Big John Patton's second album,
Blue John, was one of several '60s sessions the organist led for Blue Note that remained unissued until much later (in this case, 1986). Although the six selections are all straightforward soul-jazz, the results end up far more offbeat than one might expect. That's due largely to the presence of soprano sax/stritch player
George Braith, one of the very few
Rahsaan Roland Kirk disciples to master the art of playing multiple horns simultaneously.
Braith is far and away the most distinctive element of
Patton's quintet, which also includes trumpeter
Tommy Turrentine and frequent
Patton collaborators
Grant Green on guitar and Ben Dixon on drums. While the grooving interplay between
Patton,
Green, and Dixon is as instinctive as ever,
Braith's piercing, honking stabs are what really liven up the proceedings, giving
Blue John a crazed sense of fun that makes it one of
Patton's most infectious and enjoyable records. There may be something of a novelty element to
Braith's playing, but bluesy, groove-centered soul-jazz rarely sounds this bright and exuberant, which is reason enough not to dismiss his contributions. Highlights include the opener, "Hot Sauce," one of
Braith's signature compositions, and drummer Dixon's "Nicety."