Organ Great Ronnie Foster Returns To Blue Note With Deep & Greasy ‘Reboot’ (ALBUM REVIEW)

Organist Ronnie Foster, who made five acclaimed Blue Note albums in the early ‘70s, played on hit albums by Stevie Wonder, George Benson, and others, makes a celebrated return as a leader. Reboot marks his first album in 36 years and arrives upon the 50th anniversary of his 1972 Two-Headed Freep, which is being reissued this year as part of the label’s Classic Vinyl Series. The album is also noteworthy as the tune “Mystic Brew” was sampled by A Tribe Called Quest as the foundation for “Electric Relaxation” on their 1994 Midnight Marauders. The music here on Reboot is both vintage and contemporary, and as this writer often said in the first quarter of this year, 2022, this is indeed the year of organ-fueled groups.

Foster kicks off with the title track, leading us through a winding melody, two bridges, and propulsion from his drummer son, Chris Foster, who also mans the kit on three other tracks. The drummer on the balance is Jimmy Branly, with guitarist Michael O’Neill present on all but the two tracks where Foster solos. Percussionists Lennie Castro and Luis Conte join on three selections, to give those a Latin tinge.  The first of those three is “Sultry Song II,” an update of his own tune that appeared on flutist Nestor Torres’ 1991 Dance of the Phoenix which Foster produced. Here, even more so than on the opener, we hear Foster’s gift for melody as he rides steadily and fluidly above the bubbling undercurrents as does O’Neill in his statement.  “Carlos,” as you may have guessed, is indeed for the great guitarist Santana, and artist Foster grew close to, having witnessed so many of his residency shows at The Hard Rock Café in Las Vegas.  Surprisingly, it begins with a flamenco guitar intro from Jerry Lopez, before bursting gloriously into a burning electric workout for O’Neill and Foster as the entire unit does that classic Santana sound proud. The third and final Latin-oriented tune is “After Chicago,” the final band track, delivered in more traditional bossa fashion as the leader recalls a memorable gig in the Second City. While Branly drummed on the first two of these, Chris joins his dad on this one.

The only non-original is the album’s most recognizable tune, Stevie Wonder’s “Isn’t She Lovely,” with a backbeat shuffle arranged by Foster, who recorded with his friend Stevie Wonder multiple times including on Songs in the Key of Life. Here, as on the non-Latin cuts, Foster leads a trio, with son Chris proving he’s got chops to spare on the kit. It evokes in some ways those great Grant Green organ-guitar albums focused on pop hits (and Foster’s first recording was on Green’s Alive! which annoyed purists as it covered soul-pop hits). Drummer Branly takes us into that classic (yes, purist favored) organ trio sound with his accents on “Swingin’” while the trio also ventures into bluesy R&B turf with “Hey Good Lookin’ Woman,” the only vocal track with Foster on the lead as O’Neill and Chris join on the choruses.

The eclectic session expands to gospel on Foster’s solo excursion “J’s Dream,” where the warm nuances of the Hammond shine through and, consistent with the theme of rebooting, Foster finishes where he started out as a musician over five decades ago, alone on the acoustic piano for “After Conversation with Nadia.” You may have noticed that we have not used the term “B3” as a substitute for organ as this writer so often does with organists. Interestingly, Foster began on the 400-pound B3 as is customary but now plays a custom digital Hammond XK-5 that weighs 65 pounds. Foster is well aware of the Blue Note lineage of B3 greats that include Jimmy Smith, Larry Young, and the recently passed Dr. Lonnie Smith, to whom the album is dedicated.  This session both nods to that legacy and signals a fresh beginning. 

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