This band describes itself as “Soul Jazz’s Missing Link,” and that’s not too far off the mark. On first listen, I thought to myself “are these some outtakes of 70s Crusaders sessions?” You’ve got some rich an d punctuated horns, absolutely irresistible riffs with perfectly timed back beats, and bass lines supplied by Travis Carlton that would make Barry White smile.
Most of the tunes are composed by Rhode rider Bill Steinway and tenor saxist Paulie Cerra, with “Sweetness” and “They Know It All” begging for someone like Tony Joe White to grab the microphone. To keep things even more bonafide, Larry Carlton, Robben Ford and Kirk Fletcher bring their axes and sit in for some tasty solos on “Cornell,” “The Know It All” and “H-Town Hipster” respectively, wile Rickey Peterson warms up the Leslies for a hip B3 solo on “”Memphis 40 oz Hang.” You want your toes to tap and your Bass Weejuns to shuffle, you’re gonna grab for this one.