Volume 15, Issue 90
Published February 7th, 2009
 

Deep Blue Organ Trio
leads this week's concert picks

Hailing from Chicago, the Deep Blue Organ Trio is on a mission to uphold the tradition of organ jazz, carrying the mantel of such legends as Jimmy Smith, Jimmy McGriff and Charles Earland. In fact, two of the trio’s members, guitarist Bobby Broom and drummer Greg Rockingham, enjoyed separate stints in Earland’s band. Deep Blue’s latest CD, Folk Music, lets you know what the trio’s all about. As Broom explains, they play “music of, by and for the people — the common folk.” Relying heavily on contemporary “standards” by the likes of Hank Mobley, Lee Morgan, Kenny Dorham and the Beatles, Deep Blue explores the same pop and modern-jazz vehicles that made the classic organ trios hum. But this ain’t no two-bit tribute band. Broom, who has also played with Sonny Rollins, Miles Davis and Dr. John (to name a few), has a light, crisp sound that can make you smile just before cutting to the bone. Hammond B3 organist Chris Foreman flaunts an expert right hand that runs off clean, single-note flurries. And the aptly named Rockingham propels the music with the kind of steady yet diverse and nuanced backing only dreamed of by rock’s drumming royalty.  Matt Marshall