Tag: Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio I Told You So

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Two from Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio

2021’s I Told You So is the Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio‘s best-selling and performing album to date. “Chicken Leg”/”If I Could” is the trio’s latest single, and first batch of new material from the band — currently, Delvon Lamarr (organ), Parlor Greens‘ and True Loves‘ Jimmy James, and Polyrhythmics and Champagne Bubblebath‘s Grant Schroff (drums) — in over four years.

The 7-inch 45RPM single, which features tracks originally recorded during the I Told You So sessions serves as the first batch of material from a forthcoming album. “Chicken Leg,” the A-side is a strutting bit of deep fried funk that channels Booker T and the MGs while capturing the deeply held, effortless simpatico between three grizzled vets. The B-side “If I Could” is a slow-burning and heartfelt, gospel-informed soul ballad that wouldn’t be out of place on Daptone or Big Crown.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Delvon Lamarr Trio Releases a Strutting and Soulful Bit of Funk

Acclaimed Seattle-based soul jazz outfit Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio formed back in 2015 and currently features:

  • Delvon Lamarr, a self-taught virtuosic musician, with perfect pitch, who taught himself jazz — and can play several different instruments, besides organ
  • Jimmy James, a guitarist, whose style meshes acid rock freak outs with slinky jazz
  • Dan Weiss, the Reno, NV-born drummer, the band’s new full-time drummer, who’s best known for his work with the soul and funk collective The Sextones

Since their formation, the Seattle-based trio has released two albums of what the band dubs “feel good music” that includes 2018’s full-length debut, Close But No Cigar and last year’s critically and commercially successful sophomore effort I Told You So, which debuted on the top of multiple Billboard Charts: #1 on the Contemporary Jazz Album Chart, #3 on the Jazz Album Chart, #4 on the Tastemaker Album Chart, and #12 on the Heatseaker Album Chart.

I Told You So also received praise by Under the Radar, AllMusic, American Songwriter, Popmatters, KEXP, Live For Live Music, Jazziz, Jambase, Glide Magazine and NPR, who named it one of their favorite albums of the first half of last year.

Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio’s third album Cold As Weiss is slated for a February 11, 2022 release through Colemine Records. Cold As Weiss is the first recorded output with Weiss, the band’s newest member. And while finding the band at its tightest, the album reportedly finds the band continuing to push funky instrumental music to a new generation of fans.

“Don’t Worry ‘Bout What I Do,” Cold As Weiss‘ second and latest single derives its title from a quote by the band’s Jimmy James. “No matter what you say to this cat, ‘Yo bro, your butt crack is showing,’ he always says the same thing: ‘Man . . . don’t worry ’bout what i do,” the band’s Delvon Lamarr explains. “Don’t Worry ‘Bout What I Do” is an old-school pimp strut, centered around an expansive arrangement featuring Weiss’ quickly building up a tight, rhythmic swing, Lamarr’s sultry organ lines and James’ psych rock-like guitar lines. The end result is a composition that seems indebted to the likes of The Meters and Booker T and the MGs.