Album Review: Purdie Fabian Oswanski – Move On!
Bernard Purdie is one of the most influential drummers in music; his style has made a serious impression on players well outside his chosen genres of jazz and funk. And while at age 81 he has long since passed the nothing-left-to-prove milestone, here he is with two younger players, making an album of high-energy organ trio jazz. Christian Fabian lays down a thick bass groove, while Ron Oswanski delivers the melody on electric organ.
Most of the tracks on Move On! are composed by Fabian, and they cook. The covers draw form the very best, including Duke Ellington (“Love You Madly”) and Miles Davis (“So What”). Julia Ward Howe’s “Battle Hymn of the Republic” has long been a jazz staple, and the trio turns in a tasty reading.
The album swings: sometime gently, other times forcefully. This isn’t avant-garde stuff; it’s accessible, tuneful, in-the-pocket grooving music. Hardcore jazzers will find plenty to like when Fabian lays down an extended bass solo on “BPP Blues,” and deep funk is showcased on “84-85.” The trio goes full speed ahead on the intricate “Got Groove (pt.2)”
While “Can’t You See (You’re Doin’ Me Wrong)” drifts perilously close to smooth jazz, when it’s done this well, there’s no reason to complain. A simmering, hypnotic version of Davis’ “So What” closes the album in style. Move On! has the sound and feel of three musicians communicating on the highest level, and having fun doing it.
About the Author
Bill Kopp
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day since 2018). The 4000-plus interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He regularly hosts lecture/discussions on artists and albums of historical importance (including monthly events Music to Your Ears and Music Movie Mondays), and is a frequent guest on music-focused radio programs and podcasts. In Spring 2023 he is co-teaching a history of Rock 'n' Roll at UNC Asheville's College for Seniors. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- more than 30 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, was published in 2021 by HoZac Books. His third book, What's the Big Idea: 40 Great Concept Albums will be published in 2024. Read even more about him here.