Jermaine Landsberger – Gettin’ Blazed
Resonance Records Proudly Introduces
Jermaine LandsbergerEurope’s Acclaimed Hammond B-3 Organist
with his Debut North American Album
Gettin’ Blazed
Featuring an All-Star Supporting Cast Including
Featuring an All-Star Supporting Cast Including
Pat Martino, Andreas Öberg, Gary Meek,
James Genus, Kuno Schmid, and Harvey Mason
James Genus, Kuno Schmid, and Harvey Mason
“Throughout
the years I’ve had the blessing, and the pleasure, to interact with
some of the greatest players of the Hammond B-3-amazing people! As
always, in the evolution of any instrument, there’s only a handful who
are really innovative. This guy’s one of them. Jermaine Landsberger is
a formidable artist, a master with the flame!” -Pat Martino
the years I’ve had the blessing, and the pleasure, to interact with
some of the greatest players of the Hammond B-3-amazing people! As
always, in the evolution of any instrument, there’s only a handful who
are really innovative. This guy’s one of them. Jermaine Landsberger is
a formidable artist, a master with the flame!” -Pat Martino
The
Hammond B-3 organ, invented in 1934 and popularized in the jazz world
in the ’60s and ’70s, has fueled hundreds of superb recordings by
top-flight musicians, from the godfather of the instrument, Jimmy
Smith, to the perennial winner of jazz critics’ polls today, Joey
DeFrancesco. Resonance Records introduces to North American listeners a
new and unique voice on the B-3, Jermaine Landsberger. The 36-year-old,
German-based artist makes his stateside debut on April 14 with Gettin’ Blazed.
Hammond B-3 organ, invented in 1934 and popularized in the jazz world
in the ’60s and ’70s, has fueled hundreds of superb recordings by
top-flight musicians, from the godfather of the instrument, Jimmy
Smith, to the perennial winner of jazz critics’ polls today, Joey
DeFrancesco. Resonance Records introduces to North American listeners a
new and unique voice on the B-3, Jermaine Landsberger. The 36-year-old,
German-based artist makes his stateside debut on April 14 with Gettin’ Blazed.
The
CD, produced by George Klabin and Joe Donofrio, features an all-star
cast of guitarists Pat Martino (in a rare sideman appearance) and
Andreas Öberg (a Resonance Records artist who brought Landsberger to
Klabin’s attention), saxophonist/flautist Gary Meek, synthesizer/Rhodes
player Kuno Schmid, bassist James Genus and drummer Harvey Mason.
While Landsberger has recorded several albums in Europe-including the celebrated boogaloo-to-blues-to-funky-jazz album Hammond Eggs with his longtime collaborator, guitarist Paulo Morello-Gettin’ Blazed
serves as an auspicious American breakout for the B-3 ace. “Jermaine is
totally unknown here,” says Klabin, who recorded the album in Los
Angeles. “I had told Andreas that one day I would love to record a good
organ player, and he recommended Jermaine, whom I had never heard of. I
went to his MySpace page and what I heard was wonderful. So we invited
him here (it was his first time in the U.S.) and put together a
stellar band that would challenge him. The album turned out to be
everything that I thought it could be.”
serves as an auspicious American breakout for the B-3 ace. “Jermaine is
totally unknown here,” says Klabin, who recorded the album in Los
Angeles. “I had told Andreas that one day I would love to record a good
organ player, and he recommended Jermaine, whom I had never heard of. I
went to his MySpace page and what I heard was wonderful. So we invited
him here (it was his first time in the U.S.) and put together a
stellar band that would challenge him. The album turned out to be
everything that I thought it could be.”
On Gettin’ Blazed,
Landsberger delivers two originals: “Valse Manouche,” a melody inspired
by the gypsy “Musette Waltz” style that best showcases his gypsy
musical heritage, and “Night Ballad,” originally written on the piano
and deepened in mood and tone by his B-3 rendering. Cover songs include
Django Reinhardt’s “Babik,” treated to a contemporary bebop feel;
Martino’s “Three Base Hit” delivered in an uptempo groove; and burning
and funky takes on Stevie Wonder’s “Another Star” and Horace Silver’s
“Filthy McNasty.” The CD opens with Phil Markowitz’s easy-flowing “Sno’
Peas” and Marcos Silva’s lively samba, “Brazilian People.”
There
are also two special gypsy-infused tunes in the collection: “Balada
Para J,” written by Morello for his organ-playing friend, and the
waltz-time Richard Galliano song “Romance.” Of the latter, Landsberger
says, “This is such a deep and moving melody, and Pat Martino
interprets it with so much soul.”
