Pride and Joy

For his second outing for the Origin label, leader/percussionist Steve Korn has made some significant changes. First and foremost, he has added a Hammond B3 organ to the instrumental mix, eliminating the need for the bass. He has also added another sax, dropping the trumpet. All of this results in a richer, fuller sound than on his initial release. But the basic underpinnings remain, playing modern-influenced music but in such a way so as not to lose contact with the listener and allowing sufficient space in the arrangements for individual members to have their say. "In Your Own Sweet Way" is a prime example of this course of action. After stating the melody, members take off down their extemporizing paths, encouraged by some striking cymbal work by Korn. Joe Doria's organ is not the blues-tinged instrument of a Wild Bill Davis, but rather the more advanced style of a Larry Young. He can be heard to excellent advantage in a contemporary mode on such cuts as "Fortunes Fool." Korn has no hesitation in shifting styles and rhythm. Joe Lovano's "Birds of Springtimes Gone By" kicks off in a modal mode before Mark Taylor's alto goes down the road of hard bop, followed by the very clean sounding, resonant guitar of Dan Heck, with the organ humming along and Korn providing drum rumbles underneath and in between the lines taken by the soloists. A very well-conceived track of progressive jazz. The traditional and favorite of boppers, "Dear Old Stockholm," is updated by the group with some enterprising performances by the sax players and Doria's swinging, probing organ. There's an impressive, hand is quicker than the eye drum break by Korn on this cut. The one objective that Korn's second album achieves quite readily is to create anticipation for a third. Recommended.