Good good good good vibrations.

The Camden, New Jersey-born and raised Richard “Groove” Holmes hit his stride in Los Angeles in the early 1960’s, found a place in the Pacific Jazz roster as the prime organist and led the houseband at the Black Orchid club, accompanying various incoming jazz luminaries. In 1961, Gene Ammons was in town and quick-witted cats in the biz had already fixed a few dates before the tenor saxophonist had landed on the Coast from Chicago.

Small wonder. You don’t let up the chance to book “Jug”. Catch him while you can. Ammons, son of boogiewoogie great Albert Ammons, steeped in bop, swing, r&b, was a people’s champion whose soulful and earthy style and big, meaty sound fell on good soil, second only as far as popularity in the jukebox and chitlin’ market went to organist Jimmy Smith, enjoying hits in the 1950’s like My Foolish Heart, Exactly Like You and Blues Up And Down with Sonny Stitt.

He’d had a great run of blowing sessions on Prestige in the late 1950’s with John Coltrane, Jackie McLean, Donald Byrd, Mal Waldron and other assorted young lions. But he’d also had his share of trouble, having done time in jail for possession of narcotics from 1958 to 1960. Boss Tenor from 1960 was a high-quality return to success. Unfortunately, a new jail sentence would put him off the street and the scene from 1962 to 1969.

Groove Holmes was at the start of his recording career. His debut on Pacific Jazz in 1960, “Groove”, was a beautiful, sassy collaboration with Ben Webster and Les McCann, a perennial Flophouse Favorite.

An equally impromptu session like “Groove” (which was put together as a side project to a Les McCann Sings date), Groovin’ With Jug shows no sign of nerves on the part of Richard “Groove” Holmes, nor on the part of his cookin’ rhythm section of Gene Edwards on guitar and Leroy Henderson on drums. Actually, the studio session preceded the live gig, an afternoon job as opposed to the late night performance at The Black Orchid.

It’s a sassy session with catchy blues lines by Gene Ammons and Groove Holmes, a cookin’ affair, The Boss blowing hot and steamy phrases one after another and another, and Groove’s band jumpin’ the blues in most sprightly manner. But it’s the live performance that grabs attention, all participants more loose and relaxed and playing off the exultant mood of the audience. Again, blues all around, and Jug and Groove take care of business, uptempo (Frank Foster’s flag-waver Juggin’ Around), mid-tempo (Art Farmer’s Good Vibrations) and slow tempo (Ann Ronell’s evergreen Willow Weep For Me).

The Boss makes everybody feel okay, he’s familiar, like dad who gives you a pat on the head, or, yes, like the pater familias who threatens to kick you in the ass if you come home late, like the preacher behind the pulpit, and the barber who knows all the inside scoops. He’s one of us. How? The feeling of his voice, brimming with trademark blues patterns and hoots and hollers. The no-frills lines, slight hints of bebop, full of the blues, firm but flexible, clichés but Jug’s clichés, the Big Sound, a steamship coming in from the fog, imposing sight.

Groove Holmes’s accompaniment is subtly swinging, he takes care not to overpower Jug, and he stretches out on the blues with zest and flair. The CD reissue presented two bonus tracks, Exactly Like You and Hittin’ The Jug. Enough material to complete a full-length live LP. Missed opportunity? What do you think? I’m not a fan of different vibes on one piece of wax.

At any rate, can’t go wrong with Jug and Groove’s band. They got the feelin’!