What do you call a Wizard who Potters around the house a lot? Harry! New post time!

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That has nothing to do with today’s track, by the way, I just wanted to make you roll your eyes! Anyhow, I’m Jacob Braybrooke and I’m writing up your daily post on the blog since, as you’re aware of, it’s my day-to-day pleasure to write about a different piece of music every day! Also known as DLO3, Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio are a Jazz Fusion group based in Washington in the US, who formed in 2015, under a different original line-up. Their band name refers to how Delvon Lamarr, who is obviously at the helm of the trio, switched to playing the Organ at the age of 22 after playing the Drums and the Trumpet since an early age. Lamarr now works with Jimmy James (Guitar) and Dan Weiss (on Drums) to make up the trio. Commercially, they are probably best known for their debut album, “Close But No Cigar”, which reached the #1 spot of the US Contemporary Jazz Albums Chart when it was released in 2015. “Inner City Blues” marks a new era for the Colemine Records label, who have launched the “Brighter Days Ahead” initiative as a response to the COVID-era difficulties being faced by independent labels. As a result, they have been releasing a new single, from their artists, weekly on their Bandcamp page to coincide with Bandcamp’s waiving fees on the day, meaning that 100% of revenue from sales goes directly to the artists. This is a cover of Marvin Gaye’s 1971 track “Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)” from his landmark LP, “What’s Going On”. Let’s give it a spin!

An upbeat, instrumental version of a vintage 70’s classic track, which can be a hit-or-miss prospect in the odd few cases, Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio put a new spin and a different perspective on Gaye’s original composition with a hefty splash of cool, involving Acid-Rock guitar lines and a Dub-based Funk style which reminds me of Khruangbin, amongst a casual and contemporary Jazz format that seems akin to GoGo Penguin. Driven by an airy Organ harmony, as per usual from the Seattle-born trio, the Jazz trio infuse elements of Soul and Swing that recreates the authenticity of a 1970’s New Orleans sound. Its embellished with short Brass sections and joyous, childlike keyboard chords to replace Gaye’s original lyricism of the bleak economic situation of the 70s and his informed lack of support from the government during the recession with deep bass guitar lines and increasingly layered Classical instrumentals to create a hopeful and optimistic mood with a vintage 70’s Jazz Fusion feel. Jimmy James turns the Funk up a notch on his guitar part, with consistently grooving, light-hearted guitar patterns. Meanwhile, Dan Weiss creates warm Drum beats that feel momentous, increasing the pace from Gaye’s recording, before it comes together with a mellow finish. Frankly, they all play perfectly well individually, but they all sync-up together very cohesively, and that springs the record to life. A head-nodder of a cover.

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Thank you very much for reading my daily blog post! Don’t forget that your weekly edition of Scuzz Sundays is coming up very soon, but in the meantime, please make sure that you visit the blog again tomorrow for an in-depth look at the brand new solo project from the frontman of one of the world’s most internationally popular Alternative Rock music groups, Sigur Ros. If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when each new post is up and like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime