Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Ben Paterson: Live at Van Gelder's

Ben Paterson: Live at Van Gelder's

By Jack Bowers
October 6, 2018
View read count

Jazz organ trios have been with us for well over half a century now with not much change in nature or design. There are basically two explicit issues that any such band must address: has it chosen its material with care, and even more to the point, does it swing. Happily, organist

Ben Paterson

piano
b.1982

" data-original-title="" title="">Ben Paterson's tight-knit group scores quite well in both areas—and as a bonus, Paterson's trio was recorded for an audience (of thirty-five) at the late Rudy Van Gelder's legendary studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.

While Paterson presides over the melodic aspects of the session, the all-important rhythmic component is in the capable hands of veteran guitarist

Ed Cherry

guitar
b.1954

" data-original-title="" title="">Ed Cherry and drummer

Jason Tiemann

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Jason Tiemann, neither of whom shies away from the task at hand. To the contrary, they give Paterson a durable runway from which to launch his athletic maneuvers, which he does without fear of collision. Cherry is a splendid soloist when called upon, and Tiemann has his moments too. As for the music, it was composed by an all-star lineup of jazz legends:

Ray Brown

bass, acoustic
1926 - 2002

" data-original-title="" title="">Ray Brown,

Wayne Shorter

saxophone
1933 - 2023

" data-original-title="" title="">Wayne Shorter,

Slide Hampton

trombone
1932 - 2021

" data-original-title="" title="">Slide Hampton,

Grant Green

guitar
1935 - 1979

" data-original-title="" title="">Grant Green,

Horace Silver

piano
1928 - 2014

" data-original-title="" title="">Horace Silver,

Jack McDuff

organ, Hammond B3
1926 - 2001

" data-original-title="" title="">Jack McDuff,

Benny Golson

saxophone, tenor
1929 - 2024

" data-original-title="" title="">Benny Golson,

Stanley Turrentine

saxophone, tenor
1934 - 2000

" data-original-title="" title="">Stanley Turrentine,

Louie Bellson

drums
1924 - 2009

" data-original-title="" title="">Louie Bellson and

Richard "Groove" Holmes

organ, Hammond B3
1931 - 1991

" data-original-title="" title="">Richard "Groove" Holmes (or

Don Patterson

organ, Hammond B3
1936 - 1988

" data-original-title="" title="">Don Patterson, as "Sweatin'" is attributed to Holmes on the album jacket, Patterson in producer

Cory Weeds

saxophone, alto
b.1973

" data-original-title="" title="">Cory Weeds' liner notes).

The trio opens with Brown's hard-swinging "F.S.R. (For Sonny Rollins)," the first of a number of lesser-known but no less pleasing tunes on the menu (such as Shorter's "Edda," Silver's "Enchantment," McDuff's "The Vibrator," Turrentine's "The Hustler" and Bellson's "Easy Time"). Hampton's "Frame for the Blues" is a jazz standard, as is Golson's "I Remember Clifford," while Green's "Green Jeans" is reprised more often than many of the others. "Edda," as it turns out, is a lively waltz, "Enchantment" a genial tango, "The Vibrator" a funky blues, "The Hustler" a fast-paced flag-waver, "Easy Time" a well-named old-school shuffle. That sets the stage for "Sweatin,'" whose enticing theme and seductive rhythms are an ideal way to ring down the curtain on a sharp and entertaining trio performance.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

F.S.R. (For Sonny Rollins); Edda; Frame for the Blues; Green Jeans; Enchantment; The Vibrator; I Remember Clifford; The Hustler; Easy Time; Sweatin'.

Personnel

Ben Paterson

piano

Ben Paterson: Hammond B3 Organ; Ed Cherry: Guitar; Jason Tiemann: drums.

Album information

Title: Live at Van Gelder's | Year Released: 2018 | Record Label: Cellar Live

PREVIOUS / NEXT

What Is Jazz? Vol.1 with Jimmy Mac
< Previous

Uncharted Territories
Next >

Ben Paterson Concerts

Oct 4 Sat

Ben Paterson Quartet

Winter's Jazz Club
Chicago, IL

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.