Browse some recent Origin Reviews.
Hal Galper - E Pluribus Unum - Live in Seattle
by Marc Van de Walle, Jazzmozaïek - Belgium
This live recording from Seattle in 2009 shows Galper at his best. With a lot of energy and a certain theatricality (in the positive sense of the word, Galper is not an exhibitionist), his four original compositions set high demands on the group, but they follow and support the pianist perfectly. Even more: they add value. Their solos fit seamlessly into the energetic, passionate style Galper owns. On the album you will find also three standards... read more
Dan McCarthy - City Abstract
by Chris Spector, Midwest Record
Call me insular, but I've never thought Carla Bley got the respect and recognition she really deserved. As long as I'm complaining, I've never thought vibe fans have gotten the love they deserve. Here's one record that rights many wrongs. Inspired by classic Bley/Gary Burton collaborations and loaded with stunning vibe playing throughout, McCarthy comes home to Canada, rounds up some jazzbos that you are sure to be hearing from and tips the cap... read more
Marcos Varela - San Ygnacio
by Britt Robson, JazzTimes
Houston keeps churning out stellar jazz artists. One of the latest, and brightest, is bassist Marcos Varela, who is talented enough to have been mentored by Ron Carter and employed by Billy Hart and Clifton Anderson during his dozen years in New York, smart enough to enlist drummer Hart, trombonist Anderson and pianist George Cables to play on San Ygnacio, and confident enough to forge his own identity on this remarkable debut.
Hart and... read more
Ben Thomas Tango Project - The Hat with the Grin and the Chuckle
by Thierry De Clemensat, Paris Move
5 STARS Ben Thomas and the Future of the Bandoneon: A Cultural Mirage in Motion.
Astor Piazzolla didn't merely master the bandoneon, he redrew its boundaries. In sound, in form, in phrasing, he etched into musical history an invisible yet indelible rulebook, shaping what the instrument was and what it could be. For decades, those contours held firm, as musicians followed the trail Piazzolla had blazed with reverence, if not... read more
New Stories - Hope is in the Air
by Jeff Krow, Audiophile Audition
New Stories, the piano trio made up of Marc Seales, bassist Doug Miller, and drummer John Bishop, have undertaken the daunting task of reviving eleven tracks from the brilliant bop composer and pianist, Elmo Hope. Hope was a much lesser known contemporary of of Bud Powell and Thelonious Monk. He only lived to be 43, but left a legacy of bop compositions. Elmo passed away in 1967, but his wife, Bertha, an excellent pianist herself, has continued... read more
Keigo Hirakawa - Pixel
by D.W. Long, Notes on the Beat
A pixel. The smallest addressable unit that can be manipulated by software. It's apt - and slightly ironic - that a Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, who is also a vastly talented pianist, would choose the word for the title of his latest quintet release. The irony is two-fold: First, for most part, this is an acoustic project. Outside of guitarist Brandon Scott Campbell, all the musicians play acoustic instruments. So... read more
Shawn Purcell - 180
by Az Samad, Az Samad Lessons
The organ trio setting (organ-guitar-drums) is a classic jazz ensemble configuration that by now has a lot of history to it. Whether it be the older recordings from Wes Montgomery or Pat Martino, to more recent ones from Peter Bernstein and Dave Stryker — so much good guitar playing has been heard over the years in this setting.
So, when you want to release an album featuring this instrumentation, it can be a challenge to live up to the... read more
Deep Blue Organ Trio - Wonderful!
by Critics' Choices, Jazziz
Jazz artists from Carmen McRae to Joe Pass to Grover Washington Jr. have interpreted Stevie Wonder's music. But now, a generation of jazz musicians who grew up drawing inspiration from Wonder during his heyday have also been acknowledging his importance. Count among their number the Chicago-based Deep Blue Organ Trio, who this year released the tribute album 'Wonderful!' Comprising guitarist Bobby Broom, Hammond B3 organist Chris Foreman and... read more
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