Browse some recent Origin Reviews.
Lucas Pino - No Net Nonet
by Jack Bowers, All About Jazz
So there is hope after all. With so much jazz these days soaring into realms that are often uncharted and at times unfathomable, it is a pleasure to hear groups such as tenor saxophonist Lucas Pino's No Net Nonet, which are remarkably creative even as they adhere to the basic precepts of melody, harmony and rhythm. Pino's new album, apparently the first under his own name, is awash in likable tunes (seven written by Pino), performed with... read more
Geof Bradfield - African Flowers
by Jordan Richardson, Canadian Audiophile
In early 2008, saxophonist and composer Geof Bradfield took on a month-long tour of Rwanda, Congo, Uganda, and Zimbabwe as part of pianist Ryan Cohan's quartet. The tour was arranged as a part of The Rhythm Road: American Music Abroad, a unique program co-sponsored by the U.S. State Department and Jazz at Lincoln Center.
Similar programs have taken place since the Cold War, with the U.S. government turning to the world of jazz to spread the... read more
Tom Collier - Impulsive Illuminations
by Chris Lunn, Ancient Victorys
Vibraphone, marimba, and percussionist Collier expands his recording collection. Here he has just five tunes, 10- to 17- minute cuts, each featuring a valued musical companion. Richard Karpen joins him on piano on each of the cuts. "Impulse Illuminations" is a 15-minute collaboration with electric guitarist Bill Frisell. Piano opens quietly in the mid/low range, descends a bit then gets bold and avant. Vibes touch over the top along with... read more
Corey Christiansen - La Proxima
by Dan McClenaghan, All About Jazz
Guitarist Corey Christiansen's early days recording for Seattle's Origin Records featured a pair of superb organ jazz recordings, Roll with it (2008) and Outlaw Tractor (2010). A versatile player, the guitarist expanded his vision with his "American West" set Lone Prairie (Origin Records, 2013), in addition to his "avant cowboy/surf rock band" on Factory Girl (Origin Records, 2016).
Throughout Christiansen's eight Origin Records releases,... read more
Greta Matassa - The Smiling Hour
by Jay Collins, Cadence, Jan-Mar 2008
The thrid release from Seattle-based Greta Matassa, who delivers her ten-song opus on "The Smiling Hour," favors a smoky, whisper-like delivery that matches the ambiance of this mostly laid-back affair, though several tracks demonstrate her considerable breadth. Matassa's stated goal is to take the listener through a "pleasant day," with bright beginnings and a reflective quietude at its conclusion. Contemporary songwriters are an obvious... read more
Chad McCullough - Dark Wood, Dark Water
by Jerome Wilson, Cadence
The leader of Dark Wood, Dark Water, Chad McCullough, is a trumpeter who wrote all his disc's original material which is mostly at slow to moderate tempos. He comes up with lovely insinuating melodies. The slowly pulsing "Lock Down" and the woozy "Bock's Car" demonstrate the blowzy, lyrical beauty of McCullough's playing as well as the quick-silver piano decorations of Bill Anschell. "Home" is a lovely waltz soulfully explored by saxophonist... read more
Carl Schultz - The Road to Trantor
by D. Glenn Daniels, The Jazz Page
Carl Schultz's The Road to Trantor explores a spacious, modern jazz landscape shaped by his work on tenor saxophone and flute, supported by compositions that draw from both acoustic and electronic ideas. Guitarist Tim Wendel, pianist Adam Benjamin, bassist Zack Teran, and drummer Alwyn Robinson form the core ensemble, with Schultz's writing steering the group through open, shifting structures that balance form and freedom. The blend of... read more
Various Artists - Modern Jazz: A Collection of Seattle's Finest Jazz
by C. Michael Bailey, All About Jazz
It only makes marketing sense to release sampler discs of music that a label has in its stables. Origin Arts has accumulated an impressive amount of impressive music. Collected on Modern Jazz are among the first releases from the OriginArts labels Origin Records and OA2. Originally commissioned by Microsoft as a musical melange for the unveiling of the Windows® XP Media Center, Modern Jazz now exists as the second installment of Origin Records... read more
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