-old Grammy nominated ensemble and is a busy orchestrator, arranger and composer for film and television. This big band features some... read more
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