Is this still young but nearly legendary hipster, who almost singlehandedly rekindled jazz's interest in the Hammond B-3 organ, going to the dogs? The folks at Concord Records hope so, sending out a doggie biscuit with their press materials as
DeFrancesco gives one of his favorite East Coast jazz singers, Joe Doggs, a prominent spotlight. Doggs' soulful vocals (praised in the liner notes by
Quincy Jones and very reminiscent of the passionate
Jimmy Scott experience) and fresh, expansive arrangements are at the cool, swinging heart of the collection's 11 cherished standards. Between vocal passages, the organ great also continues his long tradition of working with top trad jazz names like
Pat Martino, tenorman
Red Holloway, drummer
Jeff Hamilton (complementing
DeFrancesco's core trio member
Byron Landham), and
Kevin Eubanks. "All or Nothing at All" rolls along at eight minutes, with
DeFrancesco's B-3 simmering coolly under Doggs' sweet seductive vocals before swinging harder during the playful instrumental break punctuated by
Martino's crisp guitar solo. The same basic principles embrace the easy, strutting take on
the Gershwins' "But Not for Me," with
DeFrancesco's lively soloing giving way to a fiery tenor spotlight by
Holloway. Other standards given the royal treatment are "Love for Sale," "Dearly Beloved," and "My Romance." Next time when you hear the term "Dogg style," you may think beyond
Snoop Dogg and the more vulgar connotations. ~ Jonathan Widran