JOVM’s William Ruben Helms celebrates George Benson’s 83rd birthday.
Category: Soul Jazz
Throwback: Happy Black History Month!/Happy 93rd Birthday, Nina Simone!
JOVM’s William Ruben Helms celebrates the 93rd anniversary of the birth of Nina Simone — and Black History Month.
Throwback: Happy Black History Month!/Happy Belated 83rd Birthday, Maceo Parker!
JOVM’s William Ruben Helms celebrates Black History Month and belatedly, Maceo Parker’s 83rd birthday.
New Audio: Parlor Greens Return with Slow-Burning “Drop Top”
Organ trio Parlor Greens features a collection of grizzled veterans and incredibly accomplished musicians:
- Tim Carman (drums): Arguably best known for his lengthy stint in acclaimed, Boston-based blues outfit GA-20, Carman showcases his ability to start steady, heavy and downright funky pockets for his bandmates.
- Jimmy James (guitar): Through his work with The True Loves and the Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio, James has firmly established a signature and readily recognizable funky approach that has won him fans across the world.
- Adam Scone (organ): Scone is a soul revival scene stalwart, playing on many Daptone Records sessions since their inception, including with Scone Cash Players and The Sugarman 3. He has learned from some of the beloved lends of soul jazz, including Melvin Sparks and the iconic Dr. Lonnie Smith.
The trio’s highly-anticipated sophomore album Emeralds is slated a March 27, 2026 release through Colemine Records. Their sophomore album reportedly sees the acclaimed trio upping the ante while capturing the band in top form: tour tight and more confident than ever in who they are and where they’re going. Though the results are stronger than ever, the overall mood of the recording sessions was much different.
The first time the trio met in Colemine’s Loveland, OH-based Portage Lounge Studio, the meeting was marked by a certain sense of freshness: It was the first time they had all played together. Understandably, it was exciting and unknown territory. But the sessions were underlined by the heaviness each of the individual members were going through at the time. With each member dealing with personal tragedies in their individual lives, the sessions serves as a genuine moment of joy. Just three talented musicians, writing and playing music, now as friends, in a familiar environment.
Emeralds will feature the previously released, album opening “Eat Your Greens,” a strutting and rollicking groover of a tune, and the album’s latest single “Drop Top.” “Drop Top” is anchored around a slow-burning, sultry Quiet Storm-like strut of a tune completed by Scone’s shimmering bass organ and James’ bluesy guitar melody. While arguably being one of the more mellow soul jazz compositions of their growing catalog together, “Drop Top” continues to showcase both their seemingly effortless simpatico and their unerring knack for pairing tight groove with improvisation and old-fashioned songcraft.
New Audio: Parlor Greens Share Two Covers of Christmas Soul Classics
Organ trio Parlor Greens features a collection of grizzled veterans and incredibly accomplished musicians: The trio close out 2025 and celebrate the holiday season with the recently released “Auld Lang Syne”/”Every Day Will Be Like […]
Throwback: Happy 82nd Birthday, Grover Washington, Jr.!
JOVM’s William Ruben Helms celebrates the 82nd anniversary of Grover Washington, Jr.’s birth.
New Audio: The New Mastersounds Share Swaggering Live Version of “Dusty Groove”
The New Mastersounds — currently, Eddie Roberts (guitar, production), Simon Allen (drums), Pete Stand (bass) and Joe Tatton (keys) — can trace their origins back to the late 1990s: Roberts was promoting a club night in his native Leeds called The Cooker. When The Cooker moved into a new venue with a second floor in 1999, there was both the space and opportunity to put a live band together to compliment the night’s DJ sets.Â
Coincidentally, Roberts and Allen had previously played together in the similarly named The Mastersounds, an act with a completely different bassist and without a keyboardist. Because of the intimate nature of the local scene, Roberts and Allen met and recruited Pete Hand and Bob Birch (Hammond) to join what would become The New Mastersounds.
Since the release of two limited edition, boogaloo-leaning 7-inch single back in 2000, the quartet has released 24, 7 inch singles, 13 studio albums, four live albums, a remix album and three compilations released in the UK, Japan and the US. And the band has managed to do that while going through a major lineup change with Leeds scene veteran Joe Tatton replacing Bob Birch on keys and organ.
Over their 25 year run together, the band and its individual members have collaborated with an eclectic and diverse array of musicians, DJs and producers, including Lou Donaldson, Corinne Bailey Rae, Quantic, Carleen Anderson, Keb Darge, Kenny Dope, Mr. Scruff, LSK, Lack of Afro, Page McConnell, Grace Potter,Karl Denson, Melvin Sparks, Idris Muhammad, Fred Wesley, Pee-Wee Ellis, Maceo Parker, Bernard Purdie, George Porter, Jr., Zigaboo Modeliste, Art Neville and Ernest Ranglin.Â
The New Mastersounds are at the tail-end of their final live Stateside dates, which will culminate with the full live album release of Live At Cervantes, Vol 2., which will be available on 12″ vinyl LP, exclusively through the Color Red Vinyl Club. The band share another track from last year’s live sets at Denver‘s Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom, “Dusty Groove.” First heard on the band’s Ten Years On, the live version is a strutting bit of organ-driven soul jazz that seemingly channels Booker T and the MG‘s paired with swaggering “Funky Drummer”-styled breakbeats. The single captures the unmistakable live chemistry and energy that made a New Mastersounds set, a must-see event.
Throwback: Happy 83rd Birthday, Dr. Lonnie Smith!
JOVM’s William Ruben Helms celebrates the 83rd anniversary of the birth of Dr. Lonnie Smith.
Throwback: Happy 82nd Birthday, George Benson!
JOVM’s William Ruben Helms celebrates George Benson’s 82nd birthday.
Throwback: R.I.P. Roy Ayers
JOVM’s William Ruben Helms celebrates the life and music of Roy Ayers.
Throwback: Happy 81st Birthday, Grover Washington, Jr.
JOVM’s William Ruben Helms belatedly celebrates the 81st anniversary of Grover Washington, Jr.’s birth.
Throwback: R.I.P. Quincy Jones
JOVM’s William Ruben Helms celebrates the life and music of Quincy Jones.
Throwback: Happy Belated 84th Birthday, Roy Ayers!
JOVM’s William Ruben Helms belatedly celebrates Roy Ayers 84th birthday.
Throwback: Happy Belated 82nd Birthday, Dr. Lonnie Smith!
JOVM’s William Ruben Helms belatedly celebrates the 82nd anniversary of Dr. Lonnie Smith’s birth.
