Masters Of Groove: Masters Of Groove Meet Dr. No

The organ-guitar combo has brought us many years of pleasurable jazz. The four Masters of Groove recall those years, but in a fresh context. Grant Green, Jr. and Reuben Wilson deliver the James Bond theme with energy while Bernard Purdie and Tarus Mateen dress up its foundation. All four swing with a heartfelt blues alliance. Green’s crisp articulation and phrasing would make his father proud. He delivers “Three Blind Mice” as it’s seldom heard: with a gospel echo and a New Orleans shuffle. Wilson, on the other hand, prefers legato phrasing that forces one to view each piece as a whole. In a sense, the forest is full of vibrant life, while each tree stands still and alone. Particularly on the calypso numbers, Wilson delights with a lyrical style that wraps up the melody in one big mass of wall-to-wall sound. Purdy and Mateen complement each other with their take-charge rhythmic base. It’s the kind of rhythm that thrilled Dr. No audiences in 1962 and continues to thrill younger generations today.

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