Browse some recent Origin Reviews.
Carlos Vega - Art of the Messenger
by Larry Hollis, Cadence
Here's a belated present for all us hard bop lovers. This Carlos Vega has a pair of previously issued discs for the Origin label and is not to be confused with the drummer of the same name. Those two platters were salutes to Bird but this time around its a nod to powerhouse drum-master Art Blakey Vega's bandmates are the same on all three discs so one has little trouble understanding how super tight this quintet is on this third album. Each of... read more
Shawn Purcell - 180
by Paul Abella, WDCB
Guitarist Shawn Purcell is back with a new album, and he put together about as good of an organ trio as you could possibly put together in 2022, with Jason Tiemann behind the drums and Pat Bianchi in the hot seat. In this largely original program, Purcell comes out swingin' on "Cat and Mouse," and romps through a pretty varied set of 11 tunes. He clearly feels at home on the bossa nova-esque grooves of "Fond Illusion" and "A Long Stroll" and his... read more
Geof Bradfield - Our Roots
by Brian Zimmerman, Downbeat
EDITOR'S PICK The idea for saxophonist Geof Bradfield's intrepid new album Our Roots sprang from a concert series in Chicago called the Fulton Street Jazz Record Art Collective, in which musicians perform a classic jazz album in its entirety. Since its inception, visiting artists have covered works by all the usual suspects - John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, Max Roach - but when it was Bradfield's turn, the Houston-born... read more
George Colligan - The Endless Mysteries
by Martin Z. Kasdan Jr., Louisville Music News
Pianist George Colligan's trio mates are probably more recognized than he, but they are not just on board for star value; Jack DeJohnette and Larry Grenadier add to the leader's sometimes challenging work. Colligan's liner notes refer to having played in DeJohnette's band, and the musical empathy is apparent from the beginning; if he hadn't mentioned only one prior playing experience with Grenadier, one wouldn't have known it from... read more
Les DeMerle - Gypsy Rendezvous, Vol. 1
by David Franklin, Cadence
Drummer Les DeMerle's long career has included playingwith Harry James for a dozen years, fronting his own Fusiongroup for a time, and more recently leading various straight-ahead VOL. 1 ensembles. Gypsy Pacific, comprising violin, two guitars, and bass, is a unique Jazz band based in Maui, Hawaii. DeMerle happened tohear the quartet in a club there and one thing led to another. Many of the tracks do suggest the famous duo of violinist Stephane... read more
Cathy Segal-Garcia & Phillip Strange - Live in Japan
by Tom Haugen, Take Effect
The superb voice of Cathy Segal-Garcia meets the fluid piano prowess of Phillip Strange here, where their dynamic chemistry is highlighted across two discs of tunes that were recorded in Osaka, Japan way back in December of 1992.
"I'm In The Mood For Love" starts the musical portion of the set with the pair interacting with much grace and playfulness in the cozy, classic tune that incorporates some charming scatting, and "You've Changed"... read more
Bobby Rozario - Healer
by Editor, Modern Drummer
This is guitarist Bobby Rozario's second recording for Origin Records. A guitar-led band that is a strong combination of Latin percussion and funky drumming, a singing guitarist, and a deep spiritual conviction, could draw an easy comparison to classic 60s and 70s era Santana, and that would be fair. But Rozario is more than that. His guitar playing is deeply grounded, is singing is nice, and his compositions are well conceived.
His musical... read more
David Friesen - A Light Shining Through
by Dan McClenaghan, All About Jazz
4-STARS The music of bassist David Friesen is inspired by two major sources: his ancestral Ukrainian roots and his Christian faith. While the Christian aspect of the inspiration is probably long-term, the familial roots part of the equation seems to have gained traction with Testimony (Origin Records, 2021), a piece recorded with a jazz quartet 2018 in Kiev with the National Academic Symphonic Band Of Ukraine. Expansive in thematic scope... read more
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