Hammond Eggs - Back in the Pan

Gypsy musicians who are drawn to playing jazz are inevitably stereotyped as being string players, but that is not the case with keyboardist Jermaine Landsberger, who makes the Hammond B-3 his instrument of choice, joined by guitarist Paulo Morello and drummer Dejan Terzic. Landsberger's originals prove to be potent, beginning with his hip, funky blues "Hammond Eggs," a number sure to get listeners swaying their shoulders in a club setting. "Gypsy Steps" is a powerful reworking of John Coltrane's "Giant Steps," adding the big-toned tenor saxophonist Peter Weniger. The moving ballad "Bright Sky" also features Weniger, with sublime solos by Landsberger and Morello as well. Morello is also a strong composer, offering "Remembering Jimmy" (a funky tribute to the late organist Jimmy Smith, with whom he toured in 2004) and the demanding "Space Blues," which takes the quartet far from the usual jazz organ mood. The familiar works are equally enjoyable. The trio setting of Tadd Dameron's "If You Could See Me Now" is delightful, with beautiful interplay between Landsberger and Morello, while the organist establishes a hip groove in his arrangement of the standard "Alone Together."