Instead of relying on the usual organ-jazz playbook—locked-in bass lines, set vamps, and grooves that stay put—Bianchi treats the Hammond like a moving target.
Self Produced
Pat Bianchi – Organ/Keys; Troy Roberts – Saxophone; Colin Stranahan – Drums
Pat Bianchi has always had a way of making the organ feel bigger than the room and more flexible than its reputation suggests. Confluence, his new trio record with saxophonist Troy Roberts and drummer Colin Stranahan, leans hard into that idea. This is classic material played by musicians who aren’t interested in reenacting the past. The tunes are familiar. The approach isn’t. Instead of relying on the usual organ-jazz playbook—locked-in bass lines, set vamps, and grooves that stay put—Bianchi treats the Hammond like a moving target. One minute it lays down a thick, bass-heavy foundation, the next it’s floating single notes or splashing color across the top, sometimes blurring into Rhodes or synth territory before snapping back into swing.
Bianchi opens “It Was a Very Good Year” with a tone that barely registers as organ at first, more synth-like in feel, before gradually letting the Hammond sound reveal itself. Once the melody settles in, Roberts comps along quietly before easing into a laid-back, conversational solo. Bianchi toys with the tune’s shape, bending and twisting the melody, sometimes repeating phrases in a way that briefly hints at a rock anthem before dropping back into a swinging groove. Stranahan stays busy underneath it all—snare chatter, cymbal flurries, constant motion without clutter.
“Jitterbug Waltz” is one of the album’s highlights, recast in 7/4 without losing its playful spirit. Sax and organ move together at first, mirroring lines and trading phrases, almost like two dancers finishing each other’s steps. Bianchi punctuates Roberts ’smeared notes with short, explosive bursts, then steps forward midway through with a right-hand flurry while the left hand locks down the harmony below. It’s fast, physical playing, but it never feels showy. Knowing that Fats Waller recorded this tune on Hammond organ back in 1942 gives the track a nice sense of lineage without turning it into a history lesson.
Things slow down on “I Guess I’ll Hang My Tears Up to Dry,” where Bianchi uses space and texture to full effect. The intro balances high, ringing notes against darker tones, soaked in reverb. Roberts ’sax comes in soft and breathy, dreamy without drifting off. The organ solo pulls back on the beat, single notes floating over a repeated bass figure that quietly anchors everything. When the sax returns, Roberts plays with a bit more lift, opening the tune up after the organ solo.
Bianchi’s original, “Dizzy’s Dilemma,” shifts into a funkier pocket. Repeated organ chords and a heavy bass line set the stage, with Roberts moving easily through the groove, tossing off fluid lines without ever sounding pressed. The pulse stays firm and grounded throughout. Bianchi widens the palette by overdubbing Fender Rhodes after the organ tracks were complete, adding a second keyboard voice and another layer of color.
The album closes with Coltrane’s “Wise One,” captured in a single, unrehearsed take, giving the performance a sense of openness. The opening phrases descend gently, almost Rhodes-like, before long, sinuous organ chords stretch things out. Roberts plays searching lines that feel coiled and restrained, as if ready to break free, while the drums and organ quietly build and release tension beneath him. Instead of erupting, the music settles into a shuffling groove, with Bianchi content to support and let the sax lead the way to the finish.
Confluence doesn’t try to reinvent the organ trio, but it doesn’t lean on the usual moves either. Bianchi respects the tradition—Lonnie Smith and Joey DeFrancesco are close at hand—without getting stuck there. With Roberts and Stranahan, the music stays alert and responsive, willing to loosen or tighten the groove as the tune unfolds.
