This early-'70s title features a mixed program by the great soul-jazz organist
Jimmy McGriff.
McGriff not only digs into some
Jimmy Smith-style, early '60s-era organ trio numbers like his original "Old Grad Dad" and
Hoagy Carmichael's "Georgia on My Mind," but he also includes the kind of contemporary soul fare he had turned to by the late '60s;
McGriff spares no expense, going for the heart of soul royalty with
Al Green's "Let's Stay Together,"
Isaac Hayes' "Theme From Shaft," and
Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On." Inspired by their attractive melody lines and challenging chord sequences,
McGriff and band enliven these already great songs with fine horn arrangements and superb solos (Harold Bennett's passionate and assured flute solo on "What's Going On" especially stands out).
McGriff registers some nasty, in-the-pocket solos himself and contributes one of the hottest tracks here, the chicken-shack cooker "Tiki."
Let's Stay Together is a great set by one of the masters of the Hammond B-3 organ sound. ~ Stephen Cook