Browse some recent Origin Reviews.
Chad McCullough & Bram Weijters - Imaginary Sketches
by Annemarie Janus, Jazzenzo
Pianist Bram Weijters belongs to the new generation of promising jazz talents from Belgium. You could compare his playing to that of Brad Mehldau. The Co-leader of this project, the talented trumpeter Chad McCullough is from Seattle, where he along with drummer John Bishop, is the driving force behind Origin Records. This is an American label for contemporary jazz with more than three hundred titles and in 2009 was awarded "Label of the Year" by... read more
Ray Vega & Thomas Marriott - East-West Trumpet Summit
by Mark Holston, Jazziz
Trumpet players have a well-deserved reputation for machismo. Put two jazz trumpeters in the same studio at the same time and the testosterone count is sure to jump. In the case of veteran Ray Vega and relative newcomer Thomas Marriott, however, the emphasis of this warm-blooded session is on mutual respect, not one-upmanship, as they partner in a "summit" format that has been employed over the decades by some of jazzdom's greatest horn... read more
Xavier Lecouturier - Carrier
by Paul Rauch, Earshot Jazz
21-year-old drummer/composer Xavier Lecouturier has been making a definite impression on the jazz scene in Seattle. As a student at Cornish College of the Arts, he made his way to jam sessions, and acquainted himself with the best players in town, eventually landing in the quintet of trumpeter Thomas Marriott. His debut album as band-leader, Carrier is a collection of compositions forged during this period of rapid self-discovery.
Lecouturier... read more
Randy Halberstadt - Open Heart
by Dave Rogers, WTJU
Pianist/composer/teacher Randy Halberstadt offers his sixth release as a leader. He composed six of the nine songs on offer and each cover was written by Frederic Chopin, George Gershwin or Henry Mancini. The backing musicians include Chuck Deardorf (bass), Adam Kessler (drums), Ben Thomas (vibes), Jay Thomas (trumpet, flugelhorn, soprano sax), Mark Taylor (alto sax) and David Marriott, Jr (trombone). The music flows and is beautifully rhythmic.... read more
Trio East - Best Bets
by Jeff Krow, Audiophile Audition
The Trio East's new album, Best Bets, is a decidedly relaxed affair, and that is in no way a bad thing. Clay Jenkins is a smart, economical trumpet player with an exceptional, dynamic rhythm section behind him. Jeff Campbell on bass plays smoothly and dramatically, and works very well in conjunction with Rich Thompson on drums. Thompson is an amazing drummer, with a strong sense of tempo, and his excellent playing adds tension and drama to the... read more
Cuong Vu - Leaps of Faith
by Peter Margasak, Downbeat Magazine
★★★★
Trumpeter Cuong Vu moved back to his native Seattle in 2006 to teach, but five years later he's still working with the members of his long-running New York trio, drummer Ted Poor and electric bassist Stomu Takeishi. But on Leaps Of Faith, a gorgeous live recording made in Seattle in April 2010, he brings in second electric bassist Luke Bergman?a former University of Washington student of his who's now a regular... read more
Nnenna Freelon - Time Traveler
by Matt Silver, WRTI (Philadelphia)
Jazz Album of the Week: Vocalist Nnenna Freelon Remembers Late Husband Through Music They Shared
In 2019, Grammy-nominated vocalist Nnenna Freelon lost her husband Phil, the man she called her soul mate, after a years-long battle with ALS. They'd been married for 40 years. Phil was a renowned architect and had been one of the lead executives at the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture. They shared a... read more
Bad Luck - Four
by Paul Simpson, The Answer is in the Beat
Bad Luck are a Seattle-based duo consisting of drummer Christopher Icasiano and saxophonist Neil Welch, who also handles electronics. Together, they have an interstellar sort of chemistry comparable to Chicago Underground Duo, along with some of the prismatic firebreathing of Colin Stetson. This is easily much darker, stranger, heavier, and spacier than what you might normally expect from a release on Origin Records. The saxophones multiply,... read more
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