Chris Forman’s humming Hammond has locked in with drummer Greg Rockingham during their days with the Deep Blue Organ Trio. This time out they add guitarist Lee Rothenberg and warm tenor saxist Geof Bradfield to create a vintage humming quartet that is big on grooves.
The team digs into some vintage material with Forman pulling the plugs on Grant Green’s “Matador” and sizzles during Jimmy Smith’s “J.O.S.” Rockingham shuffles to Buffalo on “Hammer Head” and boogies with “Bradfield” on the hip “Sir Charles” and bopping “Uncertainty.” Rothenberg gives some nice lines on “Easy Time” and the team stretches out wondrously on the balm of “Little Girl Blue” before showing their bop chops on Freddie Hubbard’s “Thermo.” The peanut butter and jelly of jazz.