New Release: Greg Lewis – Organ Monk: Uwo In the Black

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Greg Lewis, Jazz Promo Services, Keyboardist, Nasheet Waits, Organ, Reginald R. Woods, Ron Jackson

(Self Produced) Greg Lewis – Hammond Organ, Ron Jackson – Guitar, Reginald R. Woods – Tenor Saxophone, Nasheet Waits – Drums & Cymbals

Street Date September 1, 2012

Greg Lewis, ORGAN MONK. Uwo In The Black

The second outing by Greg Lewis, Organ Monk: Uwo In the Black, builds upon the success of the first call New York keyboardist’s critically acclaimed debut date Organ Monk. Volume Two of a proposed trilogy of discs (uwo signifies the number two in North African Nubian dialect) exploring the music of Thelonious Monk, Lewis expands upon his original concept here, adding the tenor saxophone of Reginald Woods to the powerful mix supplied by his Hammond C3 organ, the guitar of regular bandmate Ron Jackson and drums of longtime colleague Nasheet Waits (sitting in the seat previously occupied by Cindy Blackman-Santana), while filling out the program of ten Monk melodies with four of his own inspired compositions.

Matthieu Marthouret Organ Quartet -][- UPBEATS – [Double Moon, 2012] –

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Double Moon Records, Matthieu Marthouret, Organ

Matthieu Marthouret Organ Quartet, UPBEATS

Matthieu Marthouret Organ Quartet -][- UPBEATS –Mp3– [Double Moon, 2012] –

This musician, passionate about art in all its guises, an inspired and generous composer, dedicates much of his time to studying the language and the history of music in general, from classical to rock, to folk and more… These musical styles have always been part of his life and he considers them closely tied to each other.

Along with his role as lead musician, he regularly plays with many different musicians, accompanying them at the organ or piano, for both regular and one-off sessions. Together, they play both original repertoires and cover versions, the keywords being “exchange” and “openness”.

Young, Powell & Vespestad -][- Anthem [PVY Records Corp]

Tags

Jazz, Organ, Roy Powell

Greeting’s everyone, it’s great to be among the living. I know it’s been awhile but things have been considerably slow lately in the music business, hopefully things will pick up very soon. –Rob Young

Young, Powell & Vespestad - Anthem

Young, Powell & Vespestad -][- Anthem – [PVY Records Corp., 2011]

Organist and pianist Roy Powell is originally from England but after success with his first CD has been living in Oslo for some time. He has released 7 CDs under his own name (one of which Solace received 4 stars in Downbeat). He is a world-class pianist/organist with virtuosity as a key ingredient; at home in clubs such as Ronnie Scott’s (where he has performed many times) or at festivals in Europe such as Maijazz, London and Jazz Baltica.

“A compelling beautiful series of performances, authoritative, disciplined and full of warmth” – Ray Comiskey, The Irish Times

..:: SOURCE: CDBaby.com ::..

Larry Young -][- UNITY [BLUE NOTE, The Rudy Van Gelder Edition]

Tags

African American, Jazz, Larry Young, Organ

Greeting jazz enthusiasts, are you ready to check out some smokin’ jazz featuring organist Larry Young from his UNITY album recored in 1965 on Blue Note Records?

Larry Young - UNITY

Larry Young -][- UNITY – [BLUE NOTE, The Rudy Van Gelder Edition, 1965]

Move over Jimmy Smith. This one really cooks. I did not know much about Larry Young when I ordered this CD sight unseen from Amazon recently – I came across it in the Penguin. The other musicians on the CD need no introduction. It features a masterful Joe Henderson on tenor sax, Elvin Jones’s intense drumming, and an effortless Woody Shaw on trumpet. And then of course Larry Young on the Hammond B3 organ. And it is Young who does it for me on this CD. There aren’t a lot of jazz organists who have made it to the top, and unfortunately Larry Young died young – like too many jazz musicians (including Woody Shaw).

