Browse some recent Origin Reviews.
Brad Wheeler - The Future Was Yesterday
by Neil Tesser, Chicago Reader
Chicago saxist Brad Wheeler plays with an infectious passion, but it's rooted as much in musical intellect as it is in his broad, swaggering tone on both tenor and soprano. Wheeler's name might ring a bell: he grew up in the Chicago suburbs and hit the local scene hard and fast in the 80's, but after he moved to Paris in 1990 his work all but vanished from these shores (though he did appear on a couple of Kurt Elling's Blue Note albums). Wheeler... read more
Amit Friedman - Sunrise
by Schwartzie, Amazon
WOW. As a leading jazz instrumentalist in the Israeli Jazz scene, Amit Friedman never ceases to amaze. The sophistication Amit brings to his compositions are fantastic. On the second track "Or", Hebrew for light, really shines through with a comfortably paced groove. it also really enlightens the listener to the influence which the music of Sonny Rollins has had on Friedman's playing style. "Ups & Downs" is a fantastic piece... read more
Jared Sims - Against All Odds
by Jack Bowers, All About Jazz
Any tenor saxophonist with the surname Sims is certain to draw the attention of a seasoned reviewer, if only out of curiosity. The first name in this instance is Jared, not Zoot (well, not John). As it turns out, Sims has an impressive resume as a performer, writer, educator and leader; Against All Odds is at least his tenth album as foreman of his own group. Jared Sims is a capable player who knows his way around a horn; what he lacks is his... read more
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
Phil Kelly & The SW Santa Ana Winds - My Museum
by John Tapscott, amazon.com
A certain strain of modern big band jazz writing has emerged over the past quarter century which is incredibly detailed, complex and sometimes awe-inspiring. Yet it often lacks warmth and memorable melodies, and nearly creates a barrier between the music and the average jazz listener. Thankfully, composer/arranger Phil Kelly, while not simplifying his music at all, has chosen another route. His music, as evidenced by the 2006 recording "My... read more
John Stowell - Solitary Tales
by John Barron, All About Jazz
An entire disc of solo, improvised guitar music could easily run the risk of sounding like one continuous tune. Fortunately, Portand, Oregon-based guitarist John Stowell applies enough depth and open-minded searching to his nylon-string guitar to keep things interesting throughout Solitary Tales. The eleven-track disc was recorded live at the home of master guitar luthier Mike Doolin, who builds guitars for Stowell. Relying heavily on... read more
Maja Jaku - Blessed & Bewitched
by Jonathan Widran, The JW Vibe
Kosovo born vocalist and songwriter Maja Jaku has made exquisitely intimate and charmingly swinging jazzy waves in her native Europe for years, touring with her trio, performing with the Austrian fusion band Attack, performing in musicals and releasing four acclaimed albums.
On her intriguingly titled debut American collection Blessed and Bewitched, she shares those magnificent, deeply lived vocal passions and cool soulful strutting with U.S.... read more
Hal Galper - Trip the Light Fantastic
by Dave Sumner, Bird Is The Worm Jazz Blog
Jazz piano vet and highly regarded educator, Hal Galper offers another solid recording to his lengthy discography. Galper has a very identifiable sound, not sure I can adequately compare him to anyone. The way in which he strings notes together, it always leaves me with the impression of falling down a flight of stairs without ever leaving my feet? a controlled cohesive randomness that?s just a wee bit dangerous and could prove fatal. With Jeff... read more
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