1. Could It Be I'm Falling in Love
2. Spinky
3. Idle Moments
4. At Long Last Love
5. Prayer for Mary
6. Bones
7. In the Bag
Mike LeDonne – Hammond B-3
Eric Alexander – Tenor sax (tracks 1-3, 5-7)
Peter Bernstein – Guitar
Joe Farnsworth – Drums
The
conventional organ trio consists of Hammond
organ, guitar and drums or Hammond organ,
sax and drums. Here you get the best of both
worlds, with four excellent musicians grooving
along in the best organ-led group tradition.
This set was recorded earlier this year at
the Smoke club in New York, where Mike LeDonne
has led his quartet every Tuesday night for
six years. This provides the benefits of a
group that knows each other well and can react
instantly to what everyone else is doing.
Eric
Alexander used to play for organist Charles
Earland, so he is familiar with the organ
format, and he blows some splendidly extrovert
solos. But there are subtler moments as well,
like the slow-burning Idle Moments (composed
by Duke Pearson), which has a laid-back feel
similar to Count Basie’s classic Li’l Darlin’.
Eric
Alexander lays out for At Long Last Love,
which starts gently but builds through Peter
Bernstein’s bluesy guitar solo into an organ
solo on which Mike LeDonne demonstrates the
instrument’s versatility, including some Jimmy
Smith licks. The album ends with Nat Adderley’s
In the Bag, delivered with plenty of
funky feeling as well as some unusual voicings
from Mike LeDonne.
With
nearly 73 minutes of no-nonsense music, this
is a very satisfying session - especially
for those who like the sound of the Hammond
organ in full cry.
Tony Augarde
CD Reviews
Savant SCD
2080
