Browse some recent Origin Reviews.
Anthony Branker & Word Play - Dialogic
by Ken Dryden, All Music Guide
On his recorded output, Anthony Branker has shown consistent growth as a composer/arranger working with small groups. For this session he is musical director for a quartet featuring several veterans of earlier recordings, including saxophonist Ralph Bowen, bassist Kenny Davis, and drummer Adam Cruz, adding pianist Jim Ridl. Branker's writing style isn't easy to classify, as he fits equally into post-bop and modern creative, while his skills... read more
Dan Dean - Fanfare for the Common Man
by Marty Friedman, WICN, Worcester
So after a forty year career as bassist, composer, producer and recording engineer, what do you do next? Why, you sing the parts to famous orchestral pieces, overdubbing to create alternative chorale-based works - of course!
We have two new CDs from Dan Dean, with a track from each during this show.
In the first hour you'll hear a track from Mr. Dean's Fanfare for the Common Man, taking its title from Aaron Copeland's popular work.... read more
Andrea Brachfeld - Brazilian Whispers
by George W. Harris, Jazz Weekly
Andrea Brachfeld plays both C and alto flute with a galloping team of Bill O'Connell/p-key, Harvie S-Lincoln Goines/b, Jason Tiemann-T. Portinho/dr, Roni Ben-Hur/g and Chembo Corniel/perc on this mix of Jobim and originals. O'Connell's keyboards give a vintage CTI soul feel to the rich read of "Double Rainbow" and "Ligia" as Portinho's brushes glide to the rich "Triste E Solitaria". Brachfeld is dreamy on "Passarim" and blends with Ben_hur" on... read more
John Stowell - Solitary Tales
by Peter Westbrook, Cadence
Solo guitarist Stowell, heard on Solitary Tales, has a sound harking back to Classical guitar playing with none of the rhythmic stiffness sometimes associated with it. The opening track, "Everything I Love," moves from chiming rubato passages to an improvisation that alternated between thoughtful, climbing episodes and swinging single-note lines. I was reminded of Joe Pass' solo recording for Pablo--but where Pass occasionally overwhelmed me... read more
Todd Bishop - Travelogue
by Travis Rogers, Jr., JazzTimes
For Travelogue Bishop has brought together some old partners and one new addition. Chris Higgins on bass is the new addition and a welcome one, at that. Higgins straight Jazz approach works incredibly well with Bishop's own drum work.
Returning for Travelogue are Richard Cole on the woodwinds (soprano, tenor and baritone saxophones, bass clarinet and alto flute) and the brilliant Jasnam Daya Singh (formerly Weber Iago) on... read more
Bill Anschell - Rumbler
by Dr. Debra Jan Bibel, Amazon
With this, his ninth album as leader, pianist Bill Anschell returns this time with a fuller ensemble and emphasis on original tunes and arrangements. Headquartered in Seattle and environs, he brings a relaxed, melodic approach but does not shy away from hot inventions. The three covers are Monk's Misterioso, Lennon & McCarty's For No One, and Ellington's Reflections in D (a pure piano solo). His group includes the trio stalwarts bassist Chris... read more
Richard Sussman - Continuum
by George Fendel, Jazz Society of Oregon
When CDs contain mostly or exclusively original music, I look for one primary characteristic. If I can't find it, the CD is usually not a prime candidate for review. It's as simple as...a well-defined melody. If that's old-fashioned, so be it. But I lose my sense of direction when I can't discern a melody as a foundation for the improvisation which follows. I know nothing of Richard Sussman other than he's probably a New Yorker (judging from the... read more
Anthony Branker & Imagine - Songs My Mom Liked
by George W Harris, Jazz Weekly
Composer and Arranger Anthony Branker puts together a free thinking team of Donny McCaslin/ts-ss, Philip Dizack/tp, Fabian Almazan/p, Linda May Han O h/b, Rudy Royston/dr, Pete McCann/g and Aubrey Johnson/voc for a collection of originals dedicated to his mother and her battle with dementia.
The atmospheres range from uptempo pieces like "Praise" that feature McCaslin in a shrieking mood to an elegiac "Sketches of Selim" with a lovely aria... read more
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