Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio

Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio

Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio is a Seattle-based instrumental group that forms in 2015. It centres on Delvon Lamarr on B-3 organ, with Jimmy James on guitar and David McGraw on drums, and its listed membership also includes Colin Higgins and Grant Schroff. The group works in funk and jazz, with a sound that also draws on rhythm and blues, rock and soul traditions.

Formation and line-up

The trio starts as a project created by Amy Novo, who is Lamarr’s wife and manager, so that he can concentrate on writing and performing music. Lamarr, James and McGraw know each other from the local soul scene in Seattle. McGraw joins after Lamarr asks him to take part, and James later enters as a substitute guitarist at the band’s regular Tuesday-night show, then stays on. The group’s stable line-up develops through those live sets, where it often builds material on stage.

Style and performance

The band’s playing combines a strong soul foundation with jazz, rhythm and blues, and rock and roll influences. Lamarr’s left-hand organ parts often cover the bass role, creating the impression of a separate bass player. The trio is known for a loose, interactive approach in which Lamarr and James trade musical ideas while McGraw anchors the rhythm.

Recordings

Its debut album, Close But No Cigar, appears independently in 2016 and later receives a wider release on Colemine Records. The record is made soon after James joins, while the band is still learning some of the songs. The trio develops a stockpile of additional material through its live performances and plans a second album after those early recording sessions.

Related group

David McGraw also plays with Jimmy James in the local soul band the True Loves.