BK Trio's Hit It

My latest Vinyl Anachronist music review is now live at Part-Time Audiophile. You can read it here.

Troy Roberts' Days Like These

My latest Vinyl Anachronist music review is now live at Part-Time Audiophile. You can read it here.

Tony Monaco's The Definition of Insanity

Yesterday I hinted that I had already noticed a trend in contemporary jazz, but I didn't say what that was. I'll go ahead with the reveal--it's tango. I'm looking at a lot of new CD releases right now, and it's surprising how many of them are tango or at least full of Argentine influences. A lot of this music is downright beautiful, but I'm not quite done yet with last year's trend of organ trios. You know, Hammond B-3 organs, one of my favorite instruments in jazz, the big jazz trend of 2018. It seems like it's been a while since I've reviewed an organ trio, but Tony Monaco has come to my rescue with one of the most enjoyable releases in some time.

Organ trios are unusual for a couple of reasons. First, there's no bassist--the lower notes are handled by the B-3's pedals. There was a time when I thought it would be a good idea to learn how to play the B-3 since it seemed so easy. But throw in the pedals and I'll immediately crash and burn. It's not easy at all. Second, organ trios can use the Hammond in two distinct ways--as the soloist, or as the supplier of endless textures and moods, sort of like a rhythm guitarist in a rock band. Monaco has taken the road in between--he takes equal turns with drummer Tony McClung and guitarist Derek DiCenzo so that this trio is something more than a well-oiled machine--it is a singular entity in constant motion.



This ensemble, in other words, is tight. It's driving music, full of momentum and groove. Monaco has recorded ten albums up to this point, mostly of his original compositions. On The Definition of Sanity he has chosen covers, but the trio approaches them in a sly way that lead up to a moment of surprise halfway into the song--oh, this is "Truckin'" from The Dead? Or Floyd Kramer's "Last Date"? Or Leon Russell's "A Song For You"? Or "Cars Trucks Buses" from Phish? It's sort of a cliche to say that Monaco goes out of his way to make each one of these familiar songs "his," but he does. It's only once in a while, such as "Never Let Me Go," where the trio plays it straight--with Tony singing and his wife Asako Monaco taking a lush, romantic turn at the piano.

Monaco is in complete control on this album--he arranges, produces, mixes and masters, and does a great job of it. He even adds playing the piano and the accordion to his portfolio. "He's particularly proud of the high production values," the press kit explains. "He recorded it at a very high resolution to create its crystal clear sound." That's something you might find in the liner notes of an audiophile production, not a mainstream contemporary jazz release, but yes--the sound quality is magnificent. It's easy to keep it simple and pure with small ensembles, but it can be tricky to capture all those sounds a B-3 makes in addition to the mere notes. That's why I love the B-3, quite frankly, because it's such a human instrument. So far, Monaco is one of the most gifted humans I've heard when it comes to playing this wonderful organ.

The B3B4 Organ Jazz Quartet

My latest review for Positive Feedback Online is now live. This one is on the B3B4 Organ Jazz Quartet, a great new release featuring one of my favorite instruments, the Hammond B-3!

You can enjoy it here.

Robert Kennedy's Closer to Home

If the world of contemporary jazz is going to have a theme for 2018, it's probably going to be "The Year of the Hammond B-3." Over the last few weeks I've received so many new jazz releases that feature the classic B-3 organ, and if I've learned anything it's this: I love the B-3. It puts me in a great mood, a sunglasses kind of mood. I love the growl, and I love how the player can easily manipulate the dynamics. It's the kind of instrument that can hang back, almost as a drone, and just add a little texture to the music--and it can also take the lead and drive the melody. It's unique and flexible and I'm not surprised that B-3 recordings have become so popular.

Robert Kennedy's new album, Closer to Home, is one of my favorites to come down the pike. One of the main reasons is because Kennedy, who has been on the stage since the late '80s, plays the B-3 a little differently than everyone else. His Hammond is a little more low-key than usual, but also fun and playful. He fleshes out the sounds of the B-3, and holds them up for everyone to see. Sometimes these notes are round and breathy, and sometimes they are guttural and fluid. Most B-3 players seem hyper-aware of the timbre of the instrument and know, in advance, that certain feelings will be evoked. These feelings may be mostly nostalgic, which tends to give most B-3 recordings a specific sense of time and place. Kennedy can do that as well, when he wants, but it's surprising how he's more interested in creating layers of sound and texture that allow his fellow musicians to shine.

Closer to Home is sort of a sampler for Kennedy. He includes ten tracks from ten different composers including Bobby Timmons, Clifford Brown and Bill Bell, and they cover such a wide range of jazz genres--bebop, soul, blues and even gospel. That gives each tune a very different feel and yet Kennedy is the constant throughout, adding just enough of his keyboard magic to let you know he's the driving force behind these tunes.

Yet there's something more here, something that makes me really settle in and float along with this music. This isn't wild, rollicking jazz--it's deliberate and smooth and very relaxed. The sound quality is superb, and that allows you to hear the B-3 in its fixed point in space against the other superb musicians (guitarist Terrence Brewer, sax player Ben Torres and drummer Cody Rhodes), and that illustrates how the entire instrument is a living, breathing thing. That may be the characteristic I find most impressive about the B-3--it's an electronic keyboard that sounds utterly organic and natural. Robert Kennedy understands this, and that's what makes Closer to Home so rewarding.