Saxophonist and composer Zem Audu is a musical nomad. Though he has been a resident of New York City for years, he was born in Nigeria and raised in England, where he received a formidable musical education. He spent the '90s and 2000s working with a startling array of musicians including Hugh Masekela, Courtney Pine, Ernest Ranglin, Jason Moran, and the Skatalites (with whom he has enjoyed a lengthy tenure). In 2016, he issued a digital-only EP... read more
A Tuesday night mainstay for years at Chicago's Green Mill Lounge, Deep Blue Organ Trio has been receiving wide-spread attention as of late, touring the U.S. as opening act for Steely Dan. Hoping to perpetuate this deserved recognition, the trio is set to release its fourth release Wonderful!, a tribute to the songwriting legacy of Stevie Wonder. The disc is a toe tapping, swinging affair with nine interpretations of classic Wonder... read more
To "get" Jessica Williams, you must experience her in person. Her audience is fiercely loyal, and her deep connection with them comes partly from the tension between her demure shyness and her utterly dominating piano. She is in her own way, a super saleswoman of the keyboard and never lets anyone out of the room without closing the deal.
Not surprisingly, Williams' best albums until now have been recorded in front of live audiences (e.g.,... read more
In which we find our fearless leader making a piano trio debut that goes somewhere else but really doesn't. Not willing to take on art for art's sake, this tyro that's sought out and studied with dyed in the wool pros shows that you don't need to microdose acid to expand your mind. Almost like taking the history of piano trio, putting it in a Yatzee cup and shaking it up to see where the future might lie, this amazing kaleidoscope of sounds just... read more
Good things come in threes, the saying goes, and so it is with the third release from Seattle drummer Steve Korn. While his first and second CD projects contained a total of six original compositions, Points in Time features seven Korn originals, providing us with the clearest glimpse into his musical psyche.
Recorded at Studio X in June of this year, Points in Time features an all-city cast with Korn on drums, Paul Gabrielson on double... read more
Pianist Richard Sussman's 1979 quintet recording Free Fall made quite a splash when re-issued in 2002. Sporting trumpeter Tom Harrell and saxophonist Jerry Bergonzi, the disc was a hard bop celebration. Break forward 30 years, this same band unites for a live recording at NYC's Sweet Rhythm in 2003 playing a couple of pieces from the earlier recording as well as Tadd Dameron's "Soultrane" and the standard "What's New." the result is a cross... read more
Drummer William Thomas gives a potent glimpse into the hotbed of jazz talent in Portland, Oregon. His first recording, Notes From A Drummer , consists of music written, arranged, and composed for his ensemble. The themes on the recording range from bop and swing to playful and intricate ballads with an emphasis on strong ensemble dynamics.
The tone of the recording brings to mind the great Cannonball Adderly circa 1970. Thomas's... read more
For his third solo affair on Seattle's Origin Records, SoCal sax player David Sills produces a classic sort of sound in combination with the rest of his sextet, formed for this album. The saxes tend to run on parallel melodic lines, the guitar solos hark slightly to the days of Charlie Christian, and the rhythm section provides a casual, bouncing backdrop for the front lines. Some of Sills' previous work (primarily that with the Acoustic Jazz... 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