Jazz-Blues Brothers
JazzNote, 2021
8/10
The Singapore based pianist, organist, composer and arranger Jeremy Monteiro aligns himself with Alberto Marsico on this 46th album as leader, and they’ve also got Shawn Letts, Eugene Pao, Shawn Kelley and Miz Dee Longwood on hand for the swing, soul, blues and pop influenced record that’s full of timeless jazz sensibilities.
“Opening Act” starts the listen with Marsico’s warm organ alongside Kelley’s playful drumming as the toe tappin’, swing friendly opener makes a strong impression, and “Olympia”, a Monteiro original, follows and flirts with funk in charming ways, and Monteiro’s solo won’t go unnoticed, either.
Moving down the line, “Mount Olive”, a tune that appeared on an earlier Monteiro album, is reworked here with plenty of sax from Letts in its funk nature, while “Lou” enters bluesy areas that weave in and out of cautious, sophisticated textures in the Marsico tune that’s a tribute to Lou Rawls. “Jack-Pot”, which pays homage to the organ extraordinaire Jack McDuff, then gets busy as Pao’s firm guitar and the key acrobatics illuminate the meticulous mood.
There's vocals on 2 tracks here, including “I’d Rather Go Blind”, where Longwood’s soulful pipes accent the emotive album highlight, and “Wishy Washy” exits the listen with a swift and frisky jazz and blues exploration where all members bring their respective talents in spades.
Originally released in 2014 everywhere but North America, here Jazz-Blues Brothers lives again with 3 new tracks, and with Marsico’s contributions on organ as well as all the talent the players bring, this certainly is a high point in Monteiro’s exceptional and lengthy body of work.
Travels well with: Steve Million- Jazz Words; The Chris Saunders Band- Dancing With The Widow St. James