Browse some recent Origin Reviews.
Dave Slonaker Big Band - Convergency
by Chris Spector, Midwest Record
When a commercial musician gets the chance to show us where his heart is, something special can really come out of it. A well decorated Hollywood studio rat finally comes out with his second album a decade later and this should be a fellow Grammy nominee as well. With players he's known for up to 40 years staffing this big band, his charts are immaculate, the playing impressive and the swing is undoubtable. Class, classy and classic, this big... read more
Josh Nelson - The Sky Remains
by Bruce Crowther, Jazz Mostly
On this musical portrait of Los Angeles, pianist Josh Nelson takes inspiration from places and people and events that have added to the city's rich history. Instrumentalists joining Josh on this album are trumpeter Chris Lawrence, alto saxophonist Josh Johnson, clarinetist Brian Walsh, organist Larry Goldings, guitarist Anthony Wilson, bassist Alex Boneham, drummer Dan Schnelle, and percussionist Aaron Serfaty. Also heard are vocalists Kathleen... read more
Dan Cray - Meridies
by Bill Milkowski, JazzTimes
A Chicago native and newcomer to New York City, pianist Dan Cray joins with bassist Clark Sommers, drummer Mark Ferber and tenor saxophonist Noah Preminger on his sixth CD as a leader. Originals like the Latin-tinged "Worst Enemy," the breezy waltz-time "East 69" and the gently swinging "Winter Rose (1728)" show the scope of Cray's writing and improvisatinal skills. Preminger's breathy tenor tones are prominently featured an the smoky ballad... read more
Michael Waldrop - Native Son
by Ferdinand Dupuis-Panther, Jazz'halo (Belgium)
About the album from the label's point of view: "Well known throughout Europe for decades, the virtuoso Serbian pianist Vasil Hadžimanov only became known to drummer Michael Waldrop while performing in a Belgrade club that Waldrop dropped into during one of his yearly visits with in-laws. Later, stuck in his Pacific Northwest home during the pandemic, Waldrop thought to include Vasil in a remote recording session of his tune "Belgrade," which... read more
Jordan VanHemert - Survival of the Fittest
by C. Michael Bailey, Wild Mercury Rhythm
We needn't consider jazz as only a product of the Ease and West Coasts. The American interior also provides its share of splendid jazz music and musicians. An example is tenor saxophonist Jordan VanHemert. Born in Cheongju, South Korea and raised in Holland, Michigan, VanHemert took up alto saxophone at 11, eventually gravitating to the tenor saxophone in high school. Following a degree in music from Central Michigan University and graduate... read more
Brent Jensen with The Acoustic Jazz Quartet - The Sound of A Dry Martini
by Michael Bettine, JazzReview.com
Review: The title of this CD paraphrases what the late saxophonist Paul Desmond said he wanted to sound like. Idaho based Brent Jensen creates not so much a tribute album (which seem to be in vogue these days) as he does an album that captures the same essence that Desmond had.
Neither a hip bopper, nor a cool West Coaster, Desmond often seems to fall between the cracks of American jazz history. Best known for his long association with... read more
Rodney Whitaker - Mosaic: The Music of Gregg Hill
by Thierry De Clemensat, Paris Move
"Indispensable" Gregg Hill continues to inspire thousands of musicians, and this time, the illustrious Rodney Whitaker takes up the mantle, offering us an album of remarkable enthusiasm. Deeply connected to Origin Records—a label that has become something of a home for him—Whitaker's impressive array of musical endeavors is too vast to fully explore here. For those yet unfamiliar with his work, it is worth noting that he was a... read more
Greta Matassa | Clipper Anderson - And to All a Good Night
by Lee Mergner, JazzTimes
In this beautifully recorded and produced album from the underrated Origin label, holiday music is given a set of exquisite and precise arrangements. The Seattle-based Matassa is the chief lead singer, although co-leader and bassist Anderson takes a turn in the spotlight on a few songs. The music could perhaps be described as West Coast cool jazz, but they mix up the rhythms pretty well. Matassa's voice has a purity something like June Christy... read more
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