CD Review: The Greg Hatza ORGANisation - Diggin' Up my Roots.

Greg Hatza (Nord C2D/vocals); Robert Shaid (drums); Brian Kooken (guitar); Peter Fraize (tenor).

(Review by Lance).

R & R; R & B and, natch, a lot of jazz in the mix. Covers. I've no problem with that. If they weren't any good they wouldn't get covered and Hatza stamps enough of himself on them to avoid being accused of plagiarism. There's also some of his own compositions that stand up well. This is 50's/60's juke joint music. The organ/sax/guitar/drums combo conjuring up images of spare ribs, bottles of Bud, shots of bourbon or rye, slinky chicks and cool dudes. Maybe there'll be a knifing or some guy will get a bullet just below his fedora. The band will keep playing. The cops show and you can bet your life that nobody saw nothin'.

And how could they? Music like this doesn't allow for distractions. The organ hits a groove the likes of which we associate with McGriff; McDuff; Smith et al - not forgetting Gerry Richardson, Mike Carr and Russ Stanley on this side of the pond. Fraize wails like as though he was walkin' the bar in N'orlins and Kooken, he lays it down like the good bluesman that he is. Hatza chants a few and Shaid drives it along real easy.

High Heel Sneakers; I Got a Woman; Back at the Chicken Shack; Night Train; Please Send me Someone to Love; Hand Jive; Something You've Got; Stagger Lee plus Hatza originals - Baltimore Strut; Big Big Back and Headin' on Down South tell you where this is at and I'll also tell you that if you ever come round to my place with chitlins, red beans and beer this will be on the player and we'll have a ball!

Now available on Flip Records.

Listen here.

Lance.