ORIGIN RECORDS NEWS

Chris Walden receives two Grammy Nominations

Origin Records artist Chris Walden received two nominations for his Origin Classical release, Symphony No. 1: The Four Elements. Following up on his previous nominations for his jazz recordings, Walden was nominated for Best Orchestral Performance and Best Classical Contemporary Composition.

The 2008 Grammy Award winners will be announced on February 8.

Ballard Jazz Walk
November 20th - What a night!

A good time was had by all (yet again) in Ballard, with the Fall Ballard Jazz Walk. The rain stopped just in time for a perfect fall night, as Ballard Ave. was transformed into the jazz center of the universe for one night. With several artists from out of town joining the top-flight NW jazz artists, listeners were treated to spectacular jazz on a world-class level in venues ranging from dive bars, to record stores, to furniture shops, to fashion schools, to...

We'd like to extend a warm thank you to all of the volunteers who made this event possible, and of course, to all of the great jazz fans!

Visit www.ballardjazzfestival.com for more details, and don't forget to mark your calendar for the April 2009 Ballard Jazz Festival.

Joe Locke's Force of Four still on the charts, after 13 weeks!

Joe Locke's latest release on Origin Records peaked at #5, making a strong showing jazzweek national airplay charts for the last 13 weeks. The September release features Locke with his new quartet, augmented by the talents of Wanye Escoffery, and Seattle trumpeter Thomas Marriott. Don't miss this exciting release... find out why DJ's across the country are loving this one.

Check out the recording HERE.

Brad Goode, featured in UK's Jazz Review Magazine

Andy Hamilton of Jazz Review writes;
"His latest release, Polytonal Dance Party, is what he describes as a "polytonal funk quintet": "Every chord is a bitonal construction. It's wild sounding."  A polychord consists of two different chords played simultaneously.  They're familiar in contemporary jazz harmony, but Brad's sonorities were so extreme, he explains, that "When I started asking musicians to read these chords, they wanted me to go away and die."
Check out the full article here...

Benny Powell featured on All About Jazz.com

Master trombonist, composer, occasional vocalist and actor, NEA Jazz Master Benny Powell was saluted in 2008 at the All Nite Soul at Saint Peter Church in New York, along with his fellow honoree, pianist Jane Jarvis. A working musician since his early teens in New Orleans and a veteran sideman on hundreds of recording sessions with the likes of Count Basie, Frank Sinatra and Screamin' Jay Hawkins, at 78 Powell is energetic, quick to laugh and looking ahead to what he wants to accomplish next...

Be sure to read the full story at Allaboutjazz.com!

Deep Blue "Live at Jazz Alley" now available on the Video Podcast

Chicago's Deep Blue Organ Trio visited Seattle to perform at Jazz Alley. Our video camera was there and captured the group in top form.

Click here to watch the performance and make sure and subscribe to the Video Podcast to get all the lastest videos.

Geof Bradfield awarded a CMA Grant for upcoming composition

Chicago-based saxophonist Geof Bradfield was recently awarded a grant from Chamber Music America as part of their New Works: Creation and Presentation Program. This program, now in its ninth year, supports composer/performer-led ensembles in the creation and presentation of original composition within the jazz idiom. New Works: Creation and Presentation is part of the Doris Duke Jazz Ensembles Project, made possible by generous funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.
Geof will be composing a collection of short pieces (due to premier in 2009) inspired by a tour of Eastern and Central Africa. Geof traveled to Africa in February of 2008 as a participant in The Rhythm Road: American Music Abroad, a joint venture of Jazz at Lincoln Center and the U.S. State Department.

Listen to Geof's interview by Dan Bindert on WBEZ, Chicago Public Radio, detailing his trip to Africa, and his new release, Urban Nomad HERE.

Origin Records nominated for JazzWeek's "2007 Jazz Label of the Year"

Origin was recently nominated for JazzWeek's Jazz Label of the Year Award. JazzWeek, jazz radio's definitive charting organization, holds its annual convention during the Rochester Jazz Festival, June 19-21, where they present workshops, panel discussions and general schmoozing along with their awards ceremony honoring artists and organizations throughout the jazz "industry." We're honored... Thanks to all of the DJs and radio people for doing what you do!

The Gene Harris/Origin Records Jazz Competition
June 18-20

In cooperation with the Gene Harris Jazz Festival, Origin Records proudly sponsored the first annual Gene Harris Jazz Competition this past weekend in Boise, Idaho. With 9 groups in the finals traveling in to Boise from New York, Los Angeles, Kansas City, Seattle and beyond, the competition turned out to be a walloping success for all concerned. Student and professional bands performed all original material in front of judges, the community and the other musicians, with each performer inspiring the others to play better and better. The quality was extremely high and the decision on who would be the one to open for Roy Haynes' mainstage concert and walk away with an Origin record deal was excessively tough.

