Mike LeDonne Groover Quartet + Gospel Choir

Wonderful

Cellar Music Group

We’ve had countless reviews of organ-based soul-jazz albums on these pages but this is a first, not only here but likely in music.  You’ve read about Mike LeDonne as a pianist in this space but here as the B3 maestro, he leads his elite quartet of tenorist Eric Alexander, guitarist Peter Bernstein, and drummer Joe Farnsworth, all bandleaders themselves, as they front an eleven-piece gospel choir. Percussionist Daniel Sadownick and altoist Vincent Herring appear on two and one track respectively. Given the organ’s presence in church settings, LeDonne sees this marriage of gospel music and jazz organ as natural and is rather astounded that it’s never been done before – “…when I’ve listened to gospel choirs swinging hard on a refrain or a vamp, I’ve always wanted to get a piece of it. This recording was my chance to finally do that and not only add to the groove of the music, but also to expand the sound of the band with the most beautiful instrument of all – the human voice.” Wonderful! is a heartfelt tribute to LeDonne’s wife Margaret, and daughter Mary, whose image adorns the front cover. Mary has multiple disabilities and LeDonne sees this music as compatible with his activism in support of the community of the disabled.

LeDonne collaborated with friend and talented singer Carolyn Leonhart, who assisted in arranging the choir parts as he had no previous experience leading vocal units. Admittedly, the choir selections take some getting used to, partly because it’s so new and because his quartet is so strong, that many will prefer the instrumental tracks such as Coltrane’s “Lonnie’s Lament,” a tour-de-force for the band and especially Alexander. LeDonne is masterful on the Hammond as well, dedicating the tune to the late organ icon, Dr. Lonnie Smith.

Fortunately, LeDonne offers both.  The album opens with the gospel classic “Let Us Go,” featuring the exuberant choir and an inspiring alto solo from guest Herring. After an organ intro owing to gospel organist and singer Twinkie Clark, the choir gets into one of those infectious grooves on the title track, the first time LeDonne ever penned lyrics as he reflects his love for family and unity. The inventive arrangement of “Bridge Over Troubled Water” features the organ in call-and-response sequences with the choir coupled with the kind of shuffle groove that has graced so many jazz organ albums from the likes of Jimmy Smith, Brother Jack McDuff, and others with a gutty tenor turn from Alexander to boot. It’s certainly a world away from Simon and Garfunkel’s original. The choir transforms the soul of Ashford and Simpson’s “Ain’t Nothin’ Like the Real Thing” into upbeat gospel as the band lays down a phat groove in support. The choir rides above the deep rhythm set by Farnsworth and percussionist Sadownick on the standout “Put It Back” with their refrains accentuating the instrumental choruses and solos, where each of the three melody instruments shine as brightly as the rhythm tandem.

Instrumentally, “Make Someone Happy” settles into a deeply bluesy mode with both LeDonne and Alexander commencing in smoky, smoldering form before Bernstein weaves a stunning solo that takes it up a notch, inspiring LeDonne to launch a potent B3 excursion that brings the tune to an explosive climax. The closer, “Genesis,” is second of LeDonne’s two originals, a locomotive burner with Farnsworth setting the pace and getting some space  as each quartet member basks in the joyous vibe of the tune.

Kudos to LeDonne for trying something different. As mentioned, there will be a diehard faction that prefers to just hear the quartet, but the choir adds a joyous element to this uplifting album, taking it to an even higher, oft exhilarating level.

• Jim Hynes

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