Rendez-Vous
Hammond Express
| 1. | Modern City Blues |
| 2. | Bossa Rouge [Vibrato Mix] |
| 3. | Exactly Freddy |
| 4. | We'Ve Only Just Begun |
| 5. | Space |
| 6. | Mexico 70 |
| 7. | Rendez-Vous (at the Greek Restaurant) |
| 8. | The Champ |
| 9. | Doo Doo Cha |
| 10. | Everybody in the Sauna |
| 11. | Cuban Breeze |
| 12. | Shocking Beat |
| 13. | Katanga |
| 14. | The Longest Day |
If you shiver every time you hear a Hammond organ twirl, possibly played by Jimmy Smith, Jack McDuff, Larry Young or Booker T., then you're not one to miss the Rendez-Vous with Hammond Express.
Even if you prefer to lie down by the pool side, tasting your favourite cocktail, accompanied by the perfect samba-lounge courtesy of Brazilian organist Walter Wanderley, then you'll love the easy sounds of Hammond Express. In other words, if you're a romantic hobo who loses himself in Phase Four vinyl records and their Hammond cover versions of Burt Bacharach songs, or if you get excited with a modernist mix of house breaks, vintage samples, flute and flugelhorn solos, organ and Moog twirls, then Rendez-Vous is definitely the album for you.
The Hammond Express debut album, released by the Italian label Scenario Music, is a futuristic trip into dance jazz, through spy-movie soundtracks (Modern City Blues), sci-fi atmospheres (Space), 70's bossa nova (Bossa Rouge – Vibrato Mix) and easy-listening evergreens, like the Carpenters We've Only Just Begun.
Not the usual Hammond combo, but something modern for a "future lounge" party with a psychedelic touch. At the Hammond organ (and many other vintage keyboards, plus acoustic guitar) sits Francesco Gazzara, already known as leader of his own group Gazzara (Irma Records), and author of the book "Lounge Music: Il Blues Dell'Uomo Bianco". With him, on board the Hammond Express, there's bass player Massimo Sanna (founding member of Gazzara). Special guests on Rendez-Vous are Cuban flute maestro Eduardo Piloto Barreto, nephew of legend drummer Ray Barreto, flugelhorn player Giovanni Di Cosimo, brasilian percussionist Mirtao and mysterious double bass wizard Sir Blofeld.
Hammond Express started in 1999 as a recording act releasing three songs for the label Irma Records (Capricorn Soul, Ass Enchillada, Batucada Express), included in three different compilations (Ultradolce, vol.1, Irma Cocktail Lounge, Ultradolce, vol.2). Their debut album for Scenario Music contains 14 new tracks and is inspired by many live sets played as a duo, with a tight sound reminiscent of the London club scene of the late 60's. Keep on burning! But don't forget to get off at the next stop by Hammond Express.