Red Hot from Alex

One of 's better and more obscure albums, , features the 1964 version of , supported by alumnus on tenor sax on a handful of tracks, recreating their live sound in the studio. The results are reasonably successful, the group at times achieving a fairly intense, swinging ensemble sound that, at its best, carries an infectious level of excitement. This band's sound is a lot slicker throughout than that of the version of that played the in 1962 and 1963 and left behind the album . The opener, has a convincingly funky sound, driven by ' vocals, and a fairly together rhythm section, though 's alto sax seems a little too lightweight to pull off the authenticity. The group leaps back to somewhat purer on featuring 's tenor, playing some suitably animated rhythm guitar, and aggressively attacking his organ. The first minute of offers a great showcase for 's guitar, soon joined by 's sax, and 's organ, while throws a flute into an otherwise similar mix -- one can easily imagine dueting with on those cuts. The only real flaw in the album, apart from an over-reliance on at the expense of , is the lack of any real charismatic presence within the band, vocally or instrumentally -- shows off the group to best advantage, with in the spotlight playing some of the flashiest and most compelling licks of his career, and if the album could have had a few more tracks like that, it just might have found an audience not far from the listenership that and were cultivating; a little too much of what surrounds the here, however, is significantly less exciting , played well enough, but otherwise not really terribly diverting -- probably went over big at the group's club dates, but just don't make for great moments on record, and 's own showcasing his low-wattage guitar pyrotechnics (which just might prove refreshing to those weary of, or only versed in, the / school of guitar) and 's organ playing, isn't much more interesting. is the track that best captures the group's sound at its most engaging, and the album is a welcome document of their work, but it's more of a historic curio than an essential acquisition, on a musical par with, say, . ~ Bruce Eder