Origin Records Reviews

Hal Galper Trio - Airegin Revisited
by Dave Sumner, emusic Review

Listening to the Hal Galper Trio perform is like watching fireflies? they?re a swarm of activity as they bounce off one another and flit through the air, but ostensibly pretty as they light up the night. Galper has his own sound. It?s not dramatically different from the pack, but its singular to him, and its never boring, even when it flirts with a straight-ahead modern approach. Joining him are pros Jeff Johnson on bass and John Bishop on... read more

Michael Zilber - East West: Music for Big Bands
by Jack Bowers, All About Jazz

On East West, his first-ever big-band enterprise, Canadian-born saxophonist Michael Zilber leads world-class ensembles in New York City and San Francisco, which speaks volumes about his artistry and gravitas. Zilber not only plays saxophone on both bands, he composed eight of the fourteen numbers on this handsome two-CD set and arranged all of them.

Even while playing and recording in smaller groups on both coasts and in Canada, Zilber had... read more

Randy Halberstadt - Open Heart
by Chris Spector, Midwest Record

41 years a teacher and he can still hit the ivories in late night/after hours fashion. A jazzbo to the core, he took his time getting this set together, from the writing to finding the right players, and if this is OCD, it has useful applications. Or it could just be strict attention to detail, so much so that it can make structure swing sounding spontaneous. Whatever, it's a smoking date that delivers the goods mightily. A tasty workout... read more

Laurie Antonioli - Songs of Shadow, Songs of Light
by Dr. Debra Jan Bibel, Amazon.com

Joni Mitchell certainly has gone far since June 1968 when I listened to the then emerging composer sing at New York's The Bitter End. Having become one of the honored greats of music, her numerous songs have been covered by many singers and instrumentalists. This includes jazz artists, which is appropriate since Mitchell herself wrote and performed jazz crossovers. The latest is from vocalist Laurie Antonioli, whose new album, Songs of... read more

New Stories - Speakin Out
by Dave Nathan, All Music Guide

For their second album, the New Stories trio pretty much follows the same blueprint it used for its first album for setting its program, mostly originals with a few pop and jazz standards added on. The major difference from the initial outing is the addition of hard blowing tenor sax man Ernie Watts on some of the tracks. When he's there, he forces a change in the group's playing modus operandi. With hard bopper Watts on board, there's little... read more

John Bishop - Nothing If Not Something
by Tom Morgan, Percussive Notes

This recording is the result of an over ten-year association between drummer John Bishop, bassist Jeff Johnson and saxophonist Rick Mandyck. This piano-less trio, while somewhat reminiscent of Elvin Jones' groups, has developed an original sound and approach. Playing without a harmonic instrument requires a high level of communication and a strong harmonic foundation that is aptly provided by Johnson. His big, rich sound is always secure and... read more

Lincoln Goines - The Art of the Bass Choir
by Kevin Johnson, No Treble

Lincoln Goines is a consummate bassist and renowned educator who has been a mainstay of the New York City scene for decades. Originally from Oakland, the bassist quickly found his groove in the Big Apple in the '70s, where he got to work with Idris Muhammad, Dave Valentin, Paquito D'Rivera, Dizzy Gillespie, Bob Mintzer, and many more. Between his steady performances, recording, and teaching at Berklee College of Music, Goines has always kept... read more

Chad McCullough - Dark Wood, Dark Water
by John Barron, All About Jazz.com

Seattle trumpeter/composer Chad McCullough makes his recording debut as a leader with Dark Wood, Dark Water, a diverse sextet outing featuring eight original compositions and a fresh take on the Lennon/McCartney classic "Blackbird." Along with the all-star rhythm section of pianist Bill Anschell, bassist Jeff Johnson and Drummer John Bishop, McCullough is joined by saxophonists Mark Taylor and Geof Bradfield.

McCullough proves a... read more

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