Eternal Funk
(Dreyfus – 2003)
by Paula Edelstein
Ken Clark’s Organ Trio plays the type of music that brings all their experience to listeners in a soulful Hammond B3 groove and beat that sets the mood of ETERNAL FUNK. The trio delivers ten liberated tracks that summon the spirits of Medeski, Martin & Wood, Dr. Lonnie Smith and Joey DeFrancesco into a fresh understanding of their version of funk, R&B and the essence of jazz. Honorable mention goes to the trio for their rendition of Miles Davis’ “Blue In Green” on which they use a formula that works for this trio format and still pays justice to the original format.
The melody is rather deconstructed but nonetheless, the very thought of this song played by an organ trio with a guitar leading the melody is quite an achievement. With Ken on organ, Mike Mele on guitar and Steve Chaggaris on drums the trio delivers solid lines and soaring melodies in a winning sassy way. If you like the funky sound of the Hammond B3, then this is one for your collection.
Reprinted with permission of…
