Browse some recent Origin Reviews.
Sam Yahel - Truth And Beauty
by Francis Davis, The Village Voice
As organ combos go, Sam Yahel's Truth and Beauty is unusual, first of all for including an Ornette Coleman tune: "Check Up," a rubato ballad wherein Brian Blade's drums carry the melody. The other departure from convention is no tenor honking?together with the minor-key mysterioso of Yahel's compositions and his light foot on the bass pedal, the swiftness and high-pitched yearning of Joshua Redman's solos and duos with the Hammond B-3 lift the... read more
New Stories - Hope is in the Air
by Tom Ineck, Berman Music Review
Another drug casualty of the post-bop era, pianist Elmo Hope died in 1967 at age 43, seemingly putting an end to his potential influence on other musicians. But he left behind a wealth of little-known compositions that trumpeter-producer Don Sickler has now turned to good purpose on this collaborative project.
With the help of Hope's widow, pianist Bertha Hope, Sickler compiled a collection of Hope's music, wrote lead sheets and turned it... read more
Doug Lofstrom - Concertino: The Music Of Doug Lofstrom
by Laurence Vittes, Gramaphone
Chicago composer Doug Lofstrom has coupled first recordings of two modestly appealing orchestral concertinos for oboe and harp with an archival reprise of his Plumed Serpent studio fantasy from 30 years ago. There isn't much in either Concertino that hasn't been heard before - Richard Strauss and Hollywood musicals come to mind, though more svelte, brought up to date and internationalized - but they are both beautifully written for the... read more
John Gross / Billy Mintz - Beautiful You
by Tim Duroche, Willamette Week
Recorded live at the Tugboat Brewing Co., Beautiful You is a stunning document. Tenor saxophonist John Gross and New York-based drummer Billy Mintz-both veterans of the L.A. studios and big bands-are singular forces on their respective instruments. Truly a musician's musician, Gross is a coolly compelling player with an elevated sense of beauty and tension. From his opening notes on "Shmear"-reminiscent of Sonny Rollins' thematic stabs on "East... read more
John Bishop with Jeff Johnson, Rick Mandyck, John Stowell - Scenes
by Doug Ramsey, Rifftides
I've been meaning for some time to call your attention to this stimulating cooperative venture recorded in 2001. Hearing bassist Johnson and guitarist Stowell in separate appearances at the recent Portland Jazz Festival nudged me. They meld beautifully with saxophonist Ricky Mandyck and drummer John Bishop in a balanced program that draws on music by Jerome Kern, Wayne Shorter, John Scofield and Tom Harrell, among others. Stowell's solo on McCoy... read more
Clarence Penn - Behind the Voice
by George W Harris, Jazz Weekly
Clarence Penn, best known for his drum work, adds keyboards, percussion and vocorder to his repertoire on this clever album where he features various vocalists to his rotating musical team that includes Adam Rogers-Gilad Hekselman/g, Shedrick Mitchell/key, and James Genus-Yasushi Nakamura/b amng others. Most intriguing Is the wide-ranging use of singers, with Kurt Elling in earnest form with Hekselman on "Come Talk To Me" while Emily Braden adds... read more
Jeff Johnson - Tall Stranger
by Susan Frances, JazzTimes
Tall Stranger is the fourth release from bassist Jeff Johnson as a bandleader and improvisational artist. Recorded on May 31, 2002 at the Cat House in Seattle, Washington, Johnson along with saxophonist Hans Teuber and drummer Billy Mintz create a free flowing exchange of musical ideas that traverse a wide array of eclectic-clad composites. The trio displays a boundless imagination which transforms their instrumentals into various shapes and... read more
John Stowell and Ulf Bandgren - Throop
by Ian MacGregor, Jazz Guitar Society of Western Australia
Our member John Stowell has recorded with many different guitarists and on this latest CD he teams up with Swedish guitarist Ulf Bendgren. Ulf currently teaches guitar/ensemble at the Academy of Music and Drama, University of Gothenburg. Both players on this album are playing Mike Doolin guitars, John a nylon string and Ulf a steel string. They have an amazingly warm sound. The opening track is a bright number called ?Five Roses? and after... read more
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