Browse some recent Origin Reviews.
Tom Collier - Across the Bridge
by Dan Bilawsky, All About Jazz
Ruminations on the past, musical or otherwise, are often weighed down by the sediment of sentiment. But it certainly doesn't have to be that way. Looking back can provide an outlet for the imagination to take control, and vibraphonist Tom Collier seems well aware of that. On Across The Bridge, Collier revisits his youth, delivering nine original numbers that touch on a childhood spent on the opposite side of the West Seattle Bridge from where... read more
David Friesen with Orchestra and Quartet - Testimony
by Chris Lunn, Ancient Victorys
These recordings were made in December 2018 with the National Academic Symphonic Band of Ukraine in Kiev and the Quartet cuts in 2019 at the Institute of Music in Kiev. All seventeen compositions are by David Friesen. Great to hear Friesen's orchestral and quartet work showcased on the same recording. Compositions range from a couple minutes to his classic "Lament for the Lost/Procession" at six minutes.
"Still Waters" has bold piano chords... read more
Josh Nelson - Exploring Mars
by Hobart Taylor, KUCI, Irvine, CA
A concept album that begins with a jazz bed under a reading from Ray Bradbury's "Martian Chronicles" and continues with a variety of styles to evoke mental images and imaginings of the "red planet". I like the offbeat ballad "How I Loved You on Mars", the Metheny like "Sojourner","Memnonia Quadrangle", a guitar meditation, and "Spirit" A reprise of the first cut without the Bradbury narration and with a fine trumpet... read more
Charlie Ballantine - East by Midwest
by Rick Anderson, CD Hotlist: New Music for Libraries
Holy cow, this is a great album. On this trio session, guitarist Charlie Ballantine plays (and writes) in a style that reflects his Midwestern roots: there are hints of steel guitar in both his tunes and his solos, and his shimmering, chorused tone evokes wide-open cornfields even when he's playing tunes by British city boys from Liverpool (yes, there are two Beatles covers here). If my description is making you wonder whether Ballantine... read more
Deep Blue Organ Trio - Wonderful!
by Larry Hollis, Cadence
The Deep Blue Organ Trio has been around long enough to be super-tight in all aspects of musicianship. For their fourth outing they have gone the concept album route with a project containing the songs of Steveland Morris (aka Stevie Wonder). The triad of Bloom, Foreman and Rockingham transform these nine titles from first class pop writings to vehicles for heavy improvisation and telepathic interplay.
Whomever picked the repertory was... read more
Shawn Purcell - 180
by Jack Bowers, All About Jazz
Guitarist Shawn Purcell's latest CD, 180, is all about swinging; Purcell's trio, Pat Bianchi on Hammond B3 organ, Jason Tiemann on drums, nestles squarely into the groove on the double-quick opener, "Cat and Mouse," which sets an upbeat tone for the album as a whole.
The rhythm seldom flags on Purcell's sunny compositions (he wrote all but one of the album's eleven numbers). An exception to the rhythmic rule is the lone standard, Johnny... read more
Maddie Vogler - While We Have Time
by Dorothea Gängel, Jazz'n'More (Switzerland)
Chicago-born saxophonist Maddie Vogler presents nine pieces on her debut album that reflect her exploration of her Cuban roots. Energetic, rhythmic and yet full of melodic gentleness, the original compositions showcase the young musician's great skills. She always gives her five bandmates the opportunity to step into the spotlight. At the forefront is her former teacher and mentor, Tito Carrillo, on the trumpet and flugelhorn. An impressive... read more
Bobby Broom - My Shining Hour
by George Fendel, Oregon Jazz Scene
It seems as though guitarist Bobby Broom has found a home on Seattle's Origin label, but somehow I must have missed this 2014 release. It is still available and worth telling you about. Broom takes off in very straight-ahead fashion with his trio mates, Dennis Carroll (bass) and Makaya McCraven (drums) on a menu of nine much admired standards. Broom is equally impressive whether playing single-note passages or rich, rewarding chords. His... read more
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