Customer Reviews

Groove's Groove

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With tracks taken from four albums for Muse Records this is an excellent starting point for those wishing to get into Groove.Be aware that on 8 of the 10 tracks Holmes shares centre stage with the very strident tenor sax of Houston Person.Material is a mixture of self penned and standards and gives a good idea of what an experience it must have been at one of their gigs.Above all this is a good example of what an unique stylist Groove Holmes was on the B3 Hammond organ.

This compilation brings together some of Groove's best work on the defunct Muse label--well over 60 minutes' worth of swinging sounds. The problem is that "32 Jazz," the label responsible for anthologizing this valuable music on CD, is itself out of business (how I wish I had picked up "Endgame Brilliance," the 32 Jazz collection of Sonny Stitt's best '70's work). So if Groove's B-3 suits your taste, better grab this one sooner rather than later. Besides Groove's organ, the inventive guitar of Jimmy Ponder and virile tenor sound of Houston Person are featured throughout. But no less impressive are the tracks on which David Schnitter's majestic, Dexter-like tenor saxophone replaces Houston's. All punning aside (woe to the musician who adopts or accepts "groove" as a handle), this recording is an impressive testament to the art of jazz organ.

Soul jazz organ may not be the most complex music, but it is some of the most fun to listen to. The pure swing and blues make this a music for all seasons.

Proof? Get this winner by Richard "Groove" Holmes. This is soul jazz done perfectly, by Holmes and cream of the crop sidemen like Cecil Bridgewater, and Cecil Brooks III. Pay close attention to the amazing guitar work, provided by Bob DeVeo and Steve Giardano.

I can hear why Holmes has the title "Groove." He is not flashy like Jimmy Smith, but loves to comp behind his amazing band. But what is gone in flash is full force in swing and blues.

Each track here is tops, but the standout in my book is "Do Nothing 'Till You Hear From Me," which hipped me to Holmes when used as an outro to Vin Scelsa's free form "Idiots Delight" radio show, first on the now gone WNEW FM in New York, and now on WFUV, in the Big Apple and on the net.

A groovefest from start to finish. As the liner notes say, "steady comin' at ya Friday night bar music. No one ever left one of Groove's gigs with the words introspective or impressionistic swirling around in his head."

I BOUGHT THIS DISK A FEW MONTHS BACK AND IT QUICKLY BECAME ONE OF MY FAVORITES! "GROOVE" IS THE RIGHT WORD FOR THIS MAN THESE KEYS WILL HELP ANY BOUND-UP RYTHEM-FREE JOE GET A "GROOVE" ON!