Groove Legacy

Groove Legacy
Self-Produced

Established as a tribute to soul-jazz such as represented by the legendary Crusaders, The Meters, JB Horns, and Stuff, Groove Legacy is led by established mainstay musicians of the road and studio: Saxophonist Paul Cerra and keys master Bill Steinway, alongside bassist Travis Carlton (Larry’s son). Blues guitar virtuoso Kirk Fletcher, emerging drum star Lemar Carter, rhythm guitarist Sam Meek and trombonist Andrew Lippman join Groove Legacy on stage and record, along with guest appearances from Robben Ford and Larry Carlton. Groove Legacy has not attempted to copy the classic funk and soul-jazz recordings, but rather provides us on the eponymously titled recording with ten originals that evoke this bygone musical era.

The mood is set by the opening "Sweetness (For Walter Payton)" with the twin horn lines of saxophonist Cerra and trombonist Lippman setting the mood over a funky groove with Travis Carlton's bass lines helping set the foundation with soulful tenor sax from Cerra followed by Fletcher's bluesy guitar. Sam Meek's guitar, along with  honking sax by Cerra and some blustery trombone, is featured on "Odd Couple." 

Cerra and Travis Carlton collaborated on the bluesy "Cornell," dedicated to Cornell Dupree, with appearances from Ricky Peterson on Hammond B-3 and Larry Carlton on guitar. Robben Ford's blues-rock guitar, along with Bill Steinway's Fender Rhodes piano and Cerra's tenor sax, is spotlighted on another bluesy number,"The Know It All." Having long been a fan of Kirk Fletcher, it is nice to hear him in the funky, non-blues, context on "Moneybags."

Nothing fancy about the music on this recording. Groove Legacy pretty straight R&B flavored jazz that should  appeal to those that want danceable, funk grooves and the husky solos that propel these performances.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review originally appeared in the July-August Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 367), although I have made stylistic changes and corrections to what was run there. Here is Groove Legacy performing "Moneybags."

The Genius of Ray Charles

Concord Records recently entered into an exclusive agreement with the Ray Charles Foundation to develop the late artist’s post-1960 catalog. The first installment is Ray Charles — Genius: the Ultimate Collection. This disc which spans his recordings from his Atlantic days through the remainder of his career includes a number of his greatest hits including Hit the Road Jack, What’d I Say, Part 1, Busted, I Can’t Stop Loving You, Sticks and Stones, Drown in My Own Tears, Georgia On My Mind, You Are My Sunshine, Let’s Go Get Stoned, You Don’t Know Me, Crying Time, Yesterday, and America the Beautiful, among the 21 recordings included here.

This will help Concord launch the release of the Genius' ABC-Paramount and Tangerine label recordings, many for digital reissue for the first time. The music here transcends genres and represents some of the finest moments by any performer of American vernacular music. Included are liner notes from veteran jazz writer, Don Heckman.

The music here belongs in any well rounded recording collection.

This review originally appeared in the April 2009 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 315). I have written a review of the a box set from Concord of Ray’s Complete ABC Singles and scheduled posting of it November 18. I received my review copy from either a publicist or Concord Records itself.

Live Magic From Etta Jones & Houston Person

The collaborations between the late vocalist Etta Jones and saxophonist Houston Person produced so much musical magic that ended with she passed in 2001. HighNote has just issued, Don’t Misunderstand, a 1980 live recording from a New York City club, Salt Peanuts, that will delight the pair’s many fans. Jones’ vocal career started in Buddy Johnson’s Big Band before joining Earl ‘Fatha’ Hines. Later she hooked up with Prestige Records and in 1968 first recorded with tenor saxophonist Person, a musical relationship that would last over thirty years with many albums for Muse and HighNote before she passed. On this live recording they are backed by Sonny Phillips on organ and Frankie Jones (no relation to Etta) on drums. The gritty soul-jazz setting was a second home for Person, who first was heard from in Johnny ‘Hammond’ Smith’s combo. The recording opens with with a fine rendition of Blue Monk by Person. Ms. Jones is first heard on the title track, a wonderful ballad the late Gordon Parks wrote, and she has a blue teardrop in her off-the-beat delivery. The groove picks up a bit as Jones delivers Exactly Like You at a medium walking tempo with a fine solo by Person, with more of the same on Ain’t Misbehavin’. Her contribution to this ends with a lesser known number I Saw Stars. The disc then has three instrumentals that showcase Person’s ballad and blues playing with his take on Milt Jackson’s Bluesology being particularly wonderful. Phillips shines on the B-3 on I’m Glad There is You, while on Bluesology he gets on down to church. Don’t Misunderstand is a disc that will be enjoyed by fans of soul-organ jazz, soulful jazz tenor sax and one of the great jazz vocalists of the past several decades.