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Nick Ruffini: Pressin' On
BySo it's a talent-filled and ongoing tradition into which drummer Nick Ruffini throws the sticks on Pressin' On, his recording debut as a leader. Ruffini's styleone of nailing down a rock-solid groove inside the cool and gusty organ soundis perfect for this bluesy and danceable jazz form. Enlisting guitarist Johnny DeFrancesco to share in the tune-smithing and producing chores, Ruffini's Pressin' On has a distinctively crisp sound and the soulful momentum of the best in the genre.
DeFrancesco records with his brother, organist Joey DeFrancesco, as The DeFrancesco Brothers, and he fronts his own Johnny DeFrancesco Power Trio; so he would be expected to elevate the proceedings, and he does just that. Four of the disc's seven compositions are his, with three others co-written with Ruffini. He is a stellar guitarist with roots deep in the blues. He is also able to take it out there and wail, or lay down a snappy rhythm for the Rich Budesa's energetic and succinct organ work to ride on. The sound gets a big boost from bassist Paul Klinefelter, who plays with the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra, but has no problem getting funky when the situation calls for it. Manyif not mostorgan jazz groups go without the bass, leaving those chores to the organists' left hand and/or pedals. With Klinfelter in the mix, the sound has more solid foundation, serving as a duel anchoring alongside Ruffini's drums that seems to juice up the organ and guitar and let them fly.
The outstanding Pressin' On comes straight out of the soul-drenched organ jazz tradition, with more vehemence and verve in its approach than most. It feels a bit more of a danceable good time, with a surprise on the closer, DeFrancesco's "E.M.W," that drones into existence on a dark groove that shifts into a roiling turbulence over a backdrop of Ruffini's drum thundera great closer to an excellent debut.
Track Listing
Twelve 15; Grits; Backdraft; Ddag; Delta Force; Starsearch; E.M.W.
Personnel
Nick Ruffini: drums; Johnny DeFrancesco: guitar; Rich Budesa: organ, rhodes; Paul Klinefelter: bass; Jack Banazak: guitar (5).
Album information
Title: Pressin' On | Year Released: 2011 | Record Label: Vectordisc Records
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Nick Ruffini
CD/LP/Track Review
Dan McClenaghan
Vectordisc Records
United States
Jimmy Smith
Jimmy McGriff
Wes Montgomery
Grant Green
Deep Blue Organ Trio
Sam Yahel
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Rich Budesa
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Pressin' On