Landsberger delivers two originals: “Valse Manouche,” a melody inspired
by the gypsy “Musette Waltz” style that best showcases his gypsy
musical heritage, and “Night Ballad,” originally written on the piano
and deepened in mood and tone by his B-3 rendering. Cover songs include
Django Reinhardt’s “Babik,” treated to a contemporary bebop feel;
Martino’s “Three Base Hit” delivered in an uptempo groove; and burning
and funky takes on Stevie Wonder’s “Another Star” and Horace Silver’s
“Filthy McNasty.” The CD opens with Phil Markowitz’s easy-flowing “Sno’
Peas” and Marcos Silva’s lively samba, “Brazilian People.”
There
are also two special gypsy-infused tunes in the collection: “Balada
Para J,” written by Morello for his organ-playing friend, and the
waltz-time Richard Galliano song “Romance.” Of the latter, Landsberger
says, “This is such a deep and moving melody, and Pat Martino
interprets it with so much soul.”
Landsberger
is a Sinti gypsy (the late Joe Zawinul was also of Sinti descent) who
grew up listening to Reinhardt’s music and Hungarian folk music of the
Roma gypsies. “Guitar played a big role in my family,” he says. At age
11, he took up the guitar (his future heroes included Wes Montgomery,
George Benson and Martino) and piano (influenced over the years by
Keith Jarrett, Herbie Hancock, Michel Petrucciani, Kenny Kirkland and
later Brad Mehldau), but it wasn’t until 2001 that he made the
transition to the Hammond B-3 at the suggestion of Morello. In the
liner notes, Landsberger says, “At first I didn’t like it, but after a
few gigs I loved it. Its unique sound opened up a new world of musical
expression for me.”
As to how his B-3 style differs from such
Hammond heroes as Don Patterson, Larry Goldings, Smith and DeFrancesco,
Landsberger says, “My style comes from playing piano, and not directly
from other jazz organists. I am self-taught and never had a formal
music teacher or formal training. To me, it has always been what my
ears hear and what I like. I would say my style is somewhat atypical,
but certainly it is my own.”
is a Sinti gypsy (the late Joe Zawinul was also of Sinti descent) who
grew up listening to Reinhardt’s music and Hungarian folk music of the
Roma gypsies. “Guitar played a big role in my family,” he says. At age
11, he took up the guitar (his future heroes included Wes Montgomery,
George Benson and Martino) and piano (influenced over the years by
Keith Jarrett, Herbie Hancock, Michel Petrucciani, Kenny Kirkland and
later Brad Mehldau), but it wasn’t until 2001 that he made the
transition to the Hammond B-3 at the suggestion of Morello. In the
liner notes, Landsberger says, “At first I didn’t like it, but after a
few gigs I loved it. Its unique sound opened up a new world of musical
expression for me.”
As to how his B-3 style differs from such
Hammond heroes as Don Patterson, Larry Goldings, Smith and DeFrancesco,
Landsberger says, “My style comes from playing piano, and not directly
from other jazz organists. I am self-taught and never had a formal
music teacher or formal training. To me, it has always been what my
ears hear and what I like. I would say my style is somewhat atypical,
but certainly it is my own.”
While his B-3 CDs issued in Europe have a more classic trio sound, Gettin’ Blazed
is different. Landsberger explains that he doesn’t play many left-hand
bass lines: “George wanted James Genus to handle the bass so that I was
free to play my two-handed style at all times. I can be more flexible,
and you will hear different approaches on various tunes. George’s open
attitude inspired me to be creative, to use my pianistic abilities to
interpret each song in whatever way I wanted. Playing with these great
musicians also challenged me to be my best.”
is different. Landsberger explains that he doesn’t play many left-hand
bass lines: “George wanted James Genus to handle the bass so that I was
free to play my two-handed style at all times. I can be more flexible,
and you will hear different approaches on various tunes. George’s open
attitude inspired me to be creative, to use my pianistic abilities to
interpret each song in whatever way I wanted. Playing with these great
musicians also challenged me to be my best.”
As
for his support team, Landsberger says, “Pat Martino has always been
for me a jazz god on the guitar, and I have always been fascinated with
his art and his sound. After George told me he wanted to include Pat in
this production, I could hardly wait to hear if he had accepted, as
well as whether Harvey Mason and James Genus would also be on board.
They are both on many albums playing with my jazz heroes, and I was
very honored to record with these heavies.”
for his support team, Landsberger says, “Pat Martino has always been
for me a jazz god on the guitar, and I have always been fascinated with
his art and his sound. After George told me he wanted to include Pat in
this production, I could hardly wait to hear if he had accepted, as
well as whether Harvey Mason and James Genus would also be on board.
They are both on many albums playing with my jazz heroes, and I was
very honored to record with these heavies.”
Jermaine Landsberger – Gettin’ Blazed
Resonance Records RCD-1009
Release date: April 14, 2009
DL Media