Few things sound so right as the Hammond B3 combo of drums, guitar and sometimes a tenor sax for a cherry on the top. Here are a couple Leslie Amp specials…
Joel Visentin leads a trio with Adam Beer_Colacino/g and Jeff Halischuk/dr through a set of mostly originals, mostly short and sweet and filled with oozing soul. Visentin wails on a gospel drenched “Slacktivision” and “Caustic Optimism” while he pulls the plugs on a searing solo of “Forty Filth.” Beer-Colacino is nifty on the riffing “Chain of Fools” and funkfesting “I Suppose It Is.” Some guest sax work by Kelly Jefferson makes “Squadzilla” simmer aand “Capybara” groove, whereas Alison Young’s alto is a sweet tone for the ballad “Market Research.” Rib sticking good.
Caesar Frazier fronts a smoky quartet with Lyle Link/ts, Jacques Lesure/g and Leon Joyce/dr for some muscular bop and swampy soul strutting. He opens things off with a spacy solo on “Let’s Get Started” before tearing into a hip “Jive Samba” that is so infectious it’s reprised towards the end of the album. Link is rich and foggy for “Soul Shadows” and Lesure is melodic and lyrical for “1-2-3” and the sleek “Codes.” Frazier creates a long shadow stark mood for “You Don’t Know What Love Is” and gets the pedals pushing along with Joyce for a sweet “That’s All.” Wondrous moods and colors abound.