Requisites

Soul Message ~ Richard “Groove” Holmes | By Eddie Carter

This morning’s choice from the library is an album I first heard on our then R&B station in Cleveland, Ohio, WJMO 1490 AM. I knew the song Misty from my uncle’s weekend jazz listening sessions but had never heard it played on the organ before. I called the station and that’s how I discovered organist Richard “Groove” Holmes.  Soul Message (Prestige PR 7435/PRST 7435) serves up six delicious tunes of Soul-Jazz that are something special. Gene Daniels on guitar and Jimmie Smith complete the trio, and my copy used in this report is the 1965 US Stereo pressing. Daniels played with Holmes on two earlier albums in 1961 and 1962, Groovin’ With Jug and After Hours. This was Smith’s only time recording with Richard, but he would go on to enjoy a successful career playing with Toshiko Akiyoshi, Benny Carter, Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis, Erroll Garner, Gene Harris, Terry Gibbs, and Joe Pass.

Groove’s Groove, a soulful blues by Holmes starts with an infectious melody compelling one to snap their fingers and tap their toes right away. Richard hits a groove immediately with a marvelous interpretation. Gene follows with a statement as succulent as a huge Sunday meal from Mom’s or Grandma’s kitchen. Holmes returns for a brief anecdote ahead of the finale. Dahoud by Clifford Brown moves the tempo up to a tropical flavor in the opening chorus. Daniels emerges first with a perfectly constructed opening solo. Holmes delves down into the tune’s roots, stating his point with excellent enunciation into the trio’s reprise. Misty by Erroll Garner and Johnny Burke begins on an upbeat note with Richard soaring at length after the melody. Gene and Jimmie propel the song forward into a charming climax. Misty became Richard’s biggest hit and his signature song whenever he performed live.

Side Two starts with the trio easing into the melody of Song For My Father by Horace Silver. Daniels brings blues-rooted energy to the first solo, then Holmes builds on the momentum with a happy performance that he manages tastefully. The Things We Did Last Summer is a beautiful song by Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn. The trio cultivates an irresistible warmth on this 1946 evergreen with a remarkably respectful opening chorus. Richard approaches every note of the lead and closing solos softly and tenderly. Gene completes the gentle mood with a lovely interpretation of romantic reflection before the trio’s delightfully delicate ending. The title track, Soul Message wraps up this set with a cheerful sermon by Holmes who preaches a concise mellow statement with light and airy verses after the catchy melody.

Soul Message was recorded by Rudy Van Gelder and it’s a good recording, but not perfect. On Groove’s Groove during Richard’s second solo, and on Misty, the microphone picks up a bit of distortion in the upper register lasting about one verse on Groove’s Groove and during the second, third and fourth verses on Misty. This is particularly noticeable if you are wearing a good pair of headphones as I do when listening to jazz late at night. These two issues aside, the instruments have a good soundstage on the remainder of the album. Richard also recorded for Groove Merchant, Muse Records, and Pacific Jazz. He passed away from a heart attack on June 29, 1991, at the age of sixty after battling prostate cancer. If you are a fan of the jazz organ or are just discovering the music of Richard “Groove” Holmes, I invite you to audition Soul Message for a spot in your jazz library. It’s a vibrant, inspired album by the organist, and after you’ve heard it, I’m almost certain you’ll get the message!

~ After Hours (Pacific Jazz PJ-59/ST-59), Groovin’ With Jug (Pacific Jazz PJ-32/ST-32) – Source: Discogs.com
~ Misty – Source: JazzStandards.com
~ Richard “Groove” Holmes, Jimmie Smith, The Things We Did Last Summer – Source: Wikipedia.org
© 2021 by Edward Thomas Carter

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