Browse some recent Origin Reviews.
Kelly Brand Nextet - The Door
by Neil Tesser, JazzIs
The latest and best album by Chicago pianist and composer Kelly Brand. Brand brings an understated beneficence to her music: when she backs other players, she offers dark full chords, while her own solos are thoughtful, uncluttered affairs ? good stories told simply and well. Her narratives have another advantage in that they are always backed by Kelly Sill, one of the finest bass players of his generation ? and also Kelly Brand's husband. The... read more
Clark Sommers - Ba(SH)
by C. Michael Bailey, All About Jazz
The spirit of Thelonious Monk abounds on bassist Clark Sommers' Ba(SH). Monk's music is magnetically drawn to odd formats like this saxophone trio, sporting Geof Bradfield on reeds and Dana Hall on drums. There is no tether in this music; all participant are free in the most free sense. The recital hold together well, with Bradfield's intricate nod to Monk's "Rhythm-n-Ing" providing an example of the long arm of Monk. There are elements of... read more
Alex Graham - The Good Life
by Dan McClenaghan, All About Jazz
A quick trip to multiple reedman Alex Graham's web site finds his sound compared to Wayne Shorter, Dexter Gordon, and Horace Silver, but a couple of spins of The Good Life tells you that these reactions must be referring to the band's collective sound. Graham plays alto sax, flute, and clarinet -- the latter two reeds on the opener only-but he's an alto saxophonist first and foremost on this outing. His tone on that main horn sounds like Jackie... read more
Robby Ameen - Live at the Poster Museum
by Mark Griffith, Modern Drummer
This is one of the best drummer led records that I have heard in a long while. We can tell that many of these musicians have been working together for a while in Conrad Herwig's Latin Side... band. However, under Ameen's leadership the Latin flavors get further twisted into a mélange of fusion, jazz, Latin, groove, and everything else; "Ameenmusic" if you will. And with Ameen's first live recording of his band, the music really jumps out of the... read more
Anthony Branker and Word Play - Uppity
by Robert Ratajczak, LongPlay | RadioJAZZ.FM 35, Poland
Composer, conductor and director of the University Jazz [Program] in Princeton, Anthony Branker has created an excellent musical project by engaging with the leaders of American jazz; musicians: saxophonist Ralph Bowen, trombonist Andy Hunter, Eli Asher trumpeter, pianist Jim Ridl and drummer Donald Edwards.
The album opens with the funky rhythm maintained in ?Let's Conversate!? in which the saxophone and trombone lead the title conversation... read more
Bad Luck - Four
by Scott Murphy, Heavy Blog
Bad Luck - Four (ambient jazz, avant-garde jazz)
Man, what a great album to kick off the column with. The first of my two numerically-titled picks is also the most easily-labeled "jazz" album of all my selections from the past few months. This isn't meant as a knock against Bad Luck, the moniker of duo Neil Welch (saxophone, live electronics) and Christopher Icasiano (drums). I'm guilty of seeking out the most non-jazz jazz albums I can... read more
Ray Vega & Thomas Marriott - Return of the East-West Trumpet Summit
by Chris Spector, Midwest Review
It worked before and it works even better again. Right in the pocket of all the great trumpet duos of the past, this is a high octane outing in which the fire never runs out. Smoking and hard charging throughout, it's amazing how much of a joyous racket so few cats can stir up when they stir it up together. Hot... read more
Lincoln Goines - The Art of the Bass Choir
by Cedric Hendrix, CirdecSongs
When it comes to more experimental records, there's a fine line between innovative and self-indulgent. Bassist Lincoln Grimes has successfully remained on the right side of the tracks. Along with a stable of legendary bassist guests — among them Victor Wooten and John Pattitucci — Goines looks to push the bass in fascinating directions without giving the listener more information than is necessary. Goines also has the good taste to step back... read more
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