EUROPE GOES MEMPHIS…The Drawbars: One Finger Only, Lucas De Mulder: Feel The Spirit

Soul  sounds from the 60s and 70s start coming back in style; growing out your Afro?

David Nesselhauf/b, Julian Gutjar/dr and Chris Haertel/org-p-synth sound like a mix of B3 groove tones and Deep Purple on this recent album. The two rock hard around Nesselhauf’s bass on “One Twentyfive’ and sway to 6/8 around his line on the hip hugger “Cat Call”. Is that John Lord on the organ for the thick “Let’s Do It Again” while the team boogaloos on Broadway on “Shout”. Was this recorded at STAX studios? Where are the Bar-keys?

It sounds fitting that guitarist Lucas De Mulder’s title is reminiscent of Grant Green’s classic album of almost the same name, as the leader has a similarly pencil thin tone and style of swing on this album. He mixes and matches ensemble with Joe Tatton-Chris Sies/org, Nate Edgar/eb, Simon Allen-Alejandro Castano-Jeremy Salken/dr, Gabriel Mervine/tp and Eddie Roberts/g for tunes that range from a Famous Flame dig in for  “Redbone to a smooth reggae’d  “Say Goodbye”.  Mervine’s trumpet gets down on “ Several Times” with the leader serving tasty treats on the soulful “Go Ahead”.    There’s a good portion of blue plate chunky swamp on “Warm Nights” and the rocking “Ginger Beat” with a hip back beat to the title track.   Memphis stew.

www.colorredmusic.com

Leave a Reply