Customer Reviews

Smokin Out Loud

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Every Tuesday in a jazzclub called Smoke in Upper West side of Manhattan these four musicians come together to play and have fun: Mike LeDonne - Hammond B3 organ (whose first instrument is the piano), Eric Alexander - tenor sax, Peter Bernstein - guitar, Joe Farnsworth - drums. They are not there to do some weird avantgarde things, but to make it swing! And so does this album, which is the first documented performance of this quartet of musical friends. Recorded by the legendary Rudy van Gelder at his own studio this honest and straightforward music comes through gloriously. The repertoire is nicely varied, with emphasis on uptempo tunes. The inclusion of the pop ballads "Superstar", "Close To You", both made famous by the Carpenters (!) and Earth Wind & Fire's "After The Love Is Gone" is surprising, but they come off very well. The latter two are transformed into uptempo straightahead burners whereas "Superstar" gets a superb treatment, with a particularly impressive long solo by Mike LeDonne, who shows that he is much more than an occasional organ player. All in all, this album is a good representation of their weekly smokin' Smoke gigs and recommended to anyone who likes uncomplicated swingin' jazz. Fans of the wonderful tenor sax sound of Eric Alexander should definitely add this one to their collection.

Great Souljazz Hammond B3 Organ date with Eric Alexander Playing tasty bebop derived solos as does Mike on the Organ.Standards and organ hits are the fare.Its Acid Jazz because it has the soulfunk sound of the B3 Masters by a Master yet the solos are jazzy bebop done in a most soulful way.Both sax & Organ are strong my advice is if this is the case buy it because its rare. David Smith

I'm not really sure why this album is getting all the attention that it is. Yeah, these guys can play a lot of notes. Big deal. The album centers around Mike Ledonne, the organist- what so many people fail to realize is that the organ is totally its own instrument. Yeah, it has keys, but that's about where similarities to the piano end.

It also bothers me that some of the saxophone solos are *clearly* overdubbed. Come on guys, this is JAZZ.

Bottom line is that Mike Ledonne sounds like a pianist trying to play organ. Boo-urns. Pick up a Gene Ludwig album.