Joey DeFrancesco, a second-generation jazz organist (following his father,
Papa John DeFrancesco) and a third-generation jazz musician (following his grandfather, Joe DeFrancesco, who played with
the Dorsey Brothers) might be thought of as a tradtionalist, if only because of his heritage. And
Joey D!, his return to HighNote Records is, in some ways, a traditional jazz trio session on which he is accompanied by tenor saxophonist
Jerry Weldon and drummer
Byron Landham. But, although from the sound of it,
DeFrancesco seems to be playing a Hammond B-3 organ (and there seems to be an acoustic bassist in there somewhere), in fact he is playing a keyboard made by the Diversi company (of which he is an investor), which seems to be a synthesizer specially made to reproduce organ sounds, including bass pedals. Annotator and All Music Guide contributor Michael G. Nastos gives the impression that the Diversi can be made to sound like any organ, saying it can "clone" such sounds. So, here, new technology is being used to achieve an old sound. The sound is also old in the sense that
DeFrancesco,
Weldon, and
Landham are playing some standard jazz repertoire, including
Miles Davis' "Dig," as well as a couple of tunes associated with
Frank Sinatra -- "Come Dance with Me" and "Nancy (With the Laughing Face)," that would have been appropriate inclusions on
DeFrancesco's 2004 album
Joey DeFrancesco Plays Sinatra His Way. The album has a last-set feel, as if the musicians were gearing down after a long night, well-lubricated and playing well together. ~ William Ruhlmann