1. Spoken Introduction By Cecil Brooks III
2. You Can't Hide Love
3. Spoken Introduction By Don Braden
4. Looking For Her
5. She's On Her Way
6. Where There's Smoke
7. Brighter Days
8. Moving In
9. The Closer I Get To You
10 The Vail Jumpers
11. Feel Like Makin' Love
Don Braden – Tenor sax
Kyle Koehler – Organ
Cecil Brooks III – Drums
The
organ trio is a well-established format in
jazz, normally with a guitarist or saxophonist
joining the Hammond organ and drums. Such
trios are popular because they usually deliver
exciting, groovy music – and Don Braden’s
trio is no exception. The punch of Kyle Koehler’s
Hammond is accentuated by Don Braden’s powerful
tenor-sax: a rich, forceful sound. Drummer
Cecil Brooks III adds to the dynamism of this
session, recorded last year at Cecil’s own
club in New Jersey.
Sample
the powerful playing on Where There’s Smoke
– a truly smokin’ performance, leading to
a fiery drum solo from Brooks. The opener,
You Can’t Hide Love, is equally effective,
with no-nonsense blowing from Braden. This
doesn’t mean that the trio can’t relax. They
take it easier for She’s On Her Way,
a tender tune written by Braden for his daughter
before she was born. And the trio lies back
and enjoys Feel Like Makin’ Love, where
the organ underpins the tune with a glorious
walking bassline. Don Braden even plays a
couple of tracks completely solo: Looking
For Her (a sort of prelude to She’s
On Her Way) and Moving In, a rhapsodic
exploration of the saxophone’s capabilities.
Organ
trios can become monotonous when they keep
to the same level of intensity throughout
a session, but this trio knows how to vary
tempos and moods to create a thoroughly satisfying
CD.
Tony Augarde
CD Reviews
High Note
HCD 7155
