Dave Lennox - Before Beyond & Blue - Note Music 2008.

Un delicioso ·lbum para los coleccionistas de discos instrumentales. Desde los diecisÈis aÒos Dave Lennox no ha parado de tocar los teclados, en especial el Ûrgano Hammond, deviniendo desde entonces en un acÈrrimo fan y admirador de Jimmy McGriff y Jimmy Smith a los que adora y respeta. Este cd contiene once cortes originales de Lennox y es el segundo que graba para la compaÒÌa Note Music. A lo largo de los aÒos el nombre de Dave Lennox se ha asociado de una forma u otra a Thin Lizzy, The Equals, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Archie Shep, The Foundations, Jay Owens, Al Green, Ginger Baker y algunos otros que han contado con su colaboraciÛn en alg˙n momento de su carrera. Este disco nos ilustra con verdadera maestrÌa la razÛn por la que estamos ante uno de los mejores y m·s reputados exponentes ingleses del Hammond. Un disco para saborear una y otra vez el jazz blues de un m˙sico impecable y envidiable por su tÈcnica, sus riffs y su elegante y distendido fraseo. MUY BUENO.

A delicious album specially devoted to instrumental records collectors. Since he was a teenager, Dave Lennox has been playing keyboards, especially Hammond organ, and he has become an staunch fan of Jimmy McGriff and Jimmy Smith he deeply respects and worships. The cd includes eleven Lennoxí own songs and it is his second album recorded for Note Music company. Along the years his name has been in some way related with Thin Lizzy, The Equals, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Archie Shep, The Foundations, Jay Owens, Al Green or Ginger Baker, among other musicians who have sometimes asked for his collaboration. The album perfectly illustrates why we are facing one of the most reputed British Hammond players. A perfect cd to be continuously enjoyed with the jazz blues of a faultless musician, also gifted with a great technique, powerful riffs and an elegant relaxed phrasing. GREAT.

www.lahoradelblues.com (Spain)

Before, Beyond & Blue - Dave Lennox

Dave Lennox isn't the funkiest Hammond organ player on the planet but he plays very appealingly and tastefully on the eleven self penned instrumentals that comprise Before Beyond & Blue including ‘AII About Jimmy', a good-humoured tribute to Jimmy McGriff, and 'SomewhereYour light Will Always Shine', a reflective tribute to Art Wood, in whose band Lennox once pIayed.

Ex-Gonzalez saxophonist Mick Eve contributes effective tenor on ‘Funkaloo’ and other tracks and there are severalelegant. Stylish solos from guitarist Winston De Landro. Some of the tracks – average length nearly six and a half minutes - could have been trimmed however.

Trevor Hodge

3 STARS

BLUES REVIEW (USA) - April 2009

We close with a terrific jazz organ, disc from European virtuso. Dave Lennox proudly works the blues side of the street on Before Beyond & Blue(Note Records), manipulating the drawbars to shape timbres appropriate to the swinging “Walkdown" and "Hobo Groove," the gospel-inflected "Done Lost My Way With You," the lush "Somewhere Your Light Will Always Shine," and the slinky "The Moocher."

Staccato repetition of a single note is an effective tension-builder and Lennox's trademark device. Mick Eve (tenor sax) and guitarists Winston De Landro and Ivan Everard lend crucial support as Lennox pays homage to heroes Jimmy Smith, whose presence is strong in "All Star Blues," Jimmy McGriff ("All Jimmy"), and others.

Greg Denko

BLUES MATTERS – Feb 2009 – Norman Darwen

 Note Music is one of the more interesting labels releasing UK Blues and related stuff - and these two releases fall firmly into that latter category.

Dave Lennox's previous CD, "Lufthalle", was musically quite a varied affair but for the follow-up he opts for a tribute to the greats of the Hammond organ. Now, the likes of Jimmys Smith and McGriff and Brother Jack MacDuff were immensely popular in London's hip clubs in the early to mid-60s - and for those who wonder if this music was jazz or Blues, the short answer is, it doesn't matter! Smith had hits with covers of Muddy Waters material, Jimmy McGriff had successes in the R&B charts and MacDuff often used Chicago saxman and Blues session musician Red Holloway Dave stays true to this format, mixing up Blues, funk, jazz and rock, and treading the thin line that keeps both Blues and jazz fans happy - and even including a tribute to his former employer Art Wood. This cool and grooving (or groovy if you prefer) CD is lovely listening and contemporary instant nostalgia.

Norman Darwen

Blues News - Magazine - January 2008

Note Records has released Before Beyond & Blue' (Note Music NCD 1019) by keyboards player Dave Lennox. This is an affectionate and entertaining recreation of the always bluesy and very popular Hammond organ jazz of the likes of Jimmy Smith and Jimmy McGriff.

Also worth checking if your tastes veer towards jazz is the new album by drummer Damon Sawyer entitled 'Struttin' South' (Note Music NCD 1017), which includes legendary south of England blues guitarist Sonny Black on two numbers. Damon has worked with many blues and jazz acts'in the past. (www.notemusic.co.uk)

Norman Darwen

Blues in Britain - Magazine - January 2008

Surrey's note-records promises 'the best in blues, soul and jazz' on its web site from an impressive roster of musicians all based in southeast England.

Keyboard player Dave Lennox will be familiar to many readers as a member of Bloodwyn Pie and Richie Milton's Lowdown. His second CD for the label sees him playing organ and drums (presumably not simultaneously!), joined by Mich Eve on tenor sax. Winston De Landro and Ivar Everard on guitars, and Chris Sharley on brushes, on 11 originals. The disc opens with "All About Jimmy", based around the late jimmy McGriff's 'All About My Girl", and closes with !'Somewhere Your Light Will Always Shine", 'dedicated to the memory of Art Wood'. Fans of organ-led jazz and blues will find much to their taste here.

Jon Taylor