Richard Holmes & Gene Ammons – Groovin With Jug (180g LP)

Label : Pure Pleasure / Pacific Jazz – PPAN ST32 – 180 Gram Virgin Vinyl -5060149620861 AAA 100% Analogue – . Mastering by Steve Hoffman & Kevin Gray at Acoustech .This LP was Remastered using Pure Analogue Components Only, from the Master Tapes through to the Cutting Head Limited Edition – Pressed at Pallas Germany – Pacific Jazz ST32 Featured in Michael Fremer’s Heavy Rotation in the August 2009 Issue of Stereophile Ironically, Gene ‘Jug’ Ammons tended to be critical of organists; he was quoted as saying that »organ players don’t know any changes.« However, as critical the Chicago tenor saxman might have been of organists – most of them, anyway – he did some of his best work in their presence. When Ammons united with Jack McDuff, Johnny ‘Hammond’ Smith and other B-3 masters in the ’60s, the sparks would fly. They certainly fly on this excellent album, which finds Ammons and Richard ‘Groove’ Holmes co-leading a soul-jazz/hard bop organ combo that also includes guitarist Gene Edwards and drummer Leroy Henderson. The quartet is heard in two settings on August 15, 1961 – three of the eight selections were produced by Richard Bock in a Los Angeles studio in the afternoon, while the other three were recorded several hours later an L.A. club called the Black Orchid. Ammons and Holmes prove to be a strong combination in both settings, although their playing is somewhat looser at the Orchid, where the delights include some slow blues, a smokey ballad (“Willow Weep for Me”) and a lightning-fast barnburner. However critical Ammons might have been of most organists, it’s obvious that he and Holmes share a lot of common ground on “Groovin’ With Jug”. This LP is a live/studio record split with side one containing three tracks recorded at The Black Orchid on August 15th in 1961 and the second side was recorded on the same date but at Pacific JazzStudios. The re-mastering was done by Steve Hoffman and Kevin Gray. The “live” side is characterized by some hootin’ and hollerin’ aswell as other ambient sounds that help to bring the listener right into the performance. There is quite a large difference in volume onAmmon’s horn due to microphone proximity and interpretive license. The organ is relatively quiet by comparison and sounds much farther back onstage. The material shows more variety than the studio side and includes a beautifully mellow version of “Willow Weep For Me.” Thelast track on the side one is faster in contrast to Willow and to the bluesy sound of the first track. The “studio” side sounded very spread out, big and lively. There’sgood reason that Holmes is known as “groove”–just take a long listen to the second track-groovy man! My preference musically leans moretowards the first side, but this side is not lackluster by any means. Featured in Michael Fremer’s Heavy Rotation in the August 2009 Issue of Stereophile Gene “Jug” Ammons tended to be critical of organists; he was quoted as saying that “organ players don’t know any changes.” However, as critical as the Chicago tenor saxman might have been of organists – most of them, anyway – he did some of his best work in their presence. When Ammons was united with Jack McDuff, Johnny “Hammond” Smith and other B-3 masters in the ’60s, the sparks would fly. They certainly fly on this excellent album, which finds Ammons and Richard “Groove” Holmes co-leading a soul-jazz/hard bop organ combo that also includes guitarist Gene Edwards and drummer Leroy Henderson. Side 1 recorded at the Black Orchid on August 15, 1961. Side 2 recorded at Pacific Jazz Studios on August 15, 1961. Re-mastered by Steve Hoffman & Kevin Gray. Musicians: Richard “Groove” Holmes, organ Gene Ammons, tenor sax Gene Edwards, guitar Leroy Henderson, drums Selections: 1. Good Vibrations 2. Willow Weep for Me 3. Juggin’ Around 4. Groovin’ With Jug 5. Morris the Minor 6. Hey You, What’s That?