I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart – 2015
Joey DeFrancesco
The organist at its freest
One of the greatest jazz organists of all time, the emergence of Joey DeFrancesco (1971-2022) helped lead to the comeback of the Hammond B-3 organ in jazz in the 1990s.
While sometimes featured in all-star groups, most of the time DeFrancesco led his own trio which in 2015 featured guitarist Dan Wilson and drummer Jason Brown.
During a lengthy version of Duke Ellington’s “I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart,” DeFrancesco and his musicians stretch out.
After the organ solo, Dan Wilson makes the most of his spot, playing with soul and bluesy ideas that sometimes recall Wes Montgomery and George Benson; DeFancesco looks pleased.
The organ-drums tradeoff is full of fire, leading to the melody statement (which unfortunately fades out).
Anyone wondering why Joey DeFrancesco was considered so brilliant will find plenty of evidence during this performance.
-Scott Yanow
Ella Fitzgerald