Browse some recent Origin Reviews.
Michael Zilber - East West: Music for Big Bands
by Chris Spector, Midwest Record
After earning high praise from Dave Liebman, Zilber redefines what ambition and drive mean by coming forth with a twofer that features a bicoastal recording in which the sax man pulls out all the stops in arranging for big band. Highlighting what makes each coast special rather than pitting them against each other, this is a modern monster of a set where the blowing is unbridled and uncontained fiercely sending a joyful noise up through he... read more
David Friesen Circle 3 Trio - Where the Light Falls
by Chris Spector, Midwest Record
For my money, Friesen doesn't record enough solo/leader dates so this twofer shows that there isn't too much of a good thing where Friesen recordings are concerned. Culled form several live dates, Friesen's touring trio delivers the goods throughout with some great sitting down jazz listening that never eases up on the pedal. It doesn't have to be groundbreaking when it simply sounds this good. Discerning listeners will easily recognize this... read more
Piet Verbist - Secret Exit to Another Dimension
by Dan McClenaghan, All About Jazz
4-STARS Belgian bassist Piet Verbist has featured saxophonists on each of his previous Origin Records albums—bass, drums and a horn or two seems to be his way of working. With Secret Exit To Another Dimension, his fifth Origin outing, he pares things down to the trio format, creating a distinctive guitar/bass/drums sound that has a strikingly modern feel.
It has become cliche to say—especially when speaking of trio of bass and... read more
Nick Finzer - The Chase
by Rotcod Zzaj, Improvijazzation
For some reason, I'd never associated trombone jazz with album titles like "The Chase"... but Nick & his (many) musical cohorts surely pull it off on great tunes like the stunning opener, "Life Happens"... in fact, this tune has some of the highest energy licks I've heard (yet) in 2016. The title track, "The Chase", uses plenty of cut & run changes to enhance the sense of movement & (possibly) danger! When it comes to compositions like this,... read more
Hal Galper - Trip the Light Fantastic
by Johan Powell, 17 Dots, emusic blog
Jazz piano vet and highly regarded educator, Hal Galper offers another solid recording to his lengthy discography. Galper has a very identifiable sound, not sure I can adequately compare him to anyone. The way in which he strings notes together, it always leaves me with the impression of falling down a flight of stairs without ever leaving my feet? a controlled cohesive randomness that's just a wee bit dangerous and could prove fatal. With Jeff... read more
Chad McCullough Bram Weijters - Urban Nightingale
by Music Editor, De Standaard - Belgium
With Urban Nightingale, the very industrious young Belgian pianist Bram Weijters, makes his second album with the American trumpeter and flugelhorn player Chad McCullough. Weijters wrote seven of the nine songs and created a harmonically balanced set of music. 'Nightingale' is a compelling and intelligent opening piece in which McCullough's muffled bugle sets the tone with long lines and a colored, pure, melancholy tone. 'Tired and Dizzy'... read more
Thomas Marriott - Romance Language
by Nigel Jarrett, Jazz Journal (London)
Jazz might be called the art of theme and variations, the art applying as much to the theme as the way a musician plays around with it. Everyone knows the themes, the tunes, whether written by a jazz composer/musician or someone working in a showbiz area considered not unadjacent. But rarely does anyone devote as much attention to the tune as unadorned entity as trumpeter Thomas Marriott does on this generally slow-tempo album.
If there is... read more
Bill Anschell - Figments
by Dan McClenaghan, All About Jazz
Pianist Bill Anschell normally involves himself in projects that shine with a high polish, recordings like the Wellstone Conspiracy's collaborative Motives (Origin, 2010) and his own More to the Ear than Meets the Eye (Origin, 2006), or in the sideman slot on the marvelous Reunion, led by saxophonists Pete Christlieb and Hadley Caliman. In addition, Anschell served as Nnenna Freelon's pianist/arranger/musical director for a number of years,... read more
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