Carrington Clinton powers organ trio at the Jazz Kitchen

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Carrington Clinton, Sophie Faught, Steven Snyder
As a tenor saxophonist, Sophie Faught has so many promising directions to go with an instrument in an overcrowded field that still manages to prize distinctive personalities. That she has, and by now is a veteran in adaptability and freshness.  A recent move toward linkage with the Hammond B-3 opens up new avenues. With Steven Snyder on the organ bench, she presened her organ quartet here last summer to launch a brief tour.

On Sunday at the Jazz Kitchen,  it was a pleasure to hear the Faught-Snyder pairing hit paydirt again, this time under the leadership of a powerful, astute drummer, Carrington Clinton. 

Leadership from the percussion section doesn't always work, but the readiness of drummers to shine in context has a long, rich history in jazz, and this bandleader is also known for his producing chops in the hip-hop genre. For a generous single set on December 28, the Carrington Clinton Organ Trio displayed holiday sparkle and verve in a program featuring modern-jazz standards.

"'The Organ Grinder" found the group in a roomy comfort zone — the tempo a fast 4/4 into which Faught launched a hearty solo, later joining Snyder in a punchy riff accompanying a driving Clinton solo. It proved to be a compatible neighbor to a characteristic Wayne Shorter tune written for one of the great Miles Davis quintets: "Nefertiti." Famous for its avoidance of solos, "Nefertiti" in this version featured an effectively concise organ solo, and the bandleader, laying the sticks aside, showed how deft his use of brushes could be. Faught was singularly reflective in her approach to the perennially mysterious tune.

Clinton was generous to his bandmates, giving each of them an extensive solo showcase on an unnamed 
blues toward the close of the set. Snyder made the most of his instrument's infinite ability to sustain, holding a high note on the tonic near the start of his solo and putting a variety of decoration and substance beneath it. Faught was on fire in her solo, typically evincing a knack for building a solo out of initial understatement. The more intricate theme of Michael Brecker's "Nothing Personal," which followed, found the three-way teamwork impeccable.

The set ended with "Jeannine," a thoughtful original by Indianapolis organ master Melvin Rhyne, an early colleague of Wes Montgomery during his emergence from local stardom toward guitar immortality. The band represented Rhyne earlier with "Full House," a catchy tune during which Clinton pitted a host of patterns against repetitive organ chords. The group then made the most of three birthday celebrations at the club last night, rendering "Happy Birthday" in three different styles, briefly but in a manner sure to have pleased the partygoers.

The oblique tribute "Mom and Dad," by another Davis sideman, the too-soon-gone Tony Williams, took a while to jell while it showed the trio's fitness for it. Clinton had just showed off his vocal prowess with Jimmy Smith's "I Got My Mojo Working," setting up nicely zestful solos by Faught and Snyder. The organist's solo soared into chains of sixteenth notes, giving lofty expression to the song's title. Something of the mojo sort was certainly working for the whole trio Sunday night.

[Photo by William Harvey]











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