Origin Records Reviews



Human Spirit - Dialogue
by Ric Bang, Jazz Scan

The members of Human Spirit ? a core unit of the many jazz musicians who have made Seattle and the Pacific Northwest their home ? are trumpeter/composer/producer Thomas Marriott, saxophonist Mark Taylor and drummer Matt Jorgensen. Their combined resumes includes 14 albums as leaders and dozens more as sidemen. For this release, they added guests Orrin Evans (piano) and Essiet Essiet (bass). The resulting quintet delivers an album dubbed the... read more

Nick Finzer - The Chase
by George W. Harris, Jazz Weekly

Trombonist Nick Finzer leads a sublimely swinging sextet through a collection of well crafted originals here. He teams up with Lucas PIno/reeds, Alex Wintz/g, Glenn Zaleski/p, Dave Baron/b and Jimmy McBride/dr and they glide easily with style and grace on medium tempo toe tappers like "Life Happens" and "All Hype." Finzer has a warm tone to his horn, easy and relaxed and it mixes well with Pino's tenor on the exotic "Spheres of Influence" while... read more

Sonando - Tres
by Andrew Mahan, Jazz Review

Sonando is known for their interesting blend of Afro-Cuban Music with Modern Jazz. Their third release Tres exemplifies this blend completely. If hard hitting and diversified percussion is what you fancy in Latin music, then Sonando's Tres is for you.

Why have a simple drum set when you can have an assortment of congas, bongos, timbales, and other various auxiliary percussion instruments to add more layers to the music. Sonando does this... read more

Dave Slonaker Big Band - Intrada
by Jack Garner, Rochester Democrat & Chronicle

Big band, that rare and especially challenging and wonderfully rewarding form of jazz, gets a grand shot in the arm with this outing from noted jazz and film composer and arranger Dave Slonaker. Intrada features nine original tracks, and a sprightly take on "It's Only a Paper Moon." All 10 songs are given invigorating and creative arrangements and performances. And Rochesterians can be proud, because training at the Eastman School of Music... read more

Anthony Branker & Other Ways of Knowing - Manifestations of a Diasporic Groove & Spirit
by George W Harris, Jazz Weekly

Composer and director Anthony Branker brings together his team to skillfully interpret and tell a story of culture, focusing on the African Diaspora on this album. The team of Steve Wilson/as-ss-fl, Pete McCann/g, Simona Premazzi/p, John Hebert/b, Rudy Royston/dr and Aimee Allen/voc are like musical paintbrushes for Branker's canvas, forming rich prismatic colors on the dark "When Past Is Prologue" with Premazzi, or hip hopping to Hebert's bass... read more

Rich Thompson - Less Is More
by Jack Garner, Rochester Democrat & Chronicle

Rochester?s great jazz tradition has given birth to an inordinate number of superb drummers, including Steve Gadd, Joe La Barbera, John Beck, and Mike Melito. Right in that mix is Rich Thompson. This latest album ? his best yet ? is a polished, straight-ahead offering (but with none of its soulful grit polished off.) A wonderful quintet ? rising trumpeter Terell Stafford, saxophonist Doug Stone, pianist Gary Versace, and bassist Jeff Campbell ?... 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

Mimi Fox Organ Trio - One for Wes
by Thomas Houbron, Couleurs Jazz (Paris)

It's January 2023, and for guitarists, from amateurs to the very best, this is a year that cannot be insignificant...

Indeed, on March 6th of this year, we will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of the greatest representative of the "six strings" (according to me, but I am not alone): Wes Montgomery! Every jazz guitarist has the master's work as a shepherd's star. I always thought that Django had invented jazz guitar and that Wes... read more

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