Search - Various Artists :: 2B3 Toronto sessions

A "Must Have" for B3 Afficionados!

01/17/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I thoroughly enjoyed this collection of recordings featuring some of the great "lesser known" B3 players of the day. These are the guys who man the studios and play behind the bands, but generally do not have the name recognition of a Jimmy Smith or a Joey Defrancesco. It is about time they got the opportunity to show off their "stuff" on their own CD! Each track features at least two of the organists playing in a "summit" format, swapping solos and trading licks. The tunes covered appear to have been selected for maximum punch. No longhair jazz or extended avante garde solos here. This is real in-your-face music, designed to keep the party going all night long. While the "power" of the music is the recordings primary appeal, it is also what keeps the CD from the ranks of the great B3 recordings. The songs lean towards the "lowest common denominator" side of things. They tend to lack the "subtlety" and "grace" which I believe are hallmarks of the "all-time-great" B3 recordings. Not that I don't enjoy an "all-of-the-drawbard-all-the-way-out" tune as much as the next guy. However, the B3 also has a "soft side," which is generally absent on this recording. That being said, this is a GREAT CD, and should be part of every B3 enthusiast's collection."