Big Shot

By now "Papa" John DeFrancesco is surely as familiar with the tag "father of Joey DeFrancesco" as he is with the layout of the keyboard he's been playing for some six decades, give or take. Were it not for John, of course, the younger of the two DeFrancescos may never have found his way to fame and fortune, but much of what Joey learned, he learned from dad. On Big Shot, they get the chance to do it together. Although the album is credited to the elder, whose organ skills are quite praise-worthy (and by the way, he plays a Diversi here, not a Hammond B-3), the album is something of a family affair, with Joey also contributing keyboards and his sibling, John Jr. providing the guitar licks. With Jerry Weldon blowing tenor saxophone, Mike Boone on bass, and Byron Landham drumming, this is your basic organ trio times two, a full-bodied set of blues and ballads played exquisitely and inventively. Five of the tracks are Papa John originals, but curiously, they are preceded by three covers that pave the way by displaying the breadth of interest these musicians share. Most notable of those is an eight-minute jazzed-up take on the Doors' "Riders on the Storm," which Jim Morrison may not have appreciated but that band's keyboardist, Ray Manzarek, undoubtedly would. ~ Jeff Tamarkin|