CD review: Rhoda Scott – Movin’Blues 2020: Video, CD cover

The eldest daughter of an American pastor, Rhoda Scott was immersed in the atmosphere of gospels throughout her childhood.

Passionate about the Hammond organ, The Barefoot Lady was quickly fascinated by jazz and its bluesy swing: “I first knew religious music and then jazz”. She has around fifty records to her credit.

Arrived in France in 1968, she played for many years in duet with a drummer. This was followed by Daniel Humair, Franco Manzecchi and Félix Simtaine. In 2009, she recorded Soul Sisters with singer La Velle and, in 2011, Rock my boat, with David Linx and André Ceccarelli. Recently, it was with her Lady Quartet that she played, recording We free Queens (nod to We free kings by Roland Kirk), with Sophie Alour (ts), Lise Cat Berro (as) and Anne Paceo (dm).

For Movin’Blues, she returns to her old loves: the duo with drums. She is here accompanied by Thomas Derouisseau, young drummer who we discovered in Liège for the West Side Story Medley project.

Here she chooses an eclectic repertoire: the spiritual Let my people go (Go down Moses), Caravan by Juan Tizol, Come Sunday by Duke Ellington, Honeysuckle Rose by Fats Waller and Watch what happens by Michel Legrand, without forgetting one or the other references to the blues: Movin’Blues, Blue Law, Blues at Pinthière.

We find all the magic of the Hammond organ, its bluesy swing, its low notes played with the feet: “I sing with my instrument: it breathes in me.”

A nice cover but a small gap: the list of titles does not specify the names of the composers.

Born in the United States, Rhoda Scott, the eldest daughter of a traveling pastor, grew up, she recalls, in the atmosphere of the small black churches with the accents of gospels and spirituals. In France, she also held the organ for forty years in her parish of Perche: “I sing with my instrument. He breathes in me. I’m faithful to it I first knew religious music and then jazz “, “God can encompass all styles of music” she says. Passionate about Bach’s works, she has established herself as the ambassador of the Hammond organ popularized by artists like Jimmy Smith. Mastery, energy and thick timbres, Rhoda Scott remains the living myth of the Hammond organ. Encircled by two monumental Leslie cabins and B3 controllers, she hops with a smile to groove his keyboards by ensuring a swing “bluesy”, airy and hard-hitting … With fifty records to his credit, concerts at the Olympia and in the most prestigious festivals, Rhoda Scott returns with his new “Movin ‘Blues” to his first love the drum organ duo that made his success and his trademark. The Barefoot Lady is back!

The Barefoot Lady is back! After a first album success with the Rhoda Scott Lady Quartet “We free queens” and more than 100 dates of concerts around the world, the adventure continues. Far from being sparse and reserved for initiates, her music is rich, dense, groovy, like Rhoda Scott’s generosity. As a tightrope walker, she gives the Hammond organ its full dimension, respecting the great tradition of jazz and blues in a special duet with drums that has been her hallmark all along her career. Her audience will enjoy this homecoming.

01. Blue Law (4:12)
02. Movin’Blues (5:16)
03. Come Sunday (5:13)
04. Blues at the Pinthière (5:43)
05. Caravan (5:51)
06. Dans ma vie (3:53)
07. Honeysuckle Rose (4:42)
08. Watch What Happens (5:37)
09. I’m Looking for a Miracle (6:55)
10. Let My People Go (6:35)
11. Prière (5:24)
12. Yes Indeed (3:44)
13. Fais comme l’oiseau (3:35)
14. In a Sentimental Mood (4:54)

Rhoda Scott, organ Hammond B3
Thomas Derouineau, drums