Vince Seneri – The Prince’s Groove – Prince V Records PVR-007, 50:51 ***1/2:
(Vince Seneri – Hammond B3 organ, producer, arranger; Randy Brecker – trumpet & flugelhorn (1, 4, 6-8); Paul Bollenback – guitar; Dave Valentin – flute (3, 8); Houston Person – tenor sax (5); Riche Flores – percussion (3, 8); Gary Fritz – percussion (1, 2, 4-7, 9); Buddy Williams – drums)
Groove-meister Vince “The Prince” Seneri may not be as highly rated as other Hammond B3 jazz organists, but Seneri has made a name for himself over the last twenty years among those who have discovered his swinging music. On his latest release, The Prince’s Groove, Seneri follows that old adage, “If it ain’t broke, don’t try to fix it.” Which means Seneri does not stray far from the organ/guitar template laid down by his predecessors, which is fine. Innovation should not be the yardstick by which to measure music listening enjoyment. However, Seneri is his own man, and plays the Hammond B3 organ with a singular style and sound, and is one of the top B3 players on the current scene.
Seneri has collected together nine tracks that mix standards and originals, showing off an accomplished group of musicians specifically assembled for this funky recording date, including guitarist Paul Bollenback (a long-time collaborator who performs on each song), Randy Brecker (trumpet & flugelhorn), Dave Valentin (flute), Houston Person (tenor sax), Riche Flores and Gary Fritz on percussion, and drummer Buddy Williams.
Seneri and his compatriots start the party right on a lively opener, “Renegade Man,” a Seneri tune which emphasizes Brecker’s mischievous trumpet and Bollenback’s melodic and brisk guitar. Bollenback and Seneri then trade fast-paced solos on a breakneck bop interpretation of the Johnny Mercer/Jerome Kern classic “Dearly Beloved,” ably pushed along by Buddy Williams’ accelerated drum rolls.
Flutist Dave Valentin’s appeal has largely been relegated to crossover jazz, so it is a nice surprise to hear him extend his range during a heated rendition of Pablo Beltran Ruiz’s “Sway,” which also features a penetrating Seneri organ excursion and an enthusiastic percussive workout by Riche Flores. The Seneri penned “Passion Dance,” a Latin fusion number similar to “Sway,” also gives space for Valentin’s instrumental voicing.
While most of the material is up-tempo, Seneri softens the proceedings to a late-night sensitivity on the Ned Washington/Hoagy Carmichael ballad “The Nearness of You,” a romantic commentary that places the accent on Houston Person’s glossy, gliding sax. It is unfortunate the soulful Person is not used on other cuts, since he has shown a great rapport with other organists, such as Joey DeFrancesco, Brother Jack McDuff and Richard “Groove” Holmes [for more on Person, see Jeff Krow’s review of The Art and Soul of Houston Person].
For those inclined to the sound of the Hammond B3 organ, The Prince’s Groove is a solid and engaging listen that has a contemporary jazz/soul jazz attraction without falling into a pop or smooth jazz hole. Seneri furnishes his arrangements with a healthy kick of grit, but keeps the instruments bright and intimate, offering particular aural attention in the mix to the horns and flute. While this album is not groundbreaking and doesn’t fracture the mold, The Prince’s Groove is an example of an artist excelling by sticking with what he does best.
TrackList:
1 Renegade Man
2 Dearly Beloved
3 Sway (Quien Sera)
4 The Stinger
5 The Nearness of You
6 Overdrive
7 Prince’s Groove
8 Passion Dance
9 Walkin’
— Doug Simpson
