The Hook Up

Asche displays a beautiful sound and a well-developed melodic sense
JazzTimes

Capturing the essence of the classic organ trio and combining it with the modern sensibilities of his youth, the Chicago-based guitarist Kyle Asche (Ash-ee) and his Organ Trio energize the art form. With their originals -- inspired by Wes Montgomery, Wayne Shorter, Grant Green -- and their take on the jazz classics "The Best Thing for You" and "Alfie," the group creates a swinging jazz classic. The Kyle Asche Organ Trio is Kyle Asche on guitar, Pete Benson on Hammond B3 & Todd Howell on drums. The Hook Up also features tenor saxophonist Scott Burns.

Production Info:

Produced by Dennis Carroll
Recorded April 4th, 2004 at Hinge Studios, Chicago
Mixed by Brian Schwab at Curried Bagel Studios, Chicago
Mastered by Danny Leake for Urban Guerrilla Engineers
Photography by Paul Sherman
Layout & design by John Bishop

Reviews of The Hook Up

All About Jazz (Dan McClenaghan)
Nothing says "jazz" like an organ trio, and nothing sounds "cooler." I mean dark sunglasses, tight black suit and skinny dark tie cool, maybe a cigarette dangling, like on some of those old Wes Montgomery album covers on Riverside. Chicago-based guitarist Kyle Asche fits very well into the Wes Montgomery sound, though the look has been updated ...

KZAM (Scott Hanley)
The sight of young jazz players in suits and ties is no longer a novelty. Nor is their choice of a classic configuration like the organ trio. But like the sound of the B-3 organ, it's still reassuring. The warmth of Kyle Asche's Organ Trio sound is complemented by the obvious enthusiasm and seriousness with which his players approach the music. Asc ...

Modern Jazz Classics (Bob Stockton)
We here at MJC dearly love a great melodic straight ahead jazz guitar, and that is what we got when THE KYLE ASCHE ORGAN TRIO'S album THE HOOK UP (OA2 Records 22022) arrived in the mail. With KYLE on guitar, PETE BENSON on Hammond B-3, TODD HOWELL on drums and guest artist SCOTT BURNS sitting in on tenor the jazz fairly sails. If this one isn't on ...

Jazz Review (David Seymour)
Kyle Asche (pronounced Ash-ee, remember it well) has generated quite a buzz with his excellent new organ trio project The Hook Up. Despite his obvious youth, Asche is a truly remarkable musician with a mature jazz conception and a classic jazz guitar tone. Likewise, his organist -DaviPete Benson plays the Hammond B-3 with a depth of expression well ...

Chicago Jazz Magazine, March/April 2006 (Paul Abella)
One name on the Chicago jazz scene that's gotten a lot of recognition in the last couple of years is that of Kyle Asche. A superb guitarist with a nice tone and great command of his instrument, those of us in the know have seen his name float around for a while now. Now he has the chance to get his name out to a wider audience with a new album ou ...

Jazz Times (Bill Milkowski)
Chicago-based guitarist Kyle Asche, a finalist in the 2005 Thelonius Monk Competition, honors the classic Hammond B-3 organ trio tradition while updating it with his own modern aesthetic. That balancing act is best achieved on the uptempo "For Those That Are There," which burns in an old-school manner while pushing the envelope harmonically, and a ...