Review by Alex Henderson
In early 2009, many of the great Jimmy Smith-influenced soul-jazz organists who emerged in the 1950s or 1960s were no longer living. Richard "Groove" Holmes, Johnny "Hammond" Smith, and Charles Earland died in the 1990s; Jimmy McGriff, Shirley Scott, Jack McDuff, Big John Patton, and the seminal Jimmy Smith passed away in the 2000s. So the arrival of a solid, Jimmy Smith-based soul-jazz organ date like Blues Citizens in March 2009 was good news (this 49-minute CD was recorded in May 2006 but came out almost three years later). Radam Schwartz remains a staunch proponent of the Jimmy Smith school of soul-jazz organ, and his prominent influences include not only Smith, but also McDuff, Earland, and Holmes. All of those influences are evident on Blues Citizens, which finds Schwartz leading a cohesive quintet that also includes tenor saxophonist Bill Saxton, alto saxophonist Bruce Williams, guitarist Eric Johnson, and drummer Cecil Brooks III (the album's producer). Nothing groundbreaking occurs, but Schwartz and his allies provide enjoyable, no-nonsense soul-jazz/hard bop on Schwartz originals as well as on Herbie Hancock's "Driftin'" and the standard "I Don't Stand a Ghost of a Chance with You." Equally engaging is a performance of Erroll Garner's "Misty," which was influenced by the classic version that Holmes recorded for his Soul Message album on Prestige in 1965. That isn't to say that Schwartz's version of "Misty" is a carbon copy of Holmes'; the tempo is comparable, but unlike Holmes' trio version with guitarist Gene Edwards and drummer Jimmie Smith (not to be confused with the organist), Schwartz's version includes horns. Like Joey DeFrancesco, Schwartz doesn't pretend to be pointing the Hammond B-3 organ in any new directions, but there is no doubt that he is pleasingly good at what he does -- and the enjoyable, if derivative, Blues Citizens makes it clear that his B-3 playing is well worth getting to know.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/blues-citizens-mw0000811471
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Reseña de Alex Henderson
A principios de 2009, muchos de los grandes organistas de soul-jazz influenciados por Jimmy Smith que surgieron en los años 50 o 60 ya no vivían. Richard "Groove" Holmes, Johnny "Hammond" Smith y Charles Earland murieron en la década de 1990; Jimmy McGriff, Shirley Scott, Jack McDuff, Big John Patton y el seminal Jimmy Smith fallecieron en la década de 2000. Así que la llegada de una fecha sólida de soul-jazz con órgano basado en Jimmy Smith como Blues Citizens en marzo de 2009 fue una buena noticia (este CD de 49 minutos se grabó en mayo de 2006 pero salió casi tres años después). Radam Schwartz sigue siendo un firme defensor de la escuela de órgano de soul-jazz de Jimmy Smith, y sus influencias más destacadas incluyen no sólo a Smith, sino también a McDuff, Earland y Holmes. Todas esas influencias son evidentes en Blues Citizens, que encuentra a Schwartz al frente de un quinteto cohesionado que también incluye al saxofonista tenor Bill Saxton, al saxofonista alto Bruce Williams, al guitarrista Eric Johnson y al batería Cecil Brooks III (productor del álbum). No hay nada rompedor, pero Schwartz y sus aliados ofrecen un soul-jazz/hard bop agradable y sin complejos en los originales de Schwartz, así como en "Driftin'" de Herbie Hancock y el estándar "I Don't Stand a Ghost of a Chance with You". Igualmente atractiva es la interpretación de "Misty" de Erroll Garner, influenciada por la versión clásica que Holmes grabó para su álbum Soul Message en Prestige en 1965. Esto no quiere decir que la versión de Schwartz de "Misty" sea un calco de la de Holmes; el tempo es comparable, pero a diferencia de la versión en trío de Holmes con el guitarrista Gene Edwards y el batería Jimmie Smith (no confundir con el organista), la versión de Schwartz incluye vientos. Al igual que Joey DeFrancesco, Schwartz no pretende dirigir el órgano Hammond B-3 en nuevas direcciones, pero no hay duda de que es agradablemente bueno en lo que hace - y el agradable, aunque derivado, Blues Citizens deja claro que vale la pena conocer su forma de tocar el B-3.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/blues-citizens-mw0000811471
Tracklist
1 - Dem Philadelphia Organ Blues -
2 - Driftin -
3 - Grieve But Be Brief -
4 - Blues Citizens -
5 - Misty -
6 - Pay Up -
7 - I Dont Stand A Ghost Of A Chance -
8 - Hanging With Smooth -
9 - Steal Away -
10 - Eighth Wonder -
Label: Savant – Scd 2087
Released: 2009
Genre: Jazz
https://www.discogs.com/Radam-Schwartz-Blues-Citizens/release/11465979
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