Soul Message Band Live at the Blue LLama

 

Soul Message Band
Live at the Blue LLama
Live at Blue LLama Records

The Blue LLama Jazz Club, located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, launches a new record label, Live at Blue LLama Records. The label will feature live recordings from past performances at the club and studio releases from artists who are frequent performers. The label's initial release is from the superb Chicago jazz organ trio, Soul Message Band. Soul Message Band consists of Hammond B3 organist Chris Foreman, drummer Greg Rockingham, and guitarist Lee Rothenberg. This recording is the group's first live album and features a program in the vein of Jimmy Smith and Richard 'Groove' Holmes.

Foreman and Rockingham have been playing together for a substantial period. With guitarist Bobby Bloom, they constituted the Deep Blue Organ Trio. The two and guitarist Henry Johnson backed the late saxophonist Red Holloway on a 2009 Delmark album. For Delmark, the Soul Message Band, including alto saxophonist Greg Ward, produced the spectacular 2019 recording, "Soulful Days." While Ward is absent on this road recording, this trio is more than capable of making cooking organ jazz.

It is a pretty straightforward set of music opening with Grant Green's "Matador." Foreman opens it with some greasy, bluesy notes before the trio kicks things up a notch and plays tribute to Green in their heated performance with Rothenberg laying down the melody, then a scintillating solo with Foreman laying down his backing while Rockingham swings hard. After the sterling guitar solo, Foreman takes things further and displaying why he is among the greatest living B-3 players. A smoldering, greasy chicken-fried rendition of Jimmy Smith's "Midnight Special" follows as Foreman again pulls out all the stops on this classic organ jazz blues.

An extended interpretation of Louis Bellson's "Easy Time" is followed by an early in the morning groove of Slide Hampton's "Frame For The Blues." A driving rendition of Stanley Turrentine's "Minor Chant" showcases more dazzling playing from Rothenberg and Foreman as well as superb ensemble work. It is a first-rate close to an outstanding recording that is a must-listen for organ jazz lovers.

I received a download to review from a publicist. Here is a video of the Soul Message Band in performance at Andy's Jazz Club in Chicago.