Sweet Sweet Soul

by Ken Dryden This is probably one of the more unusual records by Dick Hyman. The pianist frequently overdubs himself on organ or clavinette, while he is joined by bassist Bob Haggart and drummer Bob Rosengarden, though Haggart sticks exclusively to electric bass in a session that predominately explores soul and R&B hits of the 1950s and 1960s. Unfortunately, the songs associated with Aretha Franklin ("Chain of Fools" and "(Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone"), Sam and Dave ("Soul Man"), and Martha and the Vandellas ("Honey Chile") are a bit to repetitious to make for interesting jazz. The bizarre sound that the keyboardist achieves on Otis Redding's "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" is not a guitar but the clavinette, accompanied by organ. Fortunately, Hyman's treatments of old standards like "Body and Soul" (in spite of the distracting overdubbed organ) and his compositions "Watch It" and "Drop a Dime" provide some relief, though Haggart's normal instrument, the acoustic bass, is sorely missed. This historical curiosity will be of minimal interest to jazz listeners.