Beverly Hills, CA. (Top40 Charts/ Resonance Records) - Resonance Records Proudly Introduces Jermaine Landsberger Europe's Acclaimed Hammond B-3 Organist with his Debut North American Album "Gettin' Blazed" Featuring an All-Star Supporting Cast Including Pat Martino,
Andreas Oberg, Gary Meek,
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 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 Oberg (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."
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 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."
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."
