FREDDIE ROACH
Good Move!
Blue Note
7243 5 24551 2 6

JOHN PATTON
Along Came John
Blue Note
7243 8 31915 2 9

Organist Freddie Roach recorded five albums for Blue Note from 1962 through 1965. Good Move is the third of these, and though Roach comes across as an extremely thoughtful and intelligent person in the liner notes, this recording is one of those by-the-numbers organ dates that Blue Note and Prestige churned out by the dozens back in the 60s. Unlike Jimmy Smith, Roach is a gritty, soulful player whose work is rooted in the blues. His bandmates are capable enough, but neither provides stellar support. Guitarist Eddie Wright, who later worked with Larry Young, is far more comfortable (and interesting) as a rhythm guitarist. Clarence Johnston is a crisp no-nonsense timekeeper along the lines of Ben Dixon, Joe Dukes, and Al Harewood.

Blue Mitchell and Hank Mobley augment the basic trio on several tracks, and both add quite a bit to the proceedings. Mitchell’s floating, carefree solos sparkle throughout. On the other hand, Mobley’s playing seems diffident, and doesn’t really catch fire until the fifth track, "On Our Way Up," where he digs deep into Roach’s surprisingly modern-sounding soul-jazz groove and makes some really passionate statements. Mobley and Mitchell again rise to the occasion on "Lots of Lovely Love," and help to counteract some of the tune’s inherent corniness. Of the trio tracks, the best are the uptempo reworking of the Gershwins’ "It Ain’t Necessarily So," and the CD’s final track, "I. Q. Blues." The latter was written by Roach for reedman Ike Quebec, who died before he could record the tune. Though it’s breezily uptempo, Roach instills the tune with a distinctive dark, elegaic feel. The rest of Good Move is pretty basic stuff: mid- to uptempo blues of no particular distinction, and a wrenchingly corny version of Errol Garner’s "Pastel" is pure cheese. For Hammond B-3 fanatics only, I’m afraid.

Though Patton’s solo debut (recorded in April 1963) is no more distinguished in terms of material, it’s a far more enjoyable recording that crackles with excitement and energy from start to finish. Patton’s approach combines Jimmy Smith’s finesse with the bluesy grit and gospel fire of players like Freddie Roach. Unlike Roach, Patton never seems to run out of ideas. Grant Green is in great form here, and criminally underrecorded tenormen Jackson (who recorded a solo date for Blue Note in 1962 titled "Hootin’ and Tootin’") and Vick (who was about to make his Blue Note debut at the time of this recording, and later played and recorded with Aretha Franklin, Jack DeJohnette and Joe Chambers, among others) provide lots of muscle. Jackson’s soloing is both highly original and surprisingly modern. Though his sound is closer to Sonny Rollins’, his tendency toward honking, popping and squealing climaxes seems to come more out of Dolphy or Coltrane. It’s a shame that Jackson didn’t record more, as he is quite an interesting player. Vick is more reserved, but his smoothly executed, convoluted, boppish lines always sustained my interest. Drummer Ben Dixon wrote 3 of the set’s 6 tunes: a slightly goofy boogaloo ("The Silver Meter") and two more-or-less straightahead blues tunes ("Spiffy Diffy" and "Pig Foots"). Patton’s originals "Along Came John" and "Gee Gee" are somewhat more sophisticated and jazzy. "I’ll Never Be Free" is a torchy R&B ballad that Patton plays convincingly without lapsing into cheesy sentimentality. Along Came John isn’t Patton’s most interesting recording (that honor belongs to his 1995 release on the Japanese DIW label titled Minor Swing), but there’s plenty of meat here. A timely and well-chosen reissue.

Dave Wayne

Track Listing: 1. It Ain’t Necessarily So; 2. When Malindy Sings; 3. Pastel; 4. Wine, Wine, Wine; 5. On Our Way Up; 6. T’Ain’t What You Do; 7. Lots of Lovely Love; 8. I. Q. Blues

Personnel: Freddie Roach, Hammond B-3 organ; Eddie Wright, guitar; Clarence Johnston, drums; Hank Mobley, tenor saxophone (Tracks 2, 4, 5, 7); Blue Mitchell, trumpet (tracks 2, 4, 5, 7)

Track Listing: 1. The Silver Meter; 2. I’ll Never Be Free; 3. Spiffy Diffy; 4. Along Came John; 5. Gee Gee; 6. Pig Foots

Personnel: John Patton, Hammond B-3 organ; Fred Jackson, tenor saxophone; Harold Vick, tenor saxophone; Grant Green, guitar; Ben Dixon, drums