2018 · Album
Origami Harvest
Blue Note · Released: October 12, 2018 · Metacritic Score: 77 (based on 5 reviews, indicating generally positive reviews)
Three Schools in Conversation
Jazz, hip-hop, and chamber music work on their own terms, each given equal weight.
Origami Harvest sits at an unusual intersection. Akinmusire brings together small-group jazz, hip-hop, and chamber music — not by blending them into something smooth, but by letting each one breathe separately within the same room. The jazz stays impulsive and complex. The hip-hop stays fierce and allusive. The chamber music stays nuanced and lyrical. Each has room to exist without apologizing for what it is.
This approach is what makes the record feel different from a lot of contemporary jazz that tries to incorporate outside influences. There's no attempt to find a common language or sand down the edges. Instead, Akinmusire seems to be asking: what happens if these three things just sit together? Martin Johnson of The Wall Street Journal heard this as part of a larger movement among younger jazz musicians experimenting with strings and intimate settings. David Hajdu of The Nation recognized the three-school structure and how deliberately it's balanced — nothing overshadows anything else.
The album landed with strong reviews across the board, with critics at the Financial Times, Glide Magazine, and Mojo all giving it four stars. At Metacritic, it averaged 77 from five mainstream reviews, landing solidly in generally positive territory. For listeners already familiar with Akinmusire's work, this represents him working with a specific vision rather than widening a formula. For anyone new to his music, it's a clear entry point — the ambition is obvious, the execution is there, and the music itself is worth your time.
Who's playing
Sam Harrispiano
Walter Smith IIIguest, tenor saxophone
Ambrose Akinmusiretrumpet
Marcus Gilmoredrums
Michael Aalbergguest, keyboard
Lauren Cauleyviolin
Victor Lowrieviola
Olivia de Pratoviolin
Mariel Robertscello
