Legacy

Pioneer meets protégé for the first time in the studio, and Hammond B3 sparks fly. That sums up the organ convergence of master and mentor, the late Jimmy Smith and disciple Joey DeFrancesco, the top players of the console that during the synth-crazed '80s almost went the way of the dinosaur. The CD opens with the mystical, sitar-colored title track, where in deference DeFrancesco delivers from the piano chair and spotlights Smith's angular and bluesy gurgle. But it isn't long before the double-B3 assault takes hold, with exclamatory exchanges on the cooking "Dot Com Blues" and the funked-up "I've Got My Mojo Workin'," which also features Smith on vocals. The sizzle chills momentarily for a tepid reading of Jobim's "Corcovado" but fires on the swinging "Blues for Bobby C" before easing into the terminal station with Smith's soulful classic "Midnight Special."—DO