Artist:     Bruce Katz Band

Album:     Get Your Groove!

Label:     American Showplace

Release Date:     7/20/18

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Keyboardist Bruce Katz defies pigeonholing. The New England Conservatory of Music graduate mixes blues and jazz with adventurous jam-band improvisation. In addition to a six-year stint with the Gregg Allman band, Katz has played with heavyweights like Delbert McClinton, Little Milton, Levon Helm and Jimmy Witherspoon. Get Your Groove, the latest release from Katz’s own band, celebrates his eclecticism and adventurous spirit.

Katz and guitarist Chris Vitarello have wonderful chemistry; their musical interplay shines on every track. On the traditional “Hesitation Blues,” Katz’s soulful organ riffs and Vitarello’s deft comping are reminiscent of Jimmy Smith and Kenny Burell’s classic Blue Note sides. The Vitarello-penned “Wasn’t My Time” is another track that’s firmly planted in the blues. Vitarello is a capable vocalist: his lyrics, which recall a harrowing encounter with urban violence, inspire top-notch performances from the rest of the band. As Vitarello stretches out on guitar, Katz’s riffs are filled with smoky organ lounge grit. Drummer Ray Hangen and bassist Matt Raymond keep the music anchored.

“Beef Jerky” and the title track both pay tribute to the soul jazz sound that was pioneered in the ’60s. Switching from organ to piano, Katz’s playing seems to take a few cues from jazz legend Horace Silver, while Vitarello’s guitar solos display a lyricism and inventiveness that’s reminiscent of the late Grant Green. “Freight Train,” a piece originally written for Allman Brothers Band drummer Butch Trucks, is one of the album’s most ambitious tracks. Featuring a guest appearance by drummer and founding member of the Allman Brothers band Jaimoe, the track gives the band a chance to flex their improvisational muscles. What begins as a bluesy instrumental morphs into an extended jam that includes a quote from the Allmans’ “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed.”

The Bruce Katz Band clearly loves making together—their creativity and inspiration make Get Your Groove! a joyous listen.

—Jon Kleinman