Origin Records Reviews

Scenes - ...But Not Heard
by C. Michael Bailey, All About Jazz

Of their second recording, Along The Way (Origin, 2006), guitarist and All About Jazz contributor John Kelman said, "There's an airy, ECM-like feel to much of the album... more in its aesthetic than any direct stylistic reference." That immediately frames the music of guitarist John Stowell, bassist Jeff Johnson and drummer John Bishop, giving it a definition and location. The "ECM sound" at once defies accurate definition while... read more

Hood Smoke - Laid Up In Ordinary
by Tim Seisser, Bass Musician Magazine

Born in Milwaukee, Bryan started playing bass at the age of twelve. Now in his tenth year based in Chicago, Bryan can be heard playing everything from modern jazz to authentic Latin to funk-dripped soul. Bryan?s versatile bass skills and compositions have brought him national recognition and solidified his reputation as one of music?s brightest stars.

Tim: So tell the readers a bit about your background in music and how you came to play... read more

David Friesen - Structures
by George W. Harris, Jazz Weekly

David Friesen uses his unique Hemage Bass to create a two cd set of intimate duets, one with saxist Joe Manis and the other with cool toned guitarist Larry Koonse. The result on the former is a tender and reflective mix of pieces such as the nimble grooved "Martin's Balconey" with delightful soprano and a warm vibrato'd "Brilliant Heart" featuring a warm tenor. Friesen throws in a little piano on the post bopping "New Hope" and pastoral "Going... read more

Mimi Fox Organ Trio - One for Wes
by Tom Haugen, Take Effect

The esteemed guitarist Mimi Fox pays tribute to the late, great Wes Montgomery on the 100th anniversary of his birth, where Brian Ho brings his Hammond B3 Organ and Lorca Hart sits behind the drum kit for the 8 diverse tracks.

"Mr. White's Blues" opens the listen with the frisky drums, spirited guitar and playful keys in the indeed blues-friendly sounds, and "Moanin'" follows with intimate guitar playing in a soulful, reflective... read more

Dominic J. Marshall - Spirit Speech
by Ian Mann, The Jazz Mann

"As bold and adventurous as its predecessor while simultaneously broadening the trio's emotional and dynamic range."

Dominic J Marshall is a young pianist and composer, British born but now based in Amsterdam. He studied classical music for ten years under the tutelage of his father before completing the Jazz Course at Leeds of College of Music. In 2010 he moved to Holland to study for his masters at the Conservatorium Van... read more

Rodney Whitaker - Mosaic: The Music of Gregg Hill
by Paul Rauch, All About Jazz

4-STARS In their fourth collaboration on Origin Records, bassist and bandleader Rodney Whitaker and Central Michigan composer Gregg Hill strike gold once again, backed by a formidable gathering of musicians. Hill's music has experienced a surge in interest due to his prolific releases on Origin, which have featured musicians in and around the impressive jazz faculty roster at Michigan State University, a program with Whitaker at the... read more

Jim Knapp Orchestra - Secular Breathing
by Ben Ohmart, Muses Muse

This reviewer has had a favorite jazz label for a while now. I don't care what re-releases MCA and the big boys may come out with. Give me Origin Records and their constantly updated catalog every time. New material. Hot, or smooth, or big sound. Doesn't matter. Whoever makes the decisions about what gets sent to stores is a jazz lover. You can tell. Also by the length of these cds. 30 minutes to Origin means one track. Try 70+ minute cds, like... read more

Bruce Barth Trio - Dedication
by Josh Jackson, WRTI/WBGO Fall Jazz Preview 2022

Bruce Barth, who teaches at Temple University, is himself an earnest and dedicated student of the music. The pianist's understated manner has kept him a secret in plain view for decades. Look no further than Dedication, a collection of original material shaped for his trio with bassist Vicente Archer and drummer Montez Coleman, whose recent, untimely death partly inspires the album's title. There are also bright tributes to McCoy Tyner and Tommy... read more

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