Browse some recent Origin Reviews.
Jim Knapp Orchestra - It's Not Business, It's Personal
by Paul de Barros, Seattle Times
He was a band leader, composer, trumpet player and longtime faculty member at Cornish College of the Arts, but Jim Knapp, who died Nov. 13, will be remembered as the primary architect of Seattle's modern jazz scene. He was 82 and living in a senior care facility in Kirkland, where he died of congestive heart failure and complications from diabetes, which had prompted the amputation of a lower leg some years ago.
"He was the sound of this... read more
Benny Powell - Nextep
by Will Smith, JazzTimes, Jan/Feb 09
It's most encouraging to hear some of jazz's senior citizens (Sonny Rollins, James Moody, Lee Konitz, Clark Terry and Hank Jones, among others) remaining active and creative in their sunset years. At age 78, trombonist Benny Powell may have lost a step or two with regard to his solo work on Nextep, his first recording in five years, yet he's still out there offering an abundance of music worth hearing with an often sprightly, burnished... read more
Joe Locke - Force of Four
by Ric Bang, The Davis Enterprise
In the beginning, we had Red Norvo, followed by Lionel Hampton, Magie Hyams, Terry Gibbs, Milt Jackson, Cal Tjader and Gary Burton. They've now been joined by Joe Locke. All are jazz vibraphone artists.
Although a relative youngster (still in is 40s), Locke has been playing the instrument for more than 30 years; his fame has risen during the most recent decade. He began playing with the "big boys" - Gillespie, for example - while still... read more
Ben Paterson - For Once In My Life
by Thomas Conrad, JazzTimes
The jazz audience contains people, present company not necessarily excepted, who are resistant to the charms of the Hammond B-3. They find it a somewhat vulgar instrument, with unpleasant, artificial sonorities. They all need to meet Ben Paterson. He may be the most purely musical organist out there. He is not into shrieking and raising hell. He is not about sweat and grease. His virtues are ones not normally associated with the B-3, such as... read more
Ben Patterson - The Way of the Groove
by George W Harris, Jazz Weekly
Big-toned trombonist Ben Patterson digs in deep with his team of Shawn Purcell/g, Harry Appelman/B3-p-synth, Paul Henry/b, Todd Harrison/dr, Luis Hernandez/ts and even joins in the vocals with Evan Reiger and Purcell. His horn fills the room on his solo intro to "What Happens Next" before Henry's electric bass takes the team into the world of soulful harmonies and pulses. Purcell's guitar gives some Soul Train feel to "This and That" and digs a... read more
Maja Jaku - Blessed & Bewitched
by Bman, Bman's Blues Report
I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Blessed & Bewitched, by Maja Jaku, and its quiet and dynamic. Opening with The Witch, Maja Jaku applies her vocals like drops of silver on the lush piano chords by Alan Bartus. Michael Rodriguez on trumpet really adorns the track nicely with well-conceived lines making for a solid opener. Another quiet track, Lonely Little Fox, has Jaku's vocal, working nicely on Bartus's piano and... read more
Chris Walden Big Band - No Bounds
by Brenton Plourde, www.jazzreview.com
Hailing from Germany, Chris Walden has combined the two elements of European big band with classic American big band to release a great album.
What really stands out here are the two tracks "People Will Say We're In Love" and "Smile." Both are sung by vocalist Tierney Sutton, the Milwaukee born, Los Angeles transplant who really brings those two songs to life. The album starts off with Walden's version of the David Foster 2006 Winter Olympic... read more
David Friesen with Orchestra and Quartet - Testimony
by Mattie Poels, Music Frames (Holland)
In a beautiful concert we hear jazz bassist and pianist David Friesen from the Ukraine together with his quartet and the National Academic Symphonic Band of Ukraine.
On the album Testimony we hear two concerts that were both recorded in the Ukraine (Kiev) where the bassist, pianist and arranger David Friesen comes from. Friesen is a master of themes: catchy melodies that sound familiar and worldly. His timing is reminiscent of that of the... read more
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