Four Years in the Vault, Still Swinging
Holmes at the organ with a tight front line—Mitchell's trumpet and Vick's tenor cutting clean lines over solid groove.
Soul Mist! was recorded in 1966 with Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Harold Vick on tenor saxophone, Gene Edwards on guitar, and Richard "Groove" Holmes anchoring everything from the organ. The session brought together players who understood how to lock into a groove without overcomplicating it. Mitchell and Vick trade solos with economy and punch, neither trying to out-flash the other. Edwards keeps the guitar spare and useful—rhythmic support rather than lead voice. The rhythm section rotates between George Randall and Freddie Waits on drums, both pushing the band forward with understated precision.
Holmes sits at the center of it all, doing what he did best: playing soul and blues through a B3 organ without apology. There's no pretense here. The grooves breathe. Solos unfold naturally rather than pile up. This is the kind of session where nobody needs to prove anything—the musicians just know the job and execute it. The material swings without strain, and the recording captures that ease.
The album wasn't released until 1970, four years after it was cut. By then, Holmes had already built a solid reputation, so Soul Mist! arrived as a solid entry rather than a revelation. For listeners wanting a pure example of Holmes in a working trio-plus-horns setting, this delivers exactly that—no experimentation, no concept, just skilled musicians playing soulful, groove-centered jazz that holds up.
Who's playing
Gene Edwardsguitar
Harold Vicktenor saxophone
Blue Mitchelltrumpet
George Randalldrums
Freddie Waitsdrums
