The most popular form of jazz in the '60s was not avant-garde or even hard bop, but soul jazz. The organ groups (which usually featured guitar, tenor and drums) emphasized blues, ballads and soulful renditions of standards. Guitarist
Randy Caldwell revives that style in lively fashion for this CD. Joined by the underrated but talented organist, Gene Ludwig, Lou Stellute on tenor and flute, and either Don Williams, Dan Muchoney or Sylvester Goshay on drums,
Caldwell explores some fairly advanced material for the idiom. The repertoire consists of John Coltrane's "Impressions," the veteran standard "Where Are You," a pair of
Dizzy Gillespie songs ("Con Alma" and "Woody'n You") plus four originals.
Caldwell creates music that is both fairly explorative and grooving. It is a particular joy to hear
Gene Ludwig in this setting again too. ~ Scott Yanow