Young never had any formal organ training, and he modeled his style on John Coltrane. That is apparent in the flurry of notes and key changes the listener is presented with. But the sound never gets as intense as for example Coltrane’s Ascension. It is a more laid-back sound, but with plenty of captivating audio interest. Young complements the other players and never overpowers them.

Joey DeFrancesco -][- One Take, Vol. 4 [ALMA RECORDS SPAIN]

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Jazz, Joey DeFrancesco, Organ

Joey DeFrancesco - One Take Vol4

Joey DeFrancesco -][- One Take, Vol. 4 [ALMA RECORDS SPAIN, 2010]

What happens when you put four, world class musicians together in the studio with no preconceived agenda? One Take is the exciting answer. Volume Four of the One Take series captures the heart and soul of world class musicians Joey DeFrancesco, Vito Rezza, Robi Botos, and Phil Dwyer as they share the magic of a first take.

It’s jazz at its finest, and a must for any jazz enthusiast! No rehearsals, no overdubs, no edits just raw performances in One Take!

Original Release Date: 11/9/2010

..:: Source: Amazon.com ::..

[Classic Jazz Revisited] … ‘Intensity’ by organist Charles “The Burner” Earland

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African American, Charles Earland, Jazz, Organ

Flux Classic Jazz Revisited

From my perspective, jazz is arguably beyond the scope of the ordinary soundscape in return disturbs the flow, energy and principles of novice, naysayers and critics alike desire to lock this beloved music into exile. With that said, I’m motivated to pursue these eternal images of legendary artists and their unpredictable yet compelling recordings at a time when cool jazz and be-bop collided to infuse a provocative template reign supreme as the new, hip and progressive sound to this day beckons jazz enthusiasts to embrace and savor these timeless treasures. No doubt, it’s an honor to be allowed the opportunity to pay homage to these powerful, and beautiful voices who made their unmeasurable imprint in the fabric of our culture as the cornerstone of this phenomenal movement in jazz. –Rob Young | The Urban Flux

Charles Earland - Intensity

Charles Earland -][- Intensity – [OJC, 1972]

Lee Morgan’s trumpet cuts through and adds so much bite to these songs. There is a version of the tune, “Happy Cause I’m Goin Home” (by the band Chicago)that is simply brilliant music! A lively, happy, upbeat and very bright version. Throughout all of the songs included on this record the drummer fuels a unique, powerful high-energy. The Hammond B-3 playing by Charles is plentiful here: Lots of long solos where Charles stretches out … over and over again; against the heavy backdrop of a barnburner.

I kept looking at this CD in a display bin in the big music retail store downtown for months before I took the plunge. Then I ordered many CD’s by Charles that followed this one; one of the all-time great Charles Earland CD’s. A different sound here; not merely the run-of-the mill organ combos with these names. No way. Powerful, driving ensemble playing backing up burning B-3.

..:: Source: Amazon.com ::

New Releases [Jazz] for the Week of 5/24/2010

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African American, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Jazz, New Releases, Organ, Palmetto Records

Greetings’ my beloved jazz aficionados, the month of May continues in week four with another palette of distinctive, and insinuating sounds, immaculate melodies, relentless rhythms with the opulent flavors embedded in jazz is here to quench our ongoing thirst for quality music. We’ve got a melting pot of jazz in the mix this week including two artist who are synonymous in jazz pianist Keith Jarrett and Charlie Haden on their collaborative effort titled – “Jasmine.” Also, “Solo Piano Improvisations / Children’s Songs by the phenomenal Chick Corea on piano … we’re honored to showcase “”Dr. Groove”” – Dr. Lonnie Smith and his latest “Spiral” on Palmetto Records as our “featured album of the week.” The aforementioned artist along with a host of other jazz recordings are scheduled for release this Tuesday 5/25/2010.

