Groove Holmes Swings a Full Horn Section
Holmes built something rare: a soul-jazz organ record with real orchestral weight.
What makes Workin' on a Groovy Thing stick is Wilton Felder on electric bass guitar. Not the organ. Not the horns. Felder's thick, singing bass lines are the spine of this record—they lock into Richard "Groove" Holmes and Paul Humphrey with the kind of lockstep groove that separates a real soul-jazz session from a blowing date. Felder doesn't just follow; he leads the rhythm section into pockets that let Holmes breathe differently than he does on his smaller trio records.
Holmes by 1969 was already known for his 1965 hit "Misty", but this album shows him thinking bigger. The horns—Anthony Ortega on alto, Ernie Watts on alto, Richard Aplanalp on baritone, a full trumpet section with Herbert Anderson, Paul Hubinon, Larry McGuire, William Peterson, and Jerry Rusch, plus trombones from Thurman Green and Frank Strong—give the organ room to navigate. Dennis Budimir on guitar adds another harmonic layer that keeps things from sounding thin. This is an organist working inside an actual band, not just flanked by sidemen.
It's a solid soul-jazz outing that sits comfortably between hard bop and the looser funk that was starting to seep into jazz. Not peak Holmes, not rare, not the record to start with—that's still "Misty". But if you want to hear him in a fuller setting, with real arrangements and a bassist who knows how to swing underneath him, this one earns its keep.
Who's playing
Wilton Felderelectric bass guitar
Mike Wimberlybass trombone
Dennis Budimirguitar
Richard Aplanalpbaritone saxophone
Anthony Ortegaalto saxophone
Ernie Wattsalto saxophone
Herbert Andersontrumpet
Paul Hubinontrumpet
Larry McGuiretrumpet
William Petersontrumpet
Jerry Ruschtrumpet
Thurman Greentrombone
Frank Strongtrombone
Paul Humphreydrums
