Photo Courtesy of markarma

As I was pulling some records out this week, I grabbed this from the pile and realized I had not reviewed it. With an interview in the upcoming weeks with Craig Reece of Starla Records, I’d figured I’d highlight this side, as anything that Starla touches is just really fantastic. How about a slice of Scottish dirty R & B with your breakfast? Here’s The Privates Hammond Orchestra with “The Chop” on Starla Records to kick you in your arse and start the day.

First there was the Boogaloo Investigators, a band that played instrumentals inspired by the likes of the Meters and Booker T. and the MG’s among others. Their brand of dance floor R & B got them pegged as a Funk band rather than what they were: 60’s style R & B. While promoting their Dynamighty! release, they changed their name to the 5 Aces, stopped the live Funk choons in their show, and the rest is history. The back bone of these two bands, the guitar/drums/hammond organ trio of Duncan Kennedy on guitar, Iain McClean on the organ, and Ross Wilson on drums have put together a CV of R & B, Beat Instumental, Soul and Ska with a strong penchant for the soulful sounds that filled dance floors in the 1950’s and the 1960’s.

“ The Privates Hammond Orchestra is a mix of Booker T & the MG’s, Jack McDuff, The Ventures and The John Barry 7, with a healthy obsession for short instrumental songs that girls love to dance to. ”

While traveling over the last few years I remember seeing a trio that was similar to TPHO in London, The Gene Drayton Unit. More of a Jazz/ Funk outfit however, the similarity was the live show. Filled with energy and killer cover versions, it’s refreshing to see and hear bands like this pushing on here in the States as well as the other side of the pond in the UK and through Europe. IMHO I think that a band like The Privates Hammond Orchestra is well received over there as opposed to here, it’s a better appreciation for the sound than the lemmings that would rather leap off the cliff of auto tune rather than get their world rocked by a live Hammond organ sound. That being said, “The Chop” jumps out of the gate with the guitars full bore, the Hammond on fire and a back beat to keep the ladies moving throughout the whole night. It’s a sound here at FMF that may be a few steps off our regular path, but will get the job done proper. The flip is a cover of Nat Adderly’s “Work Song”, done in TPHO style. Kudos to the lads over at Starla nd to The Privates Hammond Orchestra for tearing the lid off of both sides. Keep Diggin’!

Download or Listen to the Chop from the Starla 45

The Privates Hammond Orchestra perform “The Chop” Live