JOCELYN MICHELLE - Time To Play
Chicken Coup (2016)
Florida based organ and keyboardist Jocelyn Michelle’s debut “Time To Play” boldly recalls the infamous Muse album covers of the late 80’s for various organ and soul jazz dates, but the music reveals a remarkably tasteful and diverse new organist on the scene.
Michelle’s compositions from the soulful saunter of the mid sixties Prestige era like ode to recently departed legendary engineer Rudy Van Gelder, on “Englewood Cliffs”, the swaying bossa of “Oh, No Could I Be In Love”, and the velvety funk of tenor saxophonist Gato Barbieri’s “Last Tango in Paris” all highlight her cliché free playing and subtle attention to tone shading using a tremendous variety of drawbar settings.
For example, the slight bit of fourth drawbar added to her solo on “Englewood Cliffs” gives just enough bite and grit to the sound a la Jack McDuff or Charles Earland. The Gregg Rolie and Chester Thompson flavored tone on the Santana esque groover “Sylvia’s Song”, with the rock solid pocket of Sammy K’s backbeat behind her, and smoldering guitar leads from John Rack bring much to the table as well. Michelle’s basslines are deeply grooving too, as heard on “Englewood Cliffs”, “The Pink Panther Theme” and Marvin Gaye’s classic “Trouble Man”.
A solid debut from a talent deserving wider recognition.
Reviewed by C J Shearn
Chicken Coup (2016)
Florida based organ and keyboardist Jocelyn Michelle’s debut “Time To Play” boldly recalls the infamous Muse album covers of the late 80’s for various organ and soul jazz dates, but the music reveals a remarkably tasteful and diverse new organist on the scene.
Michelle’s compositions from the soulful saunter of the mid sixties Prestige era like ode to recently departed legendary engineer Rudy Van Gelder, on “Englewood Cliffs”, the swaying bossa of “Oh, No Could I Be In Love”, and the velvety funk of tenor saxophonist Gato Barbieri’s “Last Tango in Paris” all highlight her cliché free playing and subtle attention to tone shading using a tremendous variety of drawbar settings.
For example, the slight bit of fourth drawbar added to her solo on “Englewood Cliffs” gives just enough bite and grit to the sound a la Jack McDuff or Charles Earland. The Gregg Rolie and Chester Thompson flavored tone on the Santana esque groover “Sylvia’s Song”, with the rock solid pocket of Sammy K’s backbeat behind her, and smoldering guitar leads from John Rack bring much to the table as well. Michelle’s basslines are deeply grooving too, as heard on “Englewood Cliffs”, “The Pink Panther Theme” and Marvin Gaye’s classic “Trouble Man”.
A solid debut from a talent deserving wider recognition.
Reviewed by C J Shearn
