Three Feet Off the Ground

Album review

It has been said that instrumentalist Bruce Katz has one foot in jazz and the other foot in the blues, but those aren't the only styles that interest the organist/pianist; rock, soul, and gospel are also part of what he does. All of those influences assert themselves on Three Feet Off the Ground, which tends to be more aggressive and rockin' than the album that preceded it, 1997's Mississippi Moan. "Wrecking Ball" and "Beef Jerky" (which brings to mind Lee Morgan's "The Sidewinder") are definitely among the more forceful things Katz has recorded, and his guitarist Julien Kasper sounds equally uninhibited. Although Katz is a talented acoustic pianist with a healthy appreciation of Albert Ammons, his piano playing takes a back seat to the organ this time. Katz's Hammond B-3 dominates the CD, and one is reminded how appealing he is on the instrument. As an organist, Katz has a gritty, earthy sound that is somewhere between Jimmy Smith and Stax hero Booker T. Jones (of Booker T. & the MG's fame). Three Feet Off the Ground is a release that blues, jazz, and rock fans alike will want to hear.

© Alex Henderson /TiVo