Browse some recent Origin Reviews.
Clarence Penn - Monk: The Lost Files
by Chris Robinson, Outside-Inside-Out
Drummer Clarence Penn's latest is a super hip and contemporary update on eleven Monk tunes. Along with saxophonist Chad Lefkowitz-Brown, pianist Vega, bassist Yasuhi Nakamura, and Gerald Clayton on Rhodes for one track, Penn reworked Monk's tunes - sometimes shifting accents to create a new rhythmic feel, or disguising the tune altogether. In doing so, he has breathed fresh life into and offered new ways to hear compositions that everybody... read more
Lower Monumental - Mayday Session
by Stephen Latessa, All About Jazz
When I was living at home, there were certain types of music that would cause my mother to knock on my bedroom door as she walked past and ask, "what are you listening to?" in a tone that seemed to wonder whether she had a reason to be worried. The Mayday Session is that type of music. It isn't particularly loud or jarring, but there are enough kinks and corners with who-knows-what on the other side of them to make the whole project vaguely... read more
John Stowell & Dan Dean - Rain Painting
by Dan McClenaghan, All About Jazz
4-STARS Guitarist John Stowell has spent two decades recording for Seattle's Origin records, collaborating with artists such as saxophonists Dave Liebman and Michael Zilber, drummer John Bishop, bassist Jeff Johnson and guitarist Ulf Bandgren. His work with the band Scenes—with Bishop and Johnson, and (twice) saxophonist Rick Mandyck—is particularly noteworthy. Bassist Dan Dean—with a sparser discography than Stowell's—has made... read more
Hal Galper Trio - Invitation to Openness
by Dan McClenaghan, All About Jazz
4-STAR Pianist Hal Galper turned away from the life of touring in 2000, and eased into "the shed," to work on some innovative ideas that would change the shape of the piano trio. Rubato is where he went—a style of playing that stretches time, making it flexible, unpredictable and free. It takes special trio mates to assist in this, and he found them in his East Coast Trio, with bassist Tony Marino and drummer Billy Mintz, eventually,... read more
Dan Dean - 251
by Ken Dryden, All Music Guide
Electric bassists aren't all that common leading jazz record dates, but Dan Dean found a very unusual approach, which is playing duets with four separate keyboardists. Kenny Werner is a first-call sideman, leader, and soloist. His meeting with Dean in a superb take of the old warhorse "'S Wonderful" is full of twists, turns, and outright surprises, and while their interpretation of "Body and Soul" is considerably more subdued, it nonetheless... read more
Hal Galper - O's Time
by Jerome Wilson, Cadence
Veteran pianist Hal Galper has a more measured, intricate approach on "O's Time." On John Coltrane's "Like Sonny" he takes his time working up classical-sounding turbulence with different tempos in each hand while his rhythm mates, Jeff Johnson and John Bishop swirl alongside him. The trio moves through Wayne Shotere's "Wildflower" and Charlie Chaplin's "Smile" in surging, delirious clouds while the ballad "Moonglazed" is played... read more
Christopher Icasiano - Provinces
by Paul Simpson, The Answer Is In the Beat
The first solo album from Christopher Icasiano (of Seattle-based jazz group Bad Luck) contains two continuous suites ("Provinces" and "Taho") related to the complexity of cultural identity as a second generation Filipino-American. The album consists entirely of complex, sometimes frenzied drumming mixed with ambient synths as well as some field recordings from the Philippines. On the first track, which goes for ten minutes, he keeps up a rapid... read more
Shawn Purcell - Oblivity
by Nolan DeBuke, The Jazz Word
Oblivity is Shawn Purcell leading an ensemble as a guitarist of fluidity and grace. He reveals he is a composer of rare elegance throughout the ten compositions. His writing balances structure, pacing, and detail with a clarity that invites deep listening. The ensemble delivers each piece with palpable chemistry, and the album speaks to the art of modern jazz, commanding and deeply musical.
The ensemble around him brings equal parts to the... read more
Looking for a specific review?
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.
Search Reviews:
Recently Added Reviews:
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