Charleston

One of the most influential and underground Hammond organists of the 1960's was "Big" John Patton as he was then known. If it was the groove that you wanted Patton was your Man and he made several albums for the legendary Blue Note label, many of which went on to sell for eye watering prices. As his style went out of favor, some of the recordings never saw the light of day until almost 20 years later and at the same time Patton slipped into the background. He resurfaced in the 1980s and went into the studio. Among his albums Soul Connection, originally released in 1983 on Nilva Records has now been re-released on what many consider to be the Re-Issue Label of these times; Jazz Room Records.


Patton had a strong band with him on this record. Avant Garde trombonist Grachan Moncur III fits in just nicely with some funky lines and solo's. Acid jazz Guitar Hero Melvin Sparks rides in the all important funk grooves but the revelation has to be saxophonist Grant Reed, who you may know from the Jazz Room Release of "Shamek Farrah & Folks" and who was a mainstay of the Mongo Santamaria set up. Jazz Exile Alvin Queen has been part of the sound set ups of Junior Mance, Stanley Turrentine and Charles Tolliver, among others.
The whole album sounds as if it was laid down in a Rudy Van Gelder session in the mid 60's and then languished in a vault somewhere, waiting until the fan base had returned. That time is now, this is a Funky Organ Groove with a Spiritual Soul Swing!

JOHN PATTON - SOUL CONNECTION

Tracklist
Mikio Masuda – I Saw the Light (Intro)
Masaru Imada Quartet – Little Step 
Takeshi Inomata & Sound Limited – Maiden Voyage
George Otsuka Quintet – Sea Breeze
Hiromasa Suzuki – Uruwashito Saneshisaneteba
Genshu Hanayagi & Mickie Yoshino Group – 輪廻
Jiro Inagaki & Soul Media – Breeze 
Kimiko Kasai feat. Herbie Hancock – Tell Me a Bedtime Story
Hiromasa “Colgen” Suzuki – Watermelon Man
Kazumi Watanabe – Lonesome Cat 
Teruo Nakamura – Cat
Ryuichi Sakamoto – Plastic Bamboo
Yutaka Yokokura – Dragonfly

Image: Kazumi Watanabe

Soul Breeze - More Jazz, Funk & Fusion from Japan

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I Didn't (Remastered 2025)

A Night In Tunisia (Remastered 2025)

There Is No Greater Love

There Is No Greater Love (Remastered 2025)

"TaLeS FroM ThE NiLe" by AmmaR IbRaHiM is a monumental 50-track symphonic Oriental journey. This album flows like the Nile itself - carrying stories of Cairo nights, Aswan sunsets, the deserts of Sinai, and the eternal soul of Egypt. Blending Sharqi, Arabic, Turkish, and Masri traditions with symphonic depth, each track becomes a tale: of love, memory, resistance, and hope. From fiery darbuka rhythms to the tender whispers of the oud, this album is a tribute to the river of history, culture, and humanity that is the NiLe.

OMssyah

David Crockett Birthplace State Park.m4a

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Live: Detroit/Chicago

Hornets 2

Dreamcatcher

For Lee Ritenour, there aren’t many ‘firsts’ left to achieve. During his dazzling five-decade career, the fabled LA guitarist has taken his music to the outer limits, alighting on every genre and occupying every position in the rock ‘n’ roll firmament. He’s been an enfant terrible of ’70s fusion, a crossover star of the ’80s pop chart, an honorary exponent of Brazilian jazz, and the fingers behind ’90s supergroup, Fourplay. Ritenour’s accolades include: 45 albums,16 Grammy nominations, Alumnus of the year at USC, Los Angeles’ Jazz Society Honoree (2019), plus thousands of sessions with legends such as Frank Sinatra, Pink Floyd, B.B. King, Tony Bennett, among others.

Dreamcatcher

Lee Ritenour

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