Browse some recent Origin Reviews.
Hadley Caliman - Gratitude
by Doug Ramsey, Rifftides
I wrote in Jazz Matters about Caliman in a 1979 performance with Freddie Hubbard's band:
As the evening progressed, Caliman's playing took on much of the intensity and coloration of John Coltrane's work, but he is a more directly rhythmic player than Coltrane was toward the end of his life and from that standpoint is reminiscent of Dexter Gordon. Whatever his influences, Caliman is an inventive and cheerful soloist.
Caliman recently... read more
Kim Richmond Ensemble - Live At Cafe Metropol
by Jim Santella, Cadence April-June 2008
The Kim Richmond Ensemble takes chances when performing in a concert hall or club, as much as in the studio. The music is exciting
either way. Recorded in concert with a small audience watching, these sessions provide deep insight into the small band through which
saxophonist Richmond has his say. John Daversa and Joey Sellers give the leader a combination of technical mastery and Avant-Garde expression that merges seamlessly with his... read more
David Friesen Circle 3 Trio - Triple Exposure
by Hobart Taylor, KUCI - Irvine, CA
Bassist composer Friesen, Greg Gobel, pianist, and drummer, Charlie Doggett, play the most elegant of chamber jazz. The jazz trio, like the string quartet in classical music, is an ideal form for balance between solo and ensemble play. Friesen, long a recognized virtuoso, gently leads the tunes but does not overwhelm them. Check out "Rainbow Song" for a very special tour de force.... read more
Anthony Branker and Ascent - Together
by Kirk Silsbee, Downbeat Magazine
Composer Anthony Branker has six of his songs played by a capable ensemble, but he curiously takes credit as "musical director" as well. Presumably that means he handled the arrangements, but what else? Listening alone doesn't make it clear.
What is clear is that this is a good, if not groundbreaking, small band jazz album. The tunes bring to mind a milder version of what Art Blakey or Horace Silver's bands might be playing if those two... read more
Anthony Branker & Ascent - Blessings
by John Barron, All About Jazz
Composer/arranger Anthony Branker and his ensemble Ascent follow up on the critically acclaimed release Spirit Songs (Sons of Sound, 2006) with Blessings, a spirited collection of progressive jazz. The music was composed during a residency Branker participated in at the Estonian Academy of Music where he represented the United States as a Fulbright Scholar. The recording features a first-rate cast of east coast heavy-hitters.
The disc's... read more
John Stowell | Michael Zilber - Live Beauty
by Martin Z. Kasdan Jr., Louisville Music News
Guitarist John Stowell was a regular visitor to Louisville during the Bellarmine Jazz Guitar Festivals (RIP). Best known for his quietly elegant work, he is, in his own words, "playing with more energy" here with his friend, saxophonist Michael Zilber. They're joined by bassist John Shifflett and drummer Jason Lewis for just over an hour's worth of music, five originals from band members, plus "My Funny Valentine" and John Scofield's... read more
Michael Dease - Found in Space: The Music of Gregg Hill
by Thierry De Clemensat, Paris Move
Clearly in 2024, Michael Dease is on all fronts. No sooner had his masterful *Grove's Groove* been released—where he swapped the trombone for the baritone saxophone—than by September, you'll find him back on the trombone for the incredible and excellent *Found In Space: The Music Of Gregg Hill*, once again condemning us to the excellence of his artistic vision. A master of arrangements, he honors this great composer, and interestingly, he's... read more
Storms/Nocturnes - VIA
by Jerome Wilson, Cadence
Via features a more experienced British musician, saxophonist Tim Garland, working together as a trio with American pianist Keezer and vibes layer Locke, as they did a decade earlier. I've seen this group compared to the team of Gary Burton and Chick Corea, but of course there was no saxophone in that group. Garland adds an extra drive to the formal prettiness that Keezer and Locke set up whether he is dancing ceside them on soprano sax or... read more
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