TOWNER GALAHER — Towner Galaher Organ Trio Live (review)

TOWNER GALAHER — Towner Galaher Organ Trio Live album cover Live album · 2023 · Soul Jazz Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
js
Although it was considered a musical anachronism during the 1970s and up to the early part of this century, the classic Hammond B3 jazz trio has been making a big comeback lately. Just recently we have seen saxophonist Anthony E Nelson release his tribute to the genre, and now that has been followed by “Towner Gallaher Organ Trio Live”, by … you guessed it, the Towner Gallaher Organ Trio. Towner Gallaher is a veteran drummer and music educator who has been working the NYC scene since 1986. The other members of the group include Lonnie Gasperini on Hammond B3 and Marvin Horne on guitar. The communication and telepathy among the band members is palatable as they have been jamming together for 14 years. This album is a live recording and the band worked without a set list, just Towner calling out tunes and the band tearing into them without any rehearsal. Every song on here is a first take, except for “Fever”.

Lots of rhythmic variety on here as the trio grooves on hard bop, swing, funk, RnB, jazz waltz, and that classic standby of the soul jazz crowd, boogaloo. Towner has studied New Orleans rhythm with Ricky Sebastian, and that second line sound permeates many of the tunes. Galaher usually records his own original material, but for this one he went for classic soul jazz songs by folks like Dr Lonnie Smith, Jack McDuff, Jimmy Smith and Lou Donaldson, plus five pieces by Gasperini in classic soul jazz style including one tribute to Jimmy McGriff. If you are a fan of 60s soul jazz, you will not be disappointed in this album, in fact, even the production and overall sound is totally lacking in fake digital sheen, and that is a good thing. All the performers are great, but Horne in particular brings some very unique approaches and original ideas on his instrument. In the CD liner notes, Towner relates: “What these guys bring to the table … grit, grease, heartfelt blues feeling and … a whole lotta soul!!! … cannot be learned out of any book or at any music school. Enjoy!”
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