“It’s magic when we play together”
So gleamed drummer and leader Denny Seiwell, best known for his work with Paul McCartney’s Wings as he brought together his jazz organ combo of guitarist John Chiodini and Hammond man Joe Bagg for a 90 minute set that let them play, as referred to in their first album’s title, with “Reckless Abandon.”
Seiwell and company adroitly mixed originals, jazz covers and songs from his Wings days with mosaic like wisdom. As with all things concerning Hammond trios, the comfort food is the blues shuffle, and the three dug in deep on easy lazy struts like Randy Brecker’s “Midnight Voyage,” Chiodini’s sublime groover “Midnight Meatballs” and Bagg’s gospel tapper “Muster the Gumption” with a mix of hip guitar lines, sleek pulses and humming keyboard lines.
A couple of Brazilian tunes displayed Seiwell’s well versed vocabulary as he produced a hi-hat heaven on the tricky maracatu rhythm of the sleek and sensuous “April Child” which climaxed in a telepathic back and forth conversation between guitar and keys, while “Curumin” featured the leader digging into a nice rivulet between tasty cymbal chimes and street fest drums underneath some caressed strings supplied by Chiodini.
Most fun of all were the jazzed up McCartney tunes, as Seiwell rumbled a funky and soul-fested “Coming Up,” a swampy take of the obscure “Bip Bop” that had the Natalie Cole alumnus Chiodini pickin’ and grinnin’, a boogie-ing “Live and Let Die” that followed a lilting guitar and keyboard intro, and a gorgeous ballad read of “Dear Friends” that had Seiwell deftly brushing softly as Chiodini’s strings pleaded and ex-Larry Coryell sideman Baggs created a contemplative mist.
After closing with a kinetic “Cheetahs and Gazelles” and Herbie Hancock’s anthem “Cantaloupe Island,” Seiwell reflected his band’s enthusiasm for this type of music by stating “It’s nice to get together for music without the suits telling us what to play.” The attitude was well appreciated by the audience that came for music played by the heart and not committee.
Upcoming shows at Bogie’s include Laurence Juber 01/20, Frank Stallone 01/22, Paul Barrere 01/24, The Wrecking Crew 01/27, and get your tickets now for Martin Barre 03/10.