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 success of Origin is rooted in its intent to cultivate a local sound, much the way Sub Pop did with local rock music in the 1990s. 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.