Blades, Wil – “Sketchy” – [Doodlin']

Wil Blades (born 1979) grew up in Chicago but now lives in the Bay Area. He began playing jazz organ on the Hammond B-3 at age 19 and has a funky, bluesy style with some influence from the B-3 greats mixed with some willingness to push the boundaries. He teaches at the Jazz School in Berkeley and at Jazz Camp West. SKETCHY is a 2007 release with Idris Muhammad on drums, Dayna Stephens on tenor sax, and Gave Eaton on alto. Fine playing and good energy on this debut album that whets the appetite for more.

PGM: My picks are tracks 2,5,7,8, and 10.