Search - Richard Groove Holmes :: Hot Tat

Last official album and among Holmes' best

Terje Biringvad | Oslo, Norway | 04/29/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"With the Hammond Organ Company / B-3 organ's end-of-life production in 1975, the decline of soul organ jazz had already started in favour of lightweight electronic keyboards and synthesizers. Many great organist tried to adapt to a the new area and genres with little success. As a consequence of the market conditions and popularity of the Hammond B-3 organ, Richard "Groove" Holmes cut his last critically acclaimed "Broadway" album on Muse in 1980. A 19 year soul organ recording career had come to an end. Ironically, a new generation Hammond B-3 youngsters like Joey DeFrancesco and Barbara Dennerlein had in the late `80's rediscovered the joy of blues and bop and made the organ sound cool and chic. The Hammond B-3 was back in business. Also the the older soul organ generation.



Holmes made a remarkable return to Muse in 1988/89 and recorded five great albums which became very popular to new and young listeners. "Hot Tat" became the last official recording from the organ maestro Holmes under his own name before his untimely passing in 1991, only 60 years old. Holmes five albums on Muse is regarded as his peak career performances along with the Prestige years. Later in his career Holmes preferred the sextet/septet format when recorded, so unsurprisingly "Hot Tat" is an all star session from Holmes using Muse "house musician" tenor great Houston Person, soul organ guitarist Jimmy Ponder, trumpeter Cecil Bridgewater, electric bass maestro Wilbur Boscomb, congas Ralph Dorsey and soul drummer Greg Bandy. Holmes using a electric bass player? Fans of Holmes fantastic bass lines and pedal work can relax. Like Holmes funky albums on Blue Note where the electric bass had a dominant role to support the funky soul beats like in the jazz rock groups at the time, Holmes uses Boscomb's bass technique successfully on the ultra funky James Brown'ish "Rene" and the non-horn "Hot Tat" where Holmes use all dynamics and registrations "available" on the organ when outlining tough and tender solos and funky support of Jimmy Ponder. The lovely ballads "Love Letters" and "Polka Dots and Moonbeams", supported by Person on tenor sax, exhibits the great balladry skills from Holmes and listen to his bass lines. Just amazing. Unfortunately there was no "Second time Around" for Holmes reborn career, he ends this album where he started in 1961 - straight ahead soul jazz containing all of the Holmes organ trademarks that thousands of fans still enjoy listening to.

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