Their intense "Roller, Roller, Rollerland!", which became an underground garage band classic for the Twiliters in the sixties, is finally recorded by the band that wrote it. "She Wolf" with the lines "you think she's smiling at you, but she's just showing you her teeth," should played at every Halloween party. The extended "Noisy Boys" lives up to its title and suggests what the band might have sounded like it they were active during the psychedelic era.
Come to think of it, Horton Heat sounds too tame compared against these old farts. Noisy Boys! The Saxony Sessions will hit the streets on August 12.
Pete Levin Certified Organic
An aptly titled album, this organ trio-based effort is a hard-driving blend of jazz, funk and rock that isn't loaded down with unnecessary filler, just lean, vintage grooves. Coming on the heels of this keyboardist's first Hammond B-3-led release Deacon Blues, this one largely follows the same script.
Levin has mainly made his mark over the course of thirty-plus years scoring for TV commercials, drama series and feature films, as well as extended stints in the Gil Evans Orchestra and Jimmy Giuffre's band. He's also the brother of bassist extraordinaire Tony Levin, and both have played together in, among other projects, a Spike Jones tribute band.
Even within the fairly narrow realm of organ trio jazz, Levin mixes things up enough to hold your interest. "I'm Falling" is a James Brown-styled blues number, while "When I Was Young" gently swings. Selections like "The Question For U" comes closer to the rock side, making this sound akin to the power-organ trio Niacin than to Jimmy Smith. "Where Flamingos Fly" is plaintive adaptation of a classic Gil Evans piece.
Covers include a nicely remade version of "Love For Sale" and Moacir Santos' "Nana." Jaco Pastorious' "Teen Town" is tackled, too, in one of the few versions not centered around a bass player.
Using a revolving cast of guitarists, most notably Joe Beck, each brings the right style to suit the song. Erik Lawrence, the son of former colleague Arnie Lawrence, expands the trio to a quartet for a couple of tracks.
Article comments