I had a chance to hear this trio of Hammond B3er Akiko Tsuruga, guitarist Graham Dechter and famed drummer Jeff Hamilton at the Blue Whale awhile back, and just couldn’t make it. This album makes me even more regretful of the lapse, as it’s a swinging affair, showing all things that make the B3 trio the comfort food of jazz.
Half of the fun of these trios is wondering what song they will put through their puree’ and they pick some fun ones with Tsuruga pulling out the plugs for a sublime read of “Moment’s Notice” and Dechter bending the notes like a preacher as Hamilton supplies the “Amens” on Hank Mobley’s “The Baptist Beat.” Of course, there’s lots of shuffling beats and boogie grooves, as the team sizzles on “Mag’s Groove” and is tighter than Kim Kardashian’s leggings on the bluesy “Orange Coals.” The team has fun on an upbeat read of “I Remember You” and they swing like a tetherball tournament on the driving “This Could Be The Start of Something Big.” A blue plate special that sticks to the ribs.