Browse some recent Origin Reviews.
Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra - Sacred Music of Duke Ellington
by Reuben Jackson, Ellingtonia
Like another internationally celebrated Washingtonian, vocalist Marvin Gaye, Duke Ellington's overt declarations of faith were composed, recorded and performed toward the end of his career. By 1965, when Ellington's First Sacred Concert was performed, his always stunning gift for crafting a sensual and evocative orchestral palette had grown even more sublime - not unlike Gay's equally moving vocal arsenal.
Yet critical response to Ellington's... read more
Tim Jensen - A Mind For The Scenery
by Dave Dupont, One Final Note
On A Mind for the Scenery, Tim Jensen proves himself to be a multiple musical threat. He composed eight of the nine tracks, one including lyrics, and he arranged all of them. He performs on seven different reed instruments, unveiling them all within the first six tracks. And he even does a little singing. This cat deserves a couple union cards at least! For all his undeniable talent though, his insistence on putting this breadth on display... read more
Kiki Valera - Vivencias en Clave Cubana
by Paul Rauch, All About Jazz
Son Cubano is a genre of music and dance originating from the hill country of eastern Cuba during the 19th century. Its origins are a blend of African and Spanish influences. Son vocal style and meter are of Spanish tradition, while its identifiable clave rhythm, call and response, and percussive elements are of Bantu origin.
Over the past century, the form has evolved, spreading its influence as the music was performed internationally by... read more
Chris Walden Big Band & The St. John's Choir - Kurt Marti Suite
by Jack Bowers, Cadence, Jan-Mar 2008
Thanks to his enormous success over the past dozen years as a writer/arranger for film, television, and other media, Chris Walden is in a rather enviable position - able to assemble a big band comprised of blue-chip Hollywood studio musicians and couple it with the 100-member St. John's Choir from Hamburg, Germany, to present a musical rendition of sacred poems by Kurt Marti, an acclaimed lyricist who served as a priest in Switzerland until... read more
Kobie Watkins Grouptet - Movement
by Chris Spector, Midwest Record
From Chicago and Sonny Rollins he came but now Watkins is based in North Carolina and finds himself kicking it out with a group that came together at the entrance of Yellowstone. Not wide open spaces music, this is solid, straight ahead jazz informed by chops well heated in the crucible of nightly playing with some other real hitters along the way. Almost a decade since his debut as a leader, this second set will be almost unrecognizable to... read more
Metropolitan Jazz Octet - The Bowie Project
by Darnell Jackson, 5 Finger Review
In a daring blend of jazz artistry and rock spirit, the Metropolitan Jazz Octet (MJO) and vocalist Paul Marinaro released The Bowie Project on January 16, 2023, on Origin Records. Beyond merely grafting jazz onto the bones of Bowie's oeuvre, the songs on the project span genres, eras, and reactions.
The roots of MJO date back to the golden age of the 1950s jazz scene in Chicago, adding a weighted legacy to this ambitious endeavor. David... read more
Christopher Icasiano - Provinces
by Gregg Daniel Miller, Free Jazz Blog
4 1/2 STARS I had to listen to this record for months before I could write about it. It's that different. Percussion solo records are an interesting breed, and this one doesn't remind me of anything.
Icasiano's percussiveness is all about the pacing and grouping of the beats. Clusters, clusters, driving and then receding, with crisscross patterns emerging from the maelstrom. Psychedelic. Disorienting. There is no "one," and while... read more
Piet Verbist - Suite Réunion
by Editor, France Musique - Jazz Trotter
Present on the European jazz scene for 25 years, Belgian bassist Piet Verbist is best known in recent years for his participation in Jef Neve triode. He has previously recorded and shot with his own bands such as Zygomatik or the Mamutrio collective.
Having many compositions that did not meet the needs of these groups, Piet Verbist created an acoustic quartet to explore other musical concepts, with plenty of room for improvisation. " Suite... read more
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