Organ-Ized: An All-Star Tribute to the Hammond B3 Organ

Why have the once-ignored sounds of organ-centric jazz become all the rage in the past few years? With so much overtly commercial product in the marketplace, from teeny pop to smooth jazz to new country, perhaps audiences are pining for the funky, pure soul found in such killer keyboardists as Charles Earland, Charles Kynard, and Larry Young. Unfortunately, none of those players appear on Organ-ized. This 13-track collection does give a good overview of mostly contemporary organ honchos. Jimmy Smith, Reuben Wilson, and Jack McDuff offer old school standards, while comparatively recent newcomers Larry Goldings and Joey DeFranceso stoke the high-flying engine of postbop. The bulk of the collection centers on modern styles, at times to a glut. Tracks two through five (John Medeski, Art Neville, Michael Omartian, and Galactic) are practically all the same sixteenth-note rhythm and tempo, recalling the zydeco craze. But it does get better. Ricky Petersen offers popping fusion, Mike Finnegan a little fatback R&B, Tommy Eyre a much-needed raunchy blues shuffle. Although not the last word in organ gratification (women like Shirley Scott and Barbara Dennerlen are missing), Organ-ized is a good primer for those about to groove. --Ken Micallef