Fast-rising Buffalo, NY jam band Organ Fairchild relaxes on its sophomore album Leisure Suit, available now. The culmination of a 40-year (and counting) musical bond, the all-instrumental album marks the latest hurdle cleared by the organ trio.
Bandmates Joe Bellanti (organ/keyboards), Corey Kertzie (drums/percussion), and Dave Ruch (guitar) first met in 1983 as members of the Buffalo Grateful Dead tribute band Wild Knights. Those decades of musical camaraderie and telepathy shine through on the easy groovaility of Leisure Suit. What else gleams through the speakers is the band’s well-versed Dead knowledge, evidenced by its unique reinterpretation of “He’s Gone”.
Organ Fairchild’s overall maturity is evident in this new, high-quality product. Recorded, mixed, and co-produced by Justin Guip (Hot Tuna, Levon Helm) at Milan Hill Studio in New York’s Hudson Valley, the band also employed Soulive drummer Alan Evans to master the LP.
“While we’re super happy with our first record Brewed in Buffalo (2021), that was recorded in our drummer Corey’s basement and we were very much feeling our way through as we went,” Ruch said in a statement. “Having Justin at the helm for this one, with his great ear and all his experience with Levon’s Grammy-winning albums, David Bromberg, Hot Tuna and more, this is a major step forward for us and we couldn’t be happier with how it turned out. AND, we really behaved ourselves! Songs than can stretch to ten-plus minutes when played live are nicely condensed here for a super-fun listening experience.”
While the term “jam band” can be seen by many both in and out of the scene as a kiss of death, Organ Fairchild shows just how stylistically flexible the label can be. The album kicks off with the title track, a bit of ’70s nostalgia sunny day, almost tropical kind of funk. There’s the Grateful Dead reimagining thrown in for good measure in a loving tribute to the forefathers of the style. Then there are tracks like “Morning Coffee” and “Glad You’re Here” that develop into stylistic chameleons, shifting wildly from one vibe to another within the confines of the same track. Guitarist Dave Ruch’s capabilities are specifically showcased in “Over the Handlebars”, a song he wrote with one hand after a bicycle accident left him with a broken elbow (which is metal as f–k).
Check out Leisure Suit, the new album from Organ Fairchild, as well as a testimonial from none other than actress Morgan Fairchild. The band will head out on the road later this month for a stretch of Midwestern tour dates lasting into October. For tickets and a full list of tour dates visit the band’s website.
Organ Fairchild – Leisure Suit
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