Fishin' Again: A Tribute to Clyde Stubblefield & Dr. Lonnie Smith

If this album doesn't make you move, check your pulse. Keyboardist Dan Trudell has assembled a set of jams heavy on groove and "vocal" exposition. There's never any doubt that Trudell has captured the spirit of organ legend Lonnie Smith with his use of soulful single-note runs and Leslie-driven chords. But he also fires off killer dissonant chords in conjunction with synthesizers, giving the album a very modern sound. The horn section is more than up to the frequent "call and response" of their keyboardist when they're not firing off brilliant solos of their own, to say nothing of Mike Standal's tangy guitar work. And then there's drummer Dana Hall, whose backbeat beautifully emulates the grooves created by the legendary Clyde Stubblefield, best known for his work with James Brown. This band clearly did its homework. Each tune seems to come off as a well-controlled jam, where the band knows where they're going, even if they take a side street to get there. Ain't it funky now!