Joey DeFrancesco - Project Freedom

The Guardian 60

(Mack Avenue)

The Hammond organist Joey DeFrancesco has been making amiably hard-swinging albums for years, and has often distinguished himself as an intelligent sideman for stars such as David Sanborn. But Project Freedom is one of the Philadelphian’s most personal journeys into his favourite soul-jazz territory yet. Songs by everyone from Sam Cooke (A Change Is Gonna Come) to John Lennon (Imagine) surface on the tracklist. DeFrancesco adds wah-wah effects to the familiar Hammond sound, and his punchy band includes the soul-bop guitar sound of Dan Wilson and the smoky-toned, drily impassioned tenor saxophonist Troy Roberts. The title track is fast moving and freeboppish after a Hammond-sermon intro, and The Unifier has a contemporary soul-funk sound. Meanwhile, the gospel classic Lift Every Voice and Sing sparks a fearsome double-time organ break, and the versatile DeFrancesco plays some Miles Davis-like muted trumpet on One. It’s generic music-making, but by a band having a ball with it.