Album Notes

Nearly four years in the making, Warm Ghosts (in a) Cold World is the classic new recording from the Jon Dalton Trio.

In 2006 Jon Dalton took a trip from his California base back to his old home turf in the United Kingdom. While there Jon heard that Hammond organ maestro John-Paul Gard was looking for a particular kind of guitar player to work with on a series of gigs. Even though the pair had lived within a few miles of each other, this was the first time they got to work on a new project.

To complete the trio they auditioned several drummers, often in a live performance setting. Andy Roger was the only player who could demonstrate the rare combination of style, taste and a talent for sheer groove that the music required and his addition was the final piece of the puzzle that would form the basis for this unique CD.

Between gigs the trio hit the studio in several sessions to make a literal “record” of the music they were bringing to live audiences. The album was recorded virtually live-to-mike in the tradition of all great jazz recordings.

Swing and in many cases “burning” swing forms the rhythmic basis of this outing but, while many listeners have likened the trio’s sound to the great jazz-beat Hammond trios of the late 50s and early 60s, the three also work through tight Latin grooves and experimental jazz explorations in a refreshing and contemporary way.

Beyond the individual talents of the musicians it is their almost telepathic empathy that elevates this music to an extraordinary place.

The music comprises a mix of classic jazz standards and new pieces composed especially for the trio. You may be reminded of the approach of jazz masters such as George Benson, Jimmy Smith, Wes Montgomery, Brother Jack McDuff and even contemporary greats like Pat Martino and Joey DeFrancesco but the trio are not mere copyists, their music breathes its own air.

Warm Ghosts (in a) Cold World brings together echoes of the past and glimpses to the future that is at once an homage to the greats and a message to a new generation.