New Orleans’ own drummer Simon Lott and guitarist Jeff Parker join the ace keyboardist on this grooving collection released today on Royal Potato Family Records.
This is Blades’ third recording as a leader and his first to feature Lott and Parker. His previous release on Royal Potato Family was the duo recording, Shimmy, with the drummer Billy Martin of Medeski, Martin and Wood. His first solo effort, Sketchy, featured the late, great Idris Muhammad.
“I always had the idea in my mind that doing a trio with Jeff Parker and Simon Lott would have a cool vibe and would be very open,” Blades said. “Both of those guys can play straight-ahead jazz, they can funk, they can take it out, they can go in so many different directions.” That is putting it mildly.
Blades is influenced by the old school organ trio concept epitomized by one of the legends, Dr. Lonnie Smith. Smith has also taken Blades under his wing as a mentor. “A lot of the older guys really want the music to be carried on, and the old school method was not jazz college, it was mentorship,” Blades said.
Blades has played occasionally in New Orleans, most recently in a trio with Lott and guitarist Will Bernard. That set cracked with the same energy this group brings to the recording studio. Some of the tunes are very open allowing Lott’s crisp drum work plenty of space as Blades’ organ percolates and Parker’s guitar snaps.
With this release, Blades joins other contemporary organ trios like Medeski, Martin and Wood by paying homage to the soulful roots of the sound while at the same time establishing himself as composer and performer firmly focused on the future at intersection of jazz and funk.
