The New Stories trio - pianist Marc Seales, bassist Doug Miller, and drummer John Bishop - flies both alone and special-guest-augmented on this bracingly fine tribute to pianist Elmo Hope. One of the most tragically fascinating figures of the Bop family, Hope's highly percussive, nervous keyboard style is less imitated than intimated here by Seales, who shows an obvious kinship with the 14 compelling Hope compositions performed. His exciting... read more
It has been a banner time for high-profile jazz-poetry collaborations. Last year saw the release of Matt Wilson's long-planned tribute to Carl Sandburg, Nicole Mitchell's teaming with Haki Madhubuti and Jane Ira Bloom's musical refractions of Emily Dickinson's terse verse, among other projects. But now there is The Poetry of Jazz, providing us with the revelatory phenomenon of the wordsmith being the heppest musical cat on the scene.
Philip... read more
Karrin Allyson returns to navigate the musical landscapes of multiple languages and styles with her latest album, A Kiss for Brazil, released on May 17, 2024, under Origin Records. Allyson's graceful voice can simultaneously convey the intimacy of a small club performance and the grandeur of a concert hall. A five-time Grammy Award nominee, Allyson's album is built upon her enduring love affair with Brazilian music—a relationship she has... read more
A Kiss for Brazil is not Karrin Allyson's first incursion into Brazilian music. I would not need to list her previous albums here to convince you she truly has an affinity for the Brazilian songbook.
Karrin Allyson (1962, Great Bend, Kansas) does not shy away from singing in Portuguese or choosing a less obvious repertoire from the Brazilian songbook. Her 1999 From Paris to Rio album first caught my attention. The CD had several Bossa Nova... read more
This has been a wonderful year of recordings from eclectic jazz keyboard players. Just a few months ago, celebrated organist Dan Trudell released his terrific piano trio album. Now we find that the exquisite jazz pianist Ben Paterson has released For Once In My Life, his first Hammond B3 organ album. Although Paterson has played jazz organ for some time, he has established himself as a pianist of uncommon virtuosity - with an equally deft touch... read more
Los Angeles-based guitarist Tom Rizzo originally released Imaginary Numbers as a self-produced offering from his website, with the title Imaginary Numbers?Guitar Plus Eight. The disc has, fortunately, been picked up by Origin Arts, joining several other notable guitarists at the label including Corey Christiansen, Larry Koonse, Mimi Fox and John Stowell. Origin Art continues to accumulate first rate guitar talent in their virtual West coast... read more
Hot new trombonists don't hit town nearly as often as bad-asses on trumpet or saxophone. That's why Nanami Haruta is news. The Vibe, her debut as a leader, reveals that she has it all: crisp articulation, pure intonation, fresh ideas and quick-on-quick reflexes. She also sounds enthusiastic and supremely confident (her level of chops instills poise). These days serious jazz talent can come from anywhere on the planet. Haruta is from Sapporo,... read more
Trumpeter Thomas Marriott keeps growing as an artist. He has released CDs at a healthy pace since 2005: an introduction for many perhaps unwary jazz fans to some warped country western flavor on Crazy: The Music of Willie Nelson (Origin Records, 2008); cranking an all-star quintet up in a modern mainstream mode on Flexicon (Origin Records, 2009); and letting it rip on a two-trumpet blow fest with fellow brass man Ray Vega on East-West Trumpet... 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