Dave Liebman has an intense musical curiosity, prompting him to plan for many future projects simultaneously in the midst of teaching, touring and composing, the only restraint being able to find the funding and time. Liebman has never been an easy artist to categorize stylistically because of his wide range of interests and willingness to collaborate with others in a diverse array of settings.
Liebman breaks new ground here by choosing... read more
Big-band jazz arrangers are looking to cover new ground while occasionally saluting earlier icons. Drummer Tim Davies contributed the arrangements and seven originals for his debut Origin CD. Davies' writing for the brass and reeds in his setting of Gabriel Faur�'s "Elegy" is first-rate, also showcasing Andrew Shulman's cello, and bass clarinetist Jennifer Hall. His take on the Duke Ellington staple "Caravan" (re-christened as "Caravan... read more
Percussionist Michael Waldrop plays both drums and mallet instruments (vibes and marimba). He has a PhD and currently is a professor of percussion at Eastern Washington University, where he teaches both jazz and classical courses.
He also directs a big band, and this is that ensemble's inaugural album.
Once upon a time - back in unenlightened times - drummers often were looked down upon. (Question: "How big is your band?" Answer: "Sixteen... read more
The title of this debut recording from Seattle-based guitarist Martin Budde suggests the music has been percolating in the backwaters of his musical endeavors over the past few years. Indeed, that is the case, as the past five years have found Budde smack dab in the middle of the musical collective, Meridian Odyssey. The music was inspired by, and recorded during, the pandemic shutdown of 2020. This was a time when this collective of young... read more
One of the more prolific exponents of the Northwest jazz sound, pianist Bill Anschell has figured in any number of excellent recordings, both as a bandleader and as an accompanist. In Figments, he takes a turn at solo piano, running through songs from pop, jazz, and the American songbook and reworking them into wandering (he describes it as stream of consciousness) arrangements that sometimes provide jazz underpinnings for classic pop, and... read more
Like many musicians, Black Hills native Tad Britton displayed his talents early in life. In fact, one title for his autobiography could be, "From Spoons to Snare Drums: The Journey of Jazz Drummer Tad Britton."
As a toddler growing up in Sturgis, Britton's "daycare center" was his grandmother's house, where she would set pots and pans and a couple wooden spoons on the floor for the young boy to blissfully bang upon for hours on end.
"It was... read more
I remember JOHN STOWELL [g] from the mid '70s when he made a series of rather ethereal recordings. Over the years he seems to have tempered that sound. His latest pairs him up once more with his long time associate, MICHAEL ZILBER [sax/p]. BASEMENT BLUES [Origin 82717] is with the quartet [John Shifflettb, Jason Lewis drm] recorded 3/12 and 3/15. The program here is made up of 8 originals plus one Jerome Kern [Nobody Else But Me] and one... read more
Clay Giberson's second album Upper Road takes listeners to a quiet place away from jazz's beaten path and seduces their senses admirably. The distinct sax and keyboard sounds tickle the upper octaves without being vivacious and without contradicting the soft mood of the supporting instruments. Portland native Giberson plays the piano and synth with the same creativity as Pat Metheny, who is regarded as a forefather of experimental electric jazz.... 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