Enjoy an evening of “soulful mainstream Jazz” (Jazz Wise) with Vince Ector’s Organatomy Trio+, including Pat Bianchi on keyboard and Bruce Williams on alto and soprano sax.  This is a Jazz in the Loft event you don’t want to miss!

Drummer and educator Vince Ector’s fourth album as a leader introduces his Organatomy organ trio and revisits his Philadelphian past. The opening shuffle ‘Don’t Let Me Wait’ was a hit for Major Harris, a founder member of the Philly Soul group The Delfonics, in 1975. And the swinging up-tempo closer covers Don Patterson’s ‘Sister Ruth’, a memento of the gigs Ektor’s father took him to as a youth.

In between, a well-programmed balance of covers and originals namecheck musical influences and family ties. Benny Carter’s ‘The Courtship’ hints at samba and rekindles memories of Ector’s parents dancing at home and the moody ‘To Wisdom the Prince’ is dedicated to its composer, pianist Larry Willis, who died last year.

Ektor’s well-worked originals are equally in style. ‘Dex Blues’, dedicated to his sister, is a mid-60s Blue Note blues in an awkward key; the up-tempo title track, dedicated to Ector’s mother Ms Pat, switches from samba to swing and ‘Renewal Revisited’, first recorded with saxophonist Bobby Watson in 2008, features funky wah-wah guitar.

Ector has extensive credits in soulful mainstream jazz and his band captures the earthy intelligence of its lounge-bar roots. Long-standing member Bruce Williams is a ringer for Lou Donaldson on alto sax, soulful on soprano and spins lines with ease; while organist Pat Bianchi makes his Hammond B3 sing. And guesting on guitar, the experienced Paul Hollenbeck adds grit, muscle and panache. Solid album, nicely done.