Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio

Biography

The Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio, also known as DLO3, is an American soul-jazz group founded in 2015. The band has released five albums. Their debut album, titled Close But No Cigar×Close but No Cigar2 March 2018 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube MusicTracklist · 10 tracks1Concussion4:492Little Booker T4:173Ain’t It Funky4:104Close but No Cigar3:295Memphis4:336Al Greenery3:197Can I Change My Mind?4:088Between the Mustard & the Mayo4:109Raymond Brings the Greens3:2310Walk On By4:17, charted at number one on the U.S. Contemporary Jazz Albums chart.

Career

The Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio was founded in 2015 and originally consisted of keyboardist Delvon Lamarr (Dumas) on Hammond B-3, guitarist Colin Higgins and drummer David McGraw. Soon after guitarist Jimmy James (Williams) replaced Higgins. All members had been active instrumentalists in the Seattle music scene. With the help of Lamarr's wife, Amy Novo (AKA "Shortcake Mafia"), acting as manager and booking agent, the group was solidified. Originally a drummer and trumpet player, Lamarr switched to organ at the age of 22. He said he picked up the instrument naturally by observing organist/keyboardist Joe Doria, whose band Lamarr was drumming in at the time. James and McGraw had previously co-founded "The True Loves", a Seattle-based nine-piece soul band.
The DLO3 has toured in the United States and abroad and has performed in several music festivals including the Detroit and the Monterey Jazz Festivals. The trio's debut album Close But No Cigar×Close but No Cigar2 March 2018 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube MusicTracklist · 10 tracks1Concussion4:492Little Booker T4:173Ain’t It Funky4:104Close but No Cigar3:295Memphis4:336Al Greenery3:197Can I Change My Mind?4:088Between the Mustard & the Mayo4:109Raymond Brings the Greens3:2310Walk On By4:17 was originally released in 2016 (on CD), and was re-released in March 2018 (on both LP and CD) by Colemine Records. The album reached number one on the U.S. Contemporary Jazz Albums chart and number three on the U.S. Jazz Albums chart. In April 2018, the band released a live album titled Live at KEXP!×Live at KEXP!20 April 2018 · Album · LiveSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 7 tracks1Move on Up5:002Memphis6:583South Leo St Stomp5:584Concussion4:285Don’t Want to Play That5:156Tacoma Black Party4:147Top Going Down, Bottom Going Up6:50 (on both LP and CD) that was recorded May 13, 2017. It reached number 10 on the Jazz Albums chart. In 2018 the band toured nationally and in Europe in support of the albums. In late 2018, drummer Doug Octa Port replaced McGraw. Drummer Michael Duffy joined the band for their 2019 European Tour. New drummer, Dan "Vanilla" Weiss (from "The Sextones") joined in 2021. As of August 2022, drummer Julian "Thunderfoot" MacDonough will be replacing Weiss.
On January 29, 2021, the group released their sophomore studio album I Told You So×I Told You So29 January 2021 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube MusicTracklist · 9 tracks1Hole In One4:352Call Your Mom3:593Girly Face4:164From The Streets4:285Fo Sho4:106Aces4:427Careless Whisper5:348Right Place, Right Time4:339I Don't Know5:12 via Colemine Records. The album debuted atop multiple Billboard Charts: number one on the Contemporary Jazz Album chart, number three on the Jazz Album chart, number four on the Tastemaker Album chart, and number 12 on the Heatseeker Album chart.
Jimmy James left the band to pursue a new project ('Parlor Greens'), and was replaced in January 2023 by guitarist, Miles "Smiles" Harris. A finger injury sustained shortly after joining the band meant that Harris was sidelined, for their 2023 UK tour at least, and the DL03 consisted of Delvon Lamarr, Josh Perdue on guitar, and Ehssan "Ace" Karimi on drums.

Style

The band's is an organ trio whose music is rhythm-based and rooted in the 1950's, 60's and 70's soul-jazz, funk and blues styles, reminiscent of Booker T. & the M.G.'s and The Meters. Bandleader Lamarr described it as "soul music with a strong jazz influence". He credits their 'sound' to the chemistry of the band members.