Various Artists: Organ-ized

I’ve said it before … organ trios-quartets-whatevah turn me off in general. I didn’t chuck Organ-Ized for three reasons: it was a compilation of new stuff, Art Neville, Jimmy Smith, John Medeski were on it, Private Music put out a bomb album from Barry White in ’99.

The Good News: Neville’s Booker T. meets the Meters soul twist “Micky Fick”, Medeski/DJ Logic’s holy roller/delta funk cut ‘n’ scratch hoe-down “Swamp Road”, Smith’s insouciant frolic with “There Will Never Be Another You”. The Bad News: except for Galactic’s “My Little Humidor”, Larry Goldings’s “Moodbird” and Reuben Wilson’s “Yes Sir”, the rest of Organ-Ized limps from s.o.s to why bother.

Originally Published April 1, 2000