Atis Andersons Organ Trio: Organic City

With Hammond organ trios in the 21st century, everything old is new again, except in Latvia where Atis Andersons presents the very first Latvian Hammond organ trio recording in that country's history. Kudos to Andersons, guitarist Āris Ozols, and drummer Andris Buiķis, because Organic City fits perfectly into the traditions of soul, funk, and rock. Their music stretches back to recordings by Jack McDuff and George Benson, Jimmy Smith and Grant Green, Charles Earland and Melvin Sparks, and is as contemporary as today's artists such as the Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio, and Medeski, Martin, & Wood.

To get that classic sound Andersons utilized a 1970's Hammond A100 organ. The album was recorded live direct to analog tape using a Studer A 80 1/4" two-track tape recorder with no overdubbing. As with all Jersika releases, the sound production is paramount, from the microphones to the pristine vinyl, which was cut directly from the master tapes. That vintage technology produces a warm and welcoming sound. The trio opens with heavy rock pulse of "Groove City" which mixes the glow of Andersons' organ over Ozols' guitar accompaniment. The same rocked out sound with taste of prog a is heard with "Ishinomaki." The trio can also flay some funk as with "Lumberjack," and they can surf that hip 50s groove with "On The Beach," and chill out with "Homecoming." They remind listeners of the voltaic chemical actions, i.e. electricity with "Oak Tree," that plugs into high voltage and groove-centered take of "Peppermint." This is a party record inspired by the 1960s, but upgraded to the 21st century.