Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio, as part of component of TD 麻豆传媒映画International Jazz Festival.
Band鈥檚 that play together 鈥� really play together 鈥� stay together.
Delvon Lamarr recognizes there鈥檚 hordes of top-notch musicians out there, but if the grooves don鈥檛 click, well, then something鈥檚 not right, he says.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of great musicians and there鈥檚 a lot of bands that are on the stage and they鈥檙e all good 鈥� but nobody is playing together. I listen for that,鈥� Lamarr tells the North Shore News from his home in Seattle. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what we try and do: we play together. Nobody鈥檚 getting in the way, nobody鈥檚 showing off. Just simple grooves and music.鈥�
The band, which also includes guitar player Jimmy James and drummer David McGraw, will be showcasing some of their fine vintage grooves and simple soul sounds when they perform in West 麻豆传媒映画tonight as part of this year鈥檚 麻豆传媒映画International Jazz Festival.
Lamarr, a veteran in the Seattle music scene, recalls with fondness his early forays as a drummer and trumpet player before really finding his niche on the Hammond organ. At 16, for example, he remembers drumming with local legend Patti Summers, and before that playing in his own band, Variations: The Jazz Disciples.
But at 22, he got a call to play drums with a revered organ player named Joe Doria, who showed him that the instrument could be more than just a church showpiece or a background component in some jazz and popular music.
鈥淚t鈥檚 historically been one of those instruments that was in the back 鈥� in the church, behind things. It鈥檚 a real treat to actually pull it to the front and give it the proper notice it deserves,鈥� he says.
Immediately drawn to the instrument once he saw it in action, when Lamarr was finally invited to take a crack at it he found he was more than adept.
鈥淲hen I sat down on that thing, it was like I鈥檇 been playing it like my whole life. Everything just connected. I had no prior piano 鈥� nothing. I just sat down on it and everything worked. I basically learned how to play the organ by watching Joe,鈥� he says.
After tinkering with his own musical stylings on the organ, Lamarr found his groove after taking a deep dive into the soul-jazz aspect of the instrument, noting that his own band 鈥� the Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio 鈥� mines a vintage 1960s and 鈥�70s soul sound using 鈥淗ammond B3 mixed with tasty guitar lines and old school style pocket drumming,鈥� according to a description on the trio鈥檚 Bandcamp page.听
The group self-released an album, Close But No Cigar, in 2016 that was eventually picked up by an Ohio-based soul label called Colemine Records who re-released it this year to rave reviews.
鈥淲e weren鈥檛 even planning on recording,鈥� Lamarr admits. 鈥淗alf of those tunes on that album we actually worked out in the studio. Some of them were unfinished, some of them were completely changed from the way we played it on stage, we just did it in real time.鈥�
With song titles like 鈥淎l Greenery鈥� and 鈥淟ittle Booker T,鈥� the trio proudly wears their influences on their sleeves, with a focus on playing in harmony together, locking into a groove, and giving listeners music they can vibe with. 鈥淚 want people to feel it, man,鈥� he says when asked what he wants people to experience when seeing the band perform.
Although Lamarr鈥檚 been a mainstay in the Seattle music scene for decades, this is the first time he鈥檚 led his own group 鈥� a role he says he reluctantly accepted after connecting with his talented bandmates and being encouraged to undertake his own project by his wife Amy Novo, who鈥檚 now the band鈥檚 manager.
鈥淒elvon Lamarr Organ Trio was actually put together by my wife. 鈥� I鈥檝e been in so many bands over the years that were doing great, they had all the potential in the world, and they just fell apart for one reason or another. I鈥檝e had time and time again really good bands. She got tired of my complaining about it,鈥� he says with a laugh.
The first person Lamarr connected with was McGraw, who he knew he wanted as soon as they started jamming together. 鈥淗is pocket was just strong, his playin鈥� was on point,鈥� he says. 鈥淗e wasn鈥檛 doing anything flashy. I was like, 鈥業 want to play music with that guy.鈥欌��
James wasn鈥檛 the band鈥檚 original guitar player, but he and Lamarr had known each other for years prior, finally getting to play together in a project that鈥檚 succinct with both their musical passions.
鈥淚f you talk to Jimmy James he鈥檇 be the first to tell you: 鈥業 just play in the back and I try not to get in the way.鈥� David has that same approach. I think that鈥檚 what makes our chemistry so good together, is because we all have that.鈥�
As the band鈥檚 popularity mounts, they鈥檙e playing a host of different venues this summer, from clubs and festivals, to libraries and bars. Lamarr assures that 鈥渋t鈥檚 always a good time whenever we play regardless where it鈥檚 at,鈥� noting that wherever they do end up playing, people are always captivated by the sight (and sound) of his Hammond organ.
鈥淎 lot of people are fascinated,鈥� he says. 鈥淣o matter where we go I get a million questions about that thing.鈥�
He sees his role as both musician and educator for all things organ related. 鈥淵ou hear this thing in like dang-near every music. Sometimes you don鈥檛 notice. But the organ is in 鈥� everything,鈥� he says with a laugh.
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