Kevin Coelho (Hammond B3); Derek DiCenzo (gtr); Reggie Jackson (dms).(Review by Lance)
It's rare for an 18 year old to have his second CD reviewed in as many years on Bebop Spoken Here but, then again, there aren't that many teenagers who can pedal a B3 like this young man does. His début album Funkengruven--the Art of Driving a B3 was a knock-out and, given that he's had another 2 years to absorb the pearls of wisdom from his mentor Tony Monaco, this one is, not surprisingly, a worthy follow-up.
Back in the '50s and '60s every other record seemed to be by someone from the Hammond stable. Jack McDuff, Jimmy McGrith, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Don Patterson and of course Jimmy Smith. Over here, Mike Carr and Alan Haven kept up the pressure. Latterly, in the States, Joey De Francesco keeps the flame burning and, in the UK, Ross Stanley lights a few fires as do local boys Paul Moran and Gerry Richardson.
Coehlo is up there and it wouldn't surprise me to see him chasing De Francesco in the next Down Beat poll!
Turn It Up is aptly titled! It's a disc to be turned up! In a bar or a party this disc would have the room dancing and drinking and having a good time - that's what music like this is all about. I don't recommend it for the car stereo as the blurb suggests - you'd be outside the speed limit before you reached the corner and probably taken a couple of traffic wardens out on the way!
The material is mint! Jimmy Smith's Root Down, Prince's Soft and Wet, Lennon and McCartney's Come Together - those last two titles! War's The World is a Ghetto. There's a couple of versions of the latter as there is of When Johnny Comes Marching Home.Don't mock y'all, WJCMH is one of the best grooves on the album!
Finally, Georgia on my Mind provides the laid back mood that you need at a party from time to time. I think Hoagy would have liked this one, in fact you can almost hear his laconic vocal above it all.
DiCenzo and Jackson are, once again, the perfect team. The guitar solos are just so right for what Coehlo lays down and in Jackson he's got the most sympathetic ear he'll ever find for this set-up.
If you're into B3 this is for you. If you're not, or rather thought you weren't, it's still for you - because you will be - trust me!
The downside? Kevin Coehlo puts bass players out of work!
I wonder if I can get these guys a gig at Hoochie - it's only a few thousand miles away?
The Cd Kevin Coehlo - Turn It Up. is available on Chicken Coup CCP7018.
Lance.
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