Green Street

JazzTimes (p.126) - "Stein has a genuine understanding of the B3 genre, and that affinity radiates on each track of this exceptional outing."

For his second album, guitarist John Stein has taken his regular band into the studio for a session focusing on Stein originals with one standard included, Duke Ellington's "Do Nothing `Till You Hear from Me." The trio is augmented on four tracks by David "Fathead" Newman, including on the aforementioned Ellington tune. Here, Newman uses the alto instead of his regular tenor. The result is a slightly more boppish sound in lieu of the soul he gets with the tenor. Stein's group is an organ trio, and one that avoids the soul/blues/R&B trap that so often happens with these combos. One reason the undertaking is successful is because Ken Clark's organ does not dominate the proceedings but shares the headlines with Stein and often takes on a supportive role. This relationship is apparent on such cuts as "Culebra." Another reason is that Stein's guitar stays clean throughout, avoiding heavy chordal smears. The album also offers a variety of rhythms. "Jack's Back" swings sassily with Stein and Clark trading choruses, playing in tandem with striking drum insertions by Dave Hurst. Everyone gets ready to boogie on an appropriately named "Booga Lou." Newman returns to the tenor on a lovely ballad, "When I'm Away from You," part of which parallels "Too Late Now." The color tends toward a shade of blue on the title tune, "Green Street," with Newman joining in the rice-and-red-bean doings. But above all, what strikes one about this album is the obvious solidarity of purpose evident in the playing of the trio. This comes from being together for three years, and this album reaps the harvest of such a relatively lengthy close association. Recommended. ~ Dave Nathan