Soul Message - Richard Groove Holmes

Soul Message
Richard "Groove" Holmes
Produced by Cal Lampley
Recording: Rudy Van Gelder
Notes: Christopher Peters (October 1, 1965)
Prestige 7435

Available from online vendors so I will not be posting a sample. Presented here to share the cover art and jacket notes excerpt.

From the back cover: "Groove" Holmes first attacked the organ in Camden, New Jersey, and his first influence was from Red Bank neighbor, Count Basie. It is important to note that Holmes found his groove early, for he is not a converted pianist, and his own expression is not limited by the technique of the pianist-turned-organist. He has satisfied the demands of his instrument simply by dedication to it over the most important years of any musician's development – the initial years of study when one develops the good and bad habits of physical dexterity which serve as the basis for the execution of mature ideas. The point is that "Groove" is an organist initially, primarily, and finally. It is small wonder that he has come to receive attention from recordings with Les McCann and Gerald Wilson, and he even found a niche on the popularity charts with his own album with tenor saxophonist Gene Ammons. A favorite album in my collection is a set "Groove" did with guitarist Joe Pass. All of these excursions come with a west coast post mark, and each one indicated that there was a "comer" on the coast. He has now come east and it is Prestige's great pride that Richard "Groove" Holmes has signed an exclusive contract with the company.

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Soul Message