Seattle-based Origin Records continues to release fresh material by up and comers. Here are a couple new ones…
Alto Saxist Bobby Selvaggio has a nice warm tone to his horn, and he uses it well on this enjoyable hip session with Aaron Goldberg/p, Ashley Summers/b and Chris Baker/dr through a collection of originals. his horn glows on the intro to “Price of Being” before the rhythm team comes in to create a breezy aura. The team can also bear down with blisters as on the driving “Eye of Jupiter” and the angular “Blues for J” while “Rubber Monkeys” starts and stops like a game of “Red Light, Green Light.” Goldberg’s piano work is clear and glassy, as on “ Song for Rebecca” and he teams up with Summers on a deliciously rumbling “Ceprano Man.” Excellent outing.
Guitarist Peter Lerner mixes and matches his quartet of Willie Pickens/p, Marlen Rosenberg/b and Charles “Rick” Heath IV/dr with an adjunctive team of Geof Bradfield/sax-fl, Victor Garcia/fh, Andy Baker/tb and Joe Rendon/perc. The guitar and ivories team up well together as they stretch out on “When Sonny Gets Blue” while Lerner reveals a thick and rich tone on ”Willie n Me.” The rhythm team skates along with Bradford’s tenor on “Once Upon a Chance Meeting,” and the leader spotlights his bop chops and Grant Green’s enjoyable “Jean De Fleur.” Pickens has some lovely solo space and gives hints of Gershwin on”My Blues” and the horns get a nice workout on Kenny Dorham’s “La Mesha.” Wonderful straightahead cooker.
Origin Records