Hammond B3er Pat Bianchi creates a core trio with Paul Bellenback/g and Byron Landhamdr while mixing and matching with guests including Peter Bernstein/t, Carmen Intorre/dr, Joe Locke/vib, Kevin Mahoganhy/voc and Pat Martino/g on the soulful plate of meat and potatoes. In what may have been his last recording, Mahogony is magnificently bel canto on “I Want to Talk About You” as Bianchi pulls all the stops in support like a Verdian orchestra. Likewise, Martino bops and skips like a stone during his nimble “Mr. PM” and Bernstein dresses up in blue for a lyrical “Blue Gardenia.” Locke adds good vibes to the intricate groover “Humpty Dumpty” and creates rich ripples on Wayne Shorter’s warm drifter “Humpty Dumpty.” With the stripped down team, the trio is upbeat for a soulful “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing” that features Bollenback in a Motown moodand Landham rides the cymbal like he’s riding shotgun and a winning and surprisingly uptempo take of Willie Nelson’s “Crazy.” Do these guys ever hit the West Coast?
Savant Records