Most Recent Review - 01/2010
Jon Dalton Trio: Warm Ghosts (in a) Cool World
2009 Dit Da Communications/Innervision Records
- Groove Merchant (Jerome Richardson)
- Mocha Trouble (Jon Dalton)
- So What! (Miles Davis)
- T4JOEY (John-Paul Gard)
- Earthmover (Jon Dalton)
- But Beautiful (J. Burke/J. Van Heusen)
- The More I See You (Harry Warren)
- Chiseler's Blues (Jon Dalton)
- The Eclipse (Jon Dalton)
- Plastered (Jon Dalton)
- Loverman (Davis, Ramierez, Sherman)
Play time: 65 minutes
Available at: cdbaby
This album has been in my playlist for almost two months now, and I'm really enjoying it! The programming includes a mix of old and new: half the album is original material, which is a huge plus in my book. The standards are well done; the irresistable read of "Groove Merchant" and the uptempo "So what!" are superb. There's enough familiar material here to create broad appeal, but also a welcome variety of accessible originals that make it a strong offering. I'll discuss a couple of the originals here and give the verdict below.
One of the standout tracks is Gard's T4JOEY, a waltz that features some of the best organ playing on the album. Both Dalton and Gard flex their muscles through several challenging--but always groovin'--solos in a challenging minor blues. The organ really smokes on this one, and you'll want to pay attention to the organ comping on this number. There's also a nice long coda featuring some exciting "organistic fireworks" and techniques as well. The drumming is tasty and propulsive, and the whole ensemble seems really "on" here. I'd buy the album for this track alone.
Another original, "The Eclipse" (Dalton), is a somewhat understated ballad with some fresh moments--there's a smooth leslie speed change at the beginning that really sets the mood. For the first 6 minutes we get a nice, laid-back groove with a good sense of space. We're treated to some long, sparking solos, and Dalton really lays down some sparking, sensitive lines. It gets busy after six minutes with a two-minute organ solo over a two-chord progression. At first, I thought the solo was a bit overplayed and maybe out of touch with the rest of the tune, but after a couple of listens, I can see where he was going with it; although I'd have liked a final return to the airy, space-age intro material. In the balance, it's another great track and one that bears repeated listening well.
This CD is also unique because there's a definite "live" feel to the production. I hear it partially in the dynamic range, which conveys a great sense of excitement and immediacy that usually works in its favor. There are some drawbacks, though, places where the guitar can disappear into the mix a little (depending on your listening envronment, e.g. in "Earthmover" and a few places elsewhere). Your mileage may vary, of course.
Overall, I'd call this a definite "must buy" for anyone interested jazz and jazz organ playing. We have here a solid example of the style, and while it would stand as a worthy homage to the best legends of organ jazz, it breathes a lot of life into the genre here that makes it worth owning. The playing is strong and convincing throughout; these guys can really deliver. Great job fellows, this one is going to stay in my listening rotation for quite some time. I'm sure you'll enjoy it as well.