Makin' It

OLIVER LAKE ORGAN TRIO: Makin’ It
Passin’ Thru, 2008

Fiery alto saxophonist Lake explodes all over this otherwise straight-up organ trio session, cutting through deep, funky B3 grooves and hot, energetic drumming. The unusual blend of avant-garde squealing and streetwise strut reminds me of some of the more progressive soul-jazz from the 1960s and 1970s (see John Patton’s Understanding, 1968). So hopefully funk and avant fans alike will pick up on this very cool disc.

Fo’s Picks: 1, 3, 4, 5, 7

1. 7:03 – funky walk: mad sax scribbling, organ holds groove, hot drums
2. 1:37 – oddball interlude: repetitive sax, then screamin’ over laid-back organ
3. 5:40 – twisty groove becomes a low march, then upbeat; crazy sax
4. 6:03 – relaxed soul theme, squirrelly sax: blend of styles really works here
5. 5:30 – steady glide over staggered rhythm, sweet drums, then busts out
6. 3:40 – quirky, repetitive groove: threatens to fall apart, but never does
7. 8:23 – easy stride turns to uptempo freewheeling improv in the middle
8. 5:22 – relaxed soulful creep, catchy melody, relatively straightforward
9. 2:22 – strange 12-bar blues, sax gets a little twisty
10. 6:24 – hymn starts otherworldly, turns passionate, then a soulful groove

[ Fo ] 26-Oct-08