For organ buffs new to Pat Bianchi, a clue as to what they can expect may come from discovering the guitar-drums support on many tracks is provided by Paul Bollenback and Byron Langham. They have often teamed up in groups led by Joey DeFrancesco and are therefore used to back a keyboard artist capable of very agile right-hand fingering, so Bianchi acknowledging DeFrancesco as an influence does not surprise.
Album notes refer to Larry Young and to the fact the music is not what the scribe responsible calls a night at the chicken shack. Fair enough, and there are interesting comparisons with DeFrancesco who, as implied above, has a similar style but tends to edge closer to the bluesy tradition. Not that Bianchi is particularly far-out and a point in his favour is the choice of tunes, a couple of useful originals joined by those not heard that often or from outside the usual jazz repertory.
Of the three guitarists, Pat Martino appears on Mr. PM, written for him by Bianchi and a track to sample in that the mood is relatively relaxed. Another change of pace, the Billy Eckstine classic I Want To Talk About You features a suitably warm dollop of crooning from Kevin Mahogany, while it was a clever idea to replace guitars with the gifted Joe Locke to provide a touch more contrast.
Discography
Humpty Dumpty ; Blue Gardenia; Don’t You Worry ‘Bout A Thing; Mr. PM; Barracudas (General Assembly); Crazy; No Expectations; I Want To Talk About You; Fall; Four In One (59.53)
Bianchi (org) on all tracks, with (collective personnel): Paul Bollenback, Peter Bernstein, Pat Martino (g); Joe Locke (vib); Byron Langham, Carmen Intorre Jr. (d); Kevin Mahogany (v). Brooklyn, August 25 and September 1, 2016.
Savant SCD 2173
