Hammond B3 organ master Jared Gold wastes no time building a head of steam, launching All Wrapped Up with “My Sentiments Exactly,” one of the more driving tracks on his latest CD. Like the other tunes on this entertaining disc, it gives each player plenty of blowing room. It’s a robust reminder of a time when jazz was sociable, and Gold’s light touch makes it cohere.
Listening to All Wrapped Up will awaken memories of walking into a neighborhood bar and coming across a cooking band: In this case, Gold plus tenor saxophonist Ralph Bowen, trumpeter/flugelhornist Jim Rotondi and drummer Quincy Davis. This is comfortable music no matter how fierce the improvisation or how passionate the playing. Check out how Gold sneaks around Rotondi’s solo in Davis’ “Piece of Mine,” how he gooses the jaunty “Just a Suggestion” to set up Bowen’s burly, jagged solo. The band is precise but loose playing this riff- and groove-heavy jazz.
Some titles pack double-entendres, hinting at Gold’s sensibility. The tracks segue easily, encompassing the sultry “Saudades,” the perky “Suggestion,” Rotondi’s slinky “Dark Blue” and “Get Out of My Sandbox,” a bop strut featuring Bowen and Rotondi at their joint best.
Jared Gold: All Wrapped Up
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