Wonderful!

In the not-too-distant future, Stevie Wonder's compositions will become standard repertoire for jazz musicians. When that day comes, the Deep Blue Organ Trio's Wonderful! will serve as the example for how his tunes should be interpreted. The group fully knows Wonder's catalog, going deeper than the obvious hits. And they know each other even better, which comes from playing together every Tuesday at Chicago's Green Mill club. Chris Foreman's masterful organ lines veer from intensive minor-key shimmering on "Golden Lady" to the deeply funky drive of "Tell Me Something Good." But he's just as sharp in how he builds an elaborate frame around guitarist (and the disc's producer) Bobby Broom's low-key melodic beauty on "My Cherie Amour." Drummer Greg Rockingham dives into the pocket on "Tell Me Something Good" and creates the right amount of spaces for Foreman and Broom on "As" and "It Ain't No Use." Most important: Wonder's energetic spirit is always palpable.