Sheryl Bailey 3: Bull’s Eye!

Guitarist Sheryl Bailey offers an alternative to the old-school organ-trio approach on Bull’s Eye! (Pure). On her third outing as a leader, the gifted Berklee College of Music grad and her cohorts Gary Versace on organ and Ian Froman on drums take a decidedly different direction, more in the manner of post-Larry Young organ groups like Barbara Dennerlein’s or John Abercrombie’s trio with organist Jeff Palmer and drummer Adam Nussbaum. A modernist burner with an abundance of Pat Martino-style chops, Bailey prefers angular lines, odd harmonies and the occasional touch of dissonance as she sails up and down the fretboard with fluid abandon. Standout tracks here include the twisted second-line funk of “Swamp Thang,” the free-flowing bluesy meditation “Elvin People” (which she calls “an anthem for the new generation of postboppers”), the haunting and gentle lament “Song for All Souls” and the pyrotechnic title track, which closes this particularly strong sophomore outing in high-flying fashion, giving organist Versace a chance to really stretch out and burn.

Originally Published January 1, 2005