from The Seattle Times:

The offices of the thriving, local and independent record label Origin Records are in an upper bedroom in the Seward Park home of drummer John Bishop, who started the company 12 years ago with fellow drummer Matt Jorgensen.

Even as the traditional recording industry has contracted, as jazz has struggled to compete commercially with rock and popular music, Origin has succeeded by keeping its goals modest. The business that started in a ramshackle, rented apartment is still a home business. Very little is spent on marketing and advertising. Recording projects aim simply to break even financially and help artists disseminate their music. The rest of the world, it turns out, has been paying attention.

Origin was recognized last month as the 2009 Jazz Label of the Year by JazzWeek, which is to jazz what Billboard is to pop music.

“We never had any goals or plans to turn it into anything in particular,” said Bishop, whose trio Scenes will play Jazz Alley Sunday night. “Mostly we put out music that fits with all the other music we put out. The sound and feel of the label hasn’t changed much since we put out our first three records.

Continue reading at The Seattle Times.

The trio will perform at 7:30 p.m. Sunday at Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, 2033 Sixth Ave., Seattle; $10 (206-441-9729 or www.jazzalley.com).

Category:
Seattle Jazz