Odell Brown

Despite the absence of a single track as memorable or invigorating as the hit "Mellow Yellow," Odell Brown and the Organ-izers' Ducky is nevertheless a worthy follow-up, boasting much the same soulful swagger as its predecessor. With its relaxed yet insistent pulse and tight arrangements, the record's slow-burning energy owes more to the first half of the soul-jazz equation than the second -- though not quite on the level of contemporary organists like Jimmy McGriff, Brother Jack McDuff, or Groove Holmes, Brown boasts a supple, romantic sound ideally suited to the material at hand. While the Organ-izers' renditions of pop nuggets like "The Look of Love" and "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" manage to stay close to the familiar hits, the group nevertheless lends their own distinctive touch to the songs, and in particular the latter sports a lush groove worthy of the Motown house band itself -- high praise indeed. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide