Browse some recent Origin Reviews.
Chris Walden Big Band - No Bounds
by Jeff Krow, Audiophile Audition
Chris Walden's debut album, 2005's Home of My Heart (previously reviewed) was a hard act to follow. His latest CD does not match the full power and force of his debut, but it is still a fine contemporary big band issue. In these days when true big band recordings with new material are so rare, Walden delivers the goods again by mixing a jazz version of David Foster's theme from the 2006 Winter Olympics with three Walt Disney songs, a Miles Davis... read more
May Okita - Art of Life
by Scott Yanow, Downbeat
Tokyo-born May Okita spent several years living in Los Angeles, where she studied clinical psychiatry at UCLA and sang in area jazz clubs. Shortly before she returned to Tokyo, Okita recorded Art Of Life in a trio with pianist
Josh Nelson and guitarist Larry Koonse.
She has a pleasant voice, obviously loves the material here and takes most of the melodies pretty straightahead, other than scatting a bit during the closing vamp of "Let's Face... read more
Todd Bishop - Little Played Little Bird
by George Fendel, Jazz Society of Oregon
Okay, along with a lot of you, I haven't explored the music of Ornette Coleman to the extent that I probably should have. I've "always" admired "Lonely Woman," and as Bishop explains, on a disc of Coleman tunes that nobody ever does, "Lonely Woman" is the exception because, he writes, "I've been playing it for 20 years and it deserves to be here." Bishop's quintet includes two reedmen, Richard Cole and Tim Willcox, who join forces... read more
Tom Collier - Across the Bridge
by Chris Spector, Midwest Record
Give a jazzbo vibe player some grant money and crowd funding and what's he do with it? Luckily for us, this vibe player hired some ace cats to back him up making a date that brings fusion to vibes and good vibes to all. Frequent duet partner Dan Dean brings his bass (and producer's hat) on board and there's a lot of circles that are completed here. With 50 years of hammering those mallets under his belt, the former tyro knows what works and... read more
Jessica Williams - With Love
by Dan McClenaghan, All About Jazz
Successful musicians play "the truth." If you want to hear some truth there are certain artists you can seek out. Thelonious Monk couldn't play anything but the truth, right from the beginning. Pianist Jessica Williams came upon the truth - a purer form of it, at least - after experiencing "the fix of Illness" that she has discussed on her website and in interviews. Her first "fix" came about via her struggle with hypothyroidism, and... read more
Jessica Williams - Songs For A New Century
by Robert Doerschuk, Downbeat, December 2008
On Songs For A New Century (****) Jessica Williams proves that she excels in the solo format. These pieces may owe something to her decision to remove the music stand and fall-board, unfold the front part of the lid and lower the level of her seat. What matters more is the results of this tinkering, and while outside effects do crop up, such as the sparking string plucks on "Toshiko," the effect is one of consonance and elegance, more... read more
Grete Skarpeid - Beyond Other Stories
by Ron Schepper, Textura
A wonderful partnership began when Afro-Cuban pianist Aruán Ortiz, then on a Norway tour with jazz clarinetist Don Byron, met Grete Skarpeid at the Voss Jazz Club. When the Norwegian singer-songwriter shared her material with Ortiz, he was completely won over, so much so it led to their working together on her debut album My Songs in 2016. Pooling their talents again, Beyond Other Stories features tens songs that blend her distinctive voice and... read more
Gregg Keplinger / Reuben Radding / Daniel Carter - Language
by Dave Nathan, All About Jazz
Seattle's Origin label has pretty much kept its releases within the realm of modern mainstream jazz, now dips its toe into the free jazz/avant garde pool with Language. Featuring Daniel Carter on alto, Rueben Radding on bass and Gregg Keplinger on a set of very busy drums, the trio works through more than 50 minutes of music not designed for the timid listener. Made up of all original compositions, the set kicks off with a passionate "Speak... read more
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