Browse some recent Origin Reviews.
Nick Finzer - The Chase
by Brian Zimmerman, Downbeat
EDITOR'S PICK Many jazz composers count Duke Ellington as a major influence. But for trombonist Nick Finzer, Ellington was more like an impetus. Finzer first became interested in jazz after participating in the Essentially Ellington competition as a high schooler, in which jazz ensembles perform Ellington compositions for adjudication. The competition sparked a lifelong infatuation with the art of composing, and Finzer later... read more
Hadley Caliman - Gratitude
by Jeff Krow, Audiophile Audition
Welcome back Hadley... ****1/2
Hadley Caliman's hiatus as a recording leader has been for way too long -approaching three decades. He has not been in hiding - he simply left the craziness of our few jazz Meccas and settled in Seattle, where he has kept busy playing gigs in the Emerald City jazz clubs and also serving as a senior member of the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra.
Caliman's main period of recording was in the 70s, when he... read more
Clay Giberson - Pastures
by Domi, Republic of Jazz
An innovative voice in the contemporary jazz scene of the Pacific Northwest, pianist and composer Clay Giberson is part of a new generation that is redefining jazz. Emotionally compelling, the music grooves as much as it dazzles with harmony, lyricism and rhythmic intricacy.
Giberson's performances convey a deep appreciation of structure and form but pay equal tribute to the pulse and sonic landscape that frame his musical ideas. Clay's... read more
Harvie S - Bright Dawn
by Thierry De Clemensat, Paris-Move
5 STARS
Few bassists in contemporary jazz combine diplomatic stature, compositional ambition and melodic authority as convincingly as Harvie S. A former Jazz Ambassador for the United States, a touring artist across Europe and Southeast Asia, and co-leader of the influential Double Image, which recorded for ECM Records and Enja Records, Harvie S brings decades of global experience to Bright Dawn. But this album is not a... read more
Rich Thompson - Less Is More
by Michael Nastos, Cadence
The modern mainstream, straight ahead jazz quintet is not a format completely exhausted in originality as proven by drummer Rich Thompson, his cast of famed all-stars, and local heroes. Keyboardist Gary Versace and trumpeter Terell Stafford are clearly the front-runners of this date, with Thompson and Jeff Campbell in solid support, and Doug Stone?s tenor as an occasional interesting flavor packet. An associate professor of music at the Eastman... read more
Ziggurat Quartet - Calculated Gestures
by Nenim Iwebuke, Afropop Worldwide
Nigerian-born, London-raised, Brooklyn-based saxophonist, composer and producer Zem Audu is no novice to the music industry. While working closely with notable names like Hugh Masekela, Jason Moran and Lauryn Hill over the years, the Skatalites band member has ingested a variety of genres: contemporary jazz, ska, reggae, funk, soul and r&b.
Zem's new album, Spirits (Origin Records), is a fusion of his life experiences: his roots in... read more
Meridian Odyssey - Second Wave
by Michael Rietmulder, Seattle Times
Even in a tough year, Seattle musicians continued putting out exceptional music. Here are 15 of the best albums (so far) During the pandemic, this crew of hotshot young jazz players retreated to Alaska to crush salmon and record one of the year's most well-received Seattle jazz records in an airplane hangar. From the dulcet guitar-and-sax-led opening on "NT" to the coolly skittering title track, the quintet — which includes frequent... read more
Don Lanphere - Where Do You Start?
by Scott Yanow, L.A. Jazz Scene Review, January 2003
Few veterans of the classic bebop era are still active, and even fewer are currently in their musical prime. Don Lanphere is a major exception. Rather than just recreating the past (which in the past includes leading a date that featured Fats Navarro), Lanphere always looks ahead. A distinctive tenor saxophonist, Lanphere also doubles on soprano and leads a top-notch sextet in the Pacific Northwest.
"Where Do You Start?" has a high-quality... read more
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