A surprising debut! Ruble sounds like a well-seasoned performer with a voice that is uncannily happy and mournful at the same time. She covers standard Cole Porter, Hoagy Carmichael, and Rodgers/Hammerstein material as well as James Taylor. A versatile performer with a great band behind her. Hope for more in the future. Highly recommended.... read more
"The job of a musician is to illustrate the human condition." On his latest album, ace trumpeter Thomas Marriott lays out his musical ethos. Marriott conceived the nine original tunes on Urban Folklore as musical story-telling, evocations of shared human experience.
While knowing the underpinnings behind Marriott's musical concepts may deepen the experience, it's not required to revel in the music itself - vigorous post-bop,... read more
A quartet of alto saxophone, guitar, bass and drum. Simple yet more complex for this band plays big. Chris Fagan 's saxophone sings like a Paul Desmond in Toronto, a clear fall evening on lake Ontario. Then there's Dave White's acoustic guitar riffs like Charlie Christian in odd characters as the rhythmic double times a pace or two in contrapuntal harmony with a groove Messianic! There's proportional jamming as in the "The Lake," an R&B... read more
Guitarist Bobby Broom once again proves himself the stellar musician on his latest creation. My Shining Hour features Broom and his trio of drummer Dennis Carroll and drummer Makaya McCraven in a session captured through a single stereo microphone, and spot mics, with all three players in the same room, interacting eye to eye. You can hear it too, and it works. What Broom also does on this effort is to select timeless tunes and perform... read more
Keith Jarrett has tuned my ears to the ephemeral joys solo piano explorations. Bill Evans tuned them as well. With such high standards it is hard to hear those who don't quite get "there" (aka George Winston). Giberson gets there. He intermingles traditions, emotions, and even time signatures gracefully and seamlessly.... read more
Seattle-based Origin Records is one of the most prolific jazz-centric recording labels in the world today and they keep the hits coming with the 2023 CD release of Spellbound, the second album to date by NYC-based guitarist Bobby Rozario. Drawing on the melting pot of incandescent sounds that is New York City, the 11-track album makes for an enthusiastic fusion romp that often sounds very influenced by guitar giants like Al DiMeola and... read more
In spite of an extensive discography, veteran pianist Jessica Williams seems to elude the world-wide attention that she deserves. This live solo recording at the Triple Door in Seattle in the spring of 2009 is one of her most impressive outings, beginning with her humorous, wide-ranging, improvised "Triple Door Blues," in which develops an infectious theme with many variations, while also working in hand-muting and strumming of the piano... read more
Keigo Hirakawa is an Ohio-based pianist, composer, and doctor of engineering. This album is science and jazz, I was told by an acquaintance who has connections in the United States.
Instead of traveling from Japan to the US for recording and playing with local players, this album was made possible by his career as a jazz pianist in the US for more than 20 years. Although he lives in Ohio, the new album is centered around players from... read more
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.
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