Led by Hammond organ wizard Adam Scone, Scone Cash Players offer a blend of soulful grooves and sophistication on their newest platter, Brooklyn to Brooklin, with the record’s title drawing a connection between the borough in NYC and the neighborhood in São Paulo, Brazil. That should be a tip off to the nature of the record’s sounds, and yet there’s plenty of impressive range on display, along with sharp playing and, in a sweet twist, choir singing. The album is out on vinyl and digital September 9 through Daptone Records.
Falling securely onto the soulful-groove side of the organ-led ensemble spectrum, and with a tendency toward finesse, Scone Cash Players establish a tight fit with the Daptone ethos, as organist Adam Scone, noted member of The Sugarman 3, an outfit that could really bring the heat and grease, has played no small role as instrumentalist in the label’s output
Brooklyn to Brooklin is Scone Cash Players fourth full-length, following As the Screw Turns (2019), Blast Furnace! (’18), and The Mind Blower (’08), as a half dozen singles have been released, all of them two-siders on wax. For their latest, they tap into a steady current of good-vibes with relish. And while the Brazilian connection is heard loud and clear at numerous times, opener “Cold 40s” has an elevated swagger in the horn section that beings Philadelphia in the 1970s to mind, and with a smidge of grandness that suggests Isaac Hayes in his solo prime.
With a title like “Cold 40s,” one might suppose Brooklyn to Brooklin is comprised of total burners. And while “In Our Hands” does kick off ample sparks, the set is far more varied than that. Hell, “In Our Hands” displays a considerable diversity, e.g. its choral chant of the title and the horn section playing obvious charts rather than just vamping.
“Anadira” slows it down but with no loss of potency, as the Brazilian influence starts coming to the fore and the voices add flair. Crucial is how the singing is always purposeful, and please look no further than the title track for evidence, with its refrain of “I would rather be in Brooklyn” helping to further broaden the track’s Brazilian flavor and establishing a high level of erudition throughout.
Scone and company slow it down a few notches for “All These Bad Things,” and with no loss in temperature, as “What’s Her Name” follows, the guitar licks at the start reminiscent of a ’60s-vintage 45 recorded in Memphis, TN (you know, where Booker T and the MGs were from, and also Travis Wammack), while the singing inches ever nearer to the sound of hot gospel.
Next, “It Wasn’t Meant to Be” hits an apex of bluesy soulfulness as Scone gets in some tremendous soloing, and then “Night Ballads” comes of like a late ’60s Booker T album track blended with more ’70s Philly action, the horns boldly rising and getting off in the track’s waning moments. From there, in the penultimate spot, “Golden State” is a late showcase for guitarist Jimmy James, who really tears it up. I dig how Brian Wolfe treats his hi-hat in the cut, as well.
Appropriately, Scone really turns it on one last time at the Hammond in “Laughing Because,” his playing full-bodied and with occasional note flourishes but not too busy. This lack of show-offy moves carries over to the ensemble’s execution, tasteful but never too safe, with the vocal component a risk that fully pays off. With Brooklyn to Brooklin, Scone Cash Players make clear that organ-led combos are far from played out on the scene.
GRADED ON A CURVE:
A-
