Brian Ho isn't as extrovert a player as Joey DeFrancesco. Who ever could be, seriously? But the West Coast jazzer is certainly a nimble master of the Hammond B3 and no copycat. He knows how to explore the instrument's inner workings and fine tune the ''yeah baby'' parts of the instrument that melt away any possible ennui and might even save many a spluttering ticker from conking out given the feelgood vibes. Found here with DeFrancesco disciples guitarist Paul Bollenback and drummer Byron 'Wookie' Landham, Ho achieves cruising altitude and you know he's the capt'n. Cat napped you'll be. What lifts things here are the interesting choices of material that will appeal to 1990s fans of Joshua Redman as 'Alone in the Morning' is covered. In other words it's not really a Boomer love-in - although there's nothing wrong with that is there, grandad? Ho originals are hip. And the mood is not too overcooked even when the trio tackle in exuberant bounce-along fashion the Michael Masser and Gerry Goffin classic 'Saving All My Love For You' which was a big hit for Whitney Houston in the 1980s and covered in recent years by Russell Malone on his All About Melody album. No overcast skies at all it's hi ho silver lining.
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