In the end, the post-bop stylings of "Diverse" from Kansas City prevailed with the mature phrasing of the frontline - trumpeter Hermon Mehari & saxophonist William Sanders, the fleet bass solos of Ben Leifer, and the awe-inspiring drumnastics of the 19-year old Ryan Lee. Their performance in the 2500 seat Morrison concert hall inspired shouts and a prolonged standing ovation, surely a great sign for a group barely in their twenties!

Home Street Bank Presents Origin Records its 2007 “Great Neighbor, Great Business” Award

Origin Records and Ballard Jazz Festival founders John Bishop and Matt Jorgensen were presented with the "Great Neighbor, Great Business" award from HomeStreet Bank during intermission at the 2008 Ballard Jazz Festival.

HomeStreet Bank has been a sponsor of the Ballard Jazz Festival since its inception and we thank them for this honor and are grateful for their support of independent jazz in the Northwest.

The World’s Newest Classical Music Label –
Origin Classical

In the works for some time, we can finally say Origin Classical is now open for business! Visit www.originclassical.com for recordings from creative classical soloists and ensembles from around the world starting with our first two releases for the spring – the Seattle Trumpet Consort, performing on natural trumpets, and the first Symphony from Los Angeles-based composer, Chris Walden. Clarinetist Florie Rothenberg explores new music from women composers on her upcoming July release, Voices of Trees, so check in soon and back often for the latest news on some great new music.

Origin Records artists take home Golden Ear Awards

Trumpeter Thomas Marriott took home two Golden Ear Awards and Origin Records founder John Bishop was inducted into the Seattle Jazz Hall of Fame at the 2007 Golden Ear Awards on Sunday, January 20, at the Experience Music Project in Seattle.

Here are the Origin and OA2 winners:

Northwest Jazz Recording: THOMAS MARRIOTT, "BOTH SIDES OF THE FENCE"
Northwest Jazz Instrumentalist: THOMAS MARRIOTT
Acoustic Group: SONANDO
Vocalist: GAIL PETTIS
Concert of the Year: JOE LOCKE at the Pt. Townsend Jazz Festival
Hall of Fame: JOHN BISHOP

Click here to read the full story at seattlejazzscene.com

2007... What A Year!

2007 was a great year for Origin and OA2 artists. The two labels released a combined 30 releases and radio loved them all... or... well... most of them.

Thomas Marriott's "Both Sides Of The Fence" was #30 on the JazzWeek "Top 100 CDs of 2007" chart, with Bobby Broom's "Song And Dance" at #42, and the McNeely / Sill / Spencer "Boneyard" trio disc at #86.

Chicago’s Deep Blue Organ Trio finished the year near the top of the national airplay charts (and they're still there after 16 weeks!) and "Folk Music" won Jazz Album of the Year at the Chicago Music Awards. Bobby Broom's own record "Song And Dance," was listed among the top ten CDs of 2007 by Jazziz contributor Bob Weinberg

Among other highlights, New York organist Sam Yahel’s CD "Truth and Beauty" was named one of the year's Top 10 by both The New York Times and Newsday, while Darrell Grant's "Truth and Reconciliation," and The Galper / Johnson / Bishop "Furious Rubato" were both recognized by JazzTimes in their "Best of 2007" list. "Furious Rubato" also was in the top 10 from CODA magazine.

Canadian vocalist Dee Daniels met rave reviews with her "Jazzinit" release, getting top 10 acknowledgement from Jim Wilke's Top 10 NW CDs of 2007, CODA Magazine's Top Ten Jazz CDs for 2007, and reaching #3 in ejazznews.com TOP 20 Jazz CDs for 2007.

Origin Records' John Bishop and Matt Jorgensen Featured in Seattle's Earshot Jazz Magazine

Origin records celebrates it's 10th anniversary this year, and Seattle's Earshot Jazz Magazine has the cover story. With nearly 175 releases on two labels, John Bishop and Matt Jorgensen have helped build a strong presence in the Jazz community. Click here to read the interview. Artists and fans will enjoy the 10th Anniversary sales through this website, with details soon to follow.

Seattle Jazz Photo captures, "A Great Day in Seattle"

Nearly 300 of Seattle's professional jazz musicians gathered May 6th for a "Great Day In Harlem"-style photograph on the steps of Seattle City Hall. Origin Records artist Thomas Marriott, Pony Boy Records owner Greg Williamson, Musicares' Jane Peck, and Origin Records' own Chad McCullough spent the last 8 months coordinating the event. The attendees represented the wide array of music that makes up the Seattle Jazz Scene, from early Jackson Street Days, to free improvised music, to modern contemporary smooth jazz. Pulitzer-prize winning photographer Daniel Sheehan snapped the official shutter on the event. Posters are now available! All of the proceeds from sales will be donated to Musicares. For more information, please visit www.agreatdayinseattle.com.