Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio Deliver Seductive Grooves on New Album

While I’ve started to feature more instrumental music on the blog – a big step for a guy who can keep raving about vocals and harmony singing for hours – the picture is very different when it comes to album reviews. In fact, Cold As Weiss by Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio is my first review of a new all-instrumental album, and I couldn’t be happier with my pick!

If you’re a frequent visitor of the blog, you may have seen a few previous posts that included this cool trio from Seattle, most recently here earlier this month. In fact, that Sunday Six installment included Don’t Worry ‘Bout What I Do, a track from the new album, which had been released as an upfront single. Cold As Weiss appeared in its entirety on Friday, February 11, and it’s a true beauty!

In case you didn’t catch any of the previous posts, let me start with some background on the group. Once again, I’m borrowing from their website, which has a great bio: Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio—or as it is sometimes referred to, DLO3—specialize in the lost art of “feel good music.” The ingredients of this intoxicating cocktail include a big helping of the 1960s organ jazz stylings of Jimmy Smith and Baby Face Willette; a pinch of the snappy soul strut of Booker T. & The M.G.’s and The Meters; and sprinkles Motown, Stax Records, blues, and cosmic Jimi Hendrix-style guitar. It’s a soul-jazz concoction that goes straight to your heart and head makes your body break out in a sweat…

Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio (from left): Delvon Lamarr, Dan Weiss & Jimmy James

The band features organist Delvon Lamarr, a self-taught virtuosic musician, with perfect pitch who taught himself jazz and has effortlessly been able to play a multitude of instruments. On guitar is the dynamo Jimmy James who eases through Steve Cropper-style chanking guitar, volcanic acid-rock freak-out lead playing, and slinky Grant Green-style jazz. From Reno, Nevada is drummer Dan Weiss (also of the powerhouse soul and funk collective The Sextones). Dan’s smoldering pocket-groove drumming locks in the trio’s explosive chemistry.

DLO3 have been around since May 2015. Their initial line-up included Lamarr, Colin Higgins (guitar) and David McGraw (drums). By the time the trio’s debut album Close but No Cigar came out in March 2018, Higgins had been replaced by James on guitar. DLO3 had a few drummers over the years. The current one, Dan Weiss, joined last year after their sophomore studio album I Told You So had been recorded. Apparently, his arrival is reflected in the record’s title, as I’ve read in a few reviews. Let’s play some music!

Here’s the opener Pull Your Pants Up. The track pretty much sets the tone for the rest of the album. For the most part, Lamarr and James take turns in leading the melody and providing fill-ins, while Weiss is keeping the beat. Since DLO3 don’t have a bassist, Lamarr is covering that part as well, using his Hammond B-3’s bass pedals.

Since I previously covered Don’t Worry ‘Bout What I Do, I’m skipping it here and going right to Big TT’s Blues. Clocking in at 6:31 minutes, it’s the longest track on the album. It also trades some funkiness for more of a straight blues feel. While all of the music on the album is jam-based, fortunately, DLO3 never go overboard with egomaniacal solos.

With Get Da Steppin’ it’s back to a more funky groove. I love the Hammond bass pedals and the drum part in this one. Sure, there’s not a huge variety in these funky grooves. But given the awesome sound and feel, this doesn’t really bother me.

And check out this beauty titled Uncertainty! A little softer than some of the other tracks with some cool breaks. And, boy, that Hammond just sounds mighty sweet, especially when the tone starts vibrating. I just don’t get tired of it – jeez, I guess I’m starting to sound like I’m raving about multipart harmony singing!

Let’s do one more: This Is Who I Is, the excellent closer. I love the guitar wah-wah action on this track, which gives it a bit of a Hendrix flavor – very cool!

Like its predecessor I Told You So, Cold As Weiss was recorded at Blue Mallard Studio in Seattle and produced by Jason Gray.

Based on reviews I’ve seen, Cold As Weiss has been well received. “As good as last year’s I Told You So was, this is an even stronger response to their already highly raised bar,” wrote Glide Magazine. “It’s another home run for Lamarr’s trio who hasn’t made a misstep yet,” opined American Songwriter. And here’s some of what AllMusic had to say: “The choruses are delivered in joyously emphatic unison. If there is a complaint about Cold as Weiss, it’s that at 40 minutes, it’s a tad short, because no one wants this dance party to end. (If you do, please check your pulse, you may have expired.)”

Sources: Wikipedia; Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio website; Discogs; Glide Magazine; American Songwriter; AllMusic, YouTube; Spotify

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