Featured Album of the Week

Dr. Lonnie Smith - Spiral

Dr. Lonnie Smith -|- Spiral – [Palmetto Records, 2010]

Internationally known as one of the premier jazz keyboardists in the history of the idiom, Dr. Lonnie Smith is a dominant talent and pace-setting proponent of the Hammond B3 Organ and widely recognized and gifted pianist. “Dr. Lonnie Smith is a phenomenal B3 burner who can light up a room with visceral intensity or lay down some of the nastiest funk ever played on an organ,” states Bill Milkowski in JazzTimes. Lonnie has been at the forefront of the jazz scene since he was named “Top Organist” by Downbeat Magazine in 1969. —Palmetto Records.

The Dixon-Rhyne Project | Reinvention

Tags

Jazz, Melvin Rhyne, Organ, Rob Dixon, Saxophone

The Dixon-Rhyne Project - Reinvention

The Dixon-Rhyne Project | Reinvention – [OWL Studios, 2007]

Here’s a case of old school meets new school.

Saxophonist Rob Dixon, who we earlier introduced as a key player in Derrick Gardner’s Jazz Prophets, is another Indianapolis-based jazz talent who’s been getting notice since the mid-nineties as an up and comer, for both his playing and composing.

Hammond B3 organ maestro Melvin Rhyne, on the other hand, has been around much longer. He was the organist in Wes Montgomery’s band on and off between 1959 and 1964, appearing on some of Montgomery’s vital Riverside releases, including The Wes Montgomery Trio and Boss Guitar. Since the nineties, he’s recorded as leader on a semi-regular basis.

Read the complete review at www.blogcritics.org …

..:: Source: BlogCritics.org & OWL Studios ::..

Sam Yahel | Hometown

Tags

Jazz, Organ, Piano, Sam Yahel

Sam Yahel | Hometown – [Posi-Tone, 2009]

Sam Yahel - Hometown

Sam Yahel has been playing jazz in New York since the early 1990s, almost always as a Hammond organist. (He was a fixture in the early days of Smalls, on West 10th Street, along with the pianist Brad Mehldau and the guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel; these days he leads his own trio.) But he hasn’t hid behind the bullying power of the Hammond, its ability to give you shivers with shifting drawbars or a loud crescendo: he has put himself in places where pianists go, playing volatile music with curiosity and hunger in his improvising.

Hometown is, surprisingly, his first album as a pianist. It was recorded in 2007; I guess there’s still no rush to get the word out that he’s very good. A piano-trio record made in the studio with the bassist Matt Penman and drummer Jochen Ruckert, it’s casual enough to have been a gig, well-produced enough to represent a musician for a long time and strong enough in arrangement, soloing and interaction that it doesn’t lose your interest. That shouldn’t be rare, but it is.

..:: Source: Sam Yahel.com ::..

Jimmy Smith | Back at the Chicken Shack

Tags

African American, Jimmy Smith, Organ

Jimmy Smith | Back at the Chicken Shack – [Blue Note Records, 1960]

Jimmy Smith, Back at The Chicken Shack

Heres the fabulous Jimmy Smith playing Hammond B3 and driving a top notch band along. The title track is drenched in the blues, and after the theme statement Smith plays a superb two and half minutes solo. Then of course there is Kenny Burrell on Guitar and Stanley Turrentine on Tenor Sax who are no slouches themselves.

On “When I grow too old to dream” Jimmy Smith lets Turrentine take the first solo and after a subtle start to his Sax solo he builds up quite a head of steam. After a short Smith solo Turrentine is back for more with another solo. Its that sort of album. I’m guessing that they were having great fun in the studio when they recorded this. The rest of the album maintains the same high standard of the first two tracks.

The album was recorded in 1960 and of course has another of those classic Blue Note album covers. The original sleeve notes by Ira Gitler give plenty of background information on the album including how the album cover came about. A great recording. —SJ Buck

..:: Source: Amazon.com ::..