For Once In My Life

Pianist Ben Paterson leads his marvelous trio through a very nicely varied set of standards, originals, and modern covers on this, his first album on organ. The title track is a re-envisioning of a 1970s soul classic as a jazz waltz that segues into a gospel shout; his take on "Cry Me a River" is gorgeous, his version of Paul Simon's "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" is witty and insightful. At all points he sounds as if he's been playing the Hammond B3 from the get, rather than since four or five years ago. Guitarist Peter Bernstein is (no surprise here) a powerful presence himself, and drummer George Fludas provides everything from skittering funk-swing to straight-up funk with a combination of grace and power that consistently impresses. Strongly recommended to all jazz collections.