Organissimo - Groovadelphia
Rating: 90/100
You can't kill the Hammond organ with a stick. In recent years its signature sound is becoming once again a familiar voice in modern music. This is beneficial for the Hammond factory but not necessarily great for the rest of us. The instrument has a tendency to become monotonous if not played in the most creative ways. A Hammond organ does not an organ trio make. But if you have a player with monster chops and the right attitude, nothing can beat the groove from this machine. Jim Alfredson fits that bill. On one tune after another on Groovadelphia , he and his bandmates jump in the pocket.
Named after the band's home away from home, "Groovadelphia" is a choppy blues number. Marsh's churning drums propel a funky back-and-forth between Alfredson and guitarist Gloss. From time to time the two pleasingly double. Alfredson takes a grinding solo. Gloss's blues-funk turn suggests distortion without playing it. Once these guys lock in, a crowbar is needed to disengage them. The vibe is magnetic. Head bopping is not a choice in this matter. The music makes it mandatory.
Score: Hammond organ 1. Stick 0.
Reviewer: Walter Kolosky