Rare is the artist these days that plays only the flugelhorn, but for this album Dmitri Matheny makes it work and work elegantly with his team of Charles McNeal/ts-ss, Bill Anschell/p, Phil Sparks/b and Mark Ivester/dr on this collection of originals and covers. Of the former, Anschell is rich and easy with Matheny and McNeal's tenor on the pulsating read of the rarely interpreted "On A Misty Night" while Jimmy Webb's "Witchita Lineman"... read more
Bob Lefsetz keeps saying things are messy these days because music doesn't drive the culture anymore. Part of the problem is that no one is driving the music. SoCal jazz vocalist Sega Garcia reaches back to the 60s to refashion some anthems the kids aren't punching up on You Tube anyway for a new airing with a new audience. Rounding up some real A teamers for her label debut, her renditions take you someplace different that's a place you need to... read more
5-STARS To write about Anthony Branker is to risk superlatives. And yet restraint feels almost dishonest. He stands, more than likely, among the most important and influential American composers working today, not simply because of the sophistication of his craft, but because of the intellectual and moral architecture that sustains it. Once again, Branker delivers a work that is forceful, searching, at moments even unsettled, a score... read more
Today I introduce a record of a Canadian jazz musician, quartet of the trumpeter, flugelhorn and cornetist Paul Tynan. Yes, the word art (ART) is already in the title, and I can only underline it, because this music is great art! It should also be understood that one should consider this publication as a Gesamtkunstwerk. In addition to the four musicians, six different artists are presented in the booklet, in particular Jennifer Sandquist,... read more
From classically trained but forward-thinking bassist Jonas Tauber comes this album of free jazz recorded live at the Jazz de Opus club in Portland. Accompanying him are drummer William Thomas and pianist Doug Haning. Here, the trio performs a good deal of spontaneous improvisation, delving deeply into the free jazz ideals on the fly. The only thing tying the trio down is a mysterious clinging to a centering around prime numbers as the basis for... read more
The trio Scenes consists of John Stowell/g, Jeff Johnson/b and John Bishop/dr, who are joined by the sax and flute of Hans Teuber for a collection of subtly swinging originals. Tunes such as "C Minor Waltz" and the bluesy "Nanti Glow" have Teuber's tenor softly blowing on the gently flowing melodies, while the more kinetic fast spotlights deft interplay between Stowell and Johnson. Bishop's rumbling drums serve as a rich underflow for... read more
Portland, Oregon's Upper Left Trio has been together nearly a decade. The group began its recording journey on Origin Records in 2003 with Cycling. Ulternative is the trio's fourth recording for the label, and continues to push its music forward.
The piano trio has, since pianist Bill Evans' late 1950s/early 1960s recordings with bassist Scott LaFaro and drummer Paul Motian, ridden the three-way interaction approach rather than the earlier... read more
This project came about when arranger Doug Beavers Rovira was hired to write a series of big band charts of children's songs, recording performances that would be of interest to toddlers and kids. Matt Catingub and Linda Harmon take the enthusiastic vocals on the familiar tunes. The performances are concise (taking into account very short attention spans) and the big band is mostly used as a colorful foil with the vocals. One cannot imagine... read more
This is just a small collection of the Origin Records reviews. Click here to view all reviews or try to Search for your favorite CD title.
Abate Berihun & The Addis Ken Project - Addis Ken
by Hanna Kay, Cult News (Paris)
Abate Berihun & The Addis Ken Project - Addis Ken
by Budapest, Rudolf Radnai
Abate Berihun & The Addis Ken Project - Addis Ken
by Editor, Bman's Blues Report
Jared Hall - Hometown
by Editor, Bman's Blues Report
Dawn Clement - Dear Ms. Dearie
by Editor, Bman's Blues Report
Jared Hall - Hometown
by Dee Dee McNeil, Making A Scene
Affinity Trio - New Outlook
by Tom Haugen, Take Effect
Michael Dease Big Band - Return Trajectory
by Thierry De Clemensat, Paris Move
Brad Goode Quintet Feat. Ernie Watts - Live Your Dream: Live at North Street Cabaret
by Thierry De Clemensat, Paris Move
Maja Jaku - Blessed & Bewitched
by Tom Haugen, Take Effect