Philadelphia has been the capital of organ combos ever since
Jimmy Smith popularized the electric Hammond B-3 in the 1950s, but talented B-3 players have also come out of locations ranging from Illinois (
Jack McDuff) to Germany (
Barbara Dennerlein). Texas is the state that gave us the Smith-influenced Eric "Scorch" Scortia, whose second Heads Up release,
Vital Organ, offers a likable blend of Texas and Philly influences. The CD isn't radically different from the many soul-jazz/hard bop sessions offered by Philadelphians, but
Scortia acknowledges his Texas background by paying tribute to the late "Texas tenor"
James Clay on "Texas Clay" and prominently featuring the Texas tenor of Marchel Ivery. Along with Scortia's gritty, hard-swinging B-3 and Ivery's robust sax, one of the leader's strongest assets on
Vital Organ is guitarist
Henry Johnson. While many of Johnson's overproduced albums have failed to demonstrate how strong an improviser he can be, the
George Benson-influenced player has ample room to stretch on
Scortia originals ranging from the mellow "Denise" to the catchy blues "Armadillo Stew."
Vital Organ may not have gone down in history as the most groundbreaking effort of 1996, but it's decent, heartfelt and unapologetically swinging. ~ Alex Henderson