27 September 2023

Studio 301 Sessions

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Reviewed by Ian Phillips.

By Lachy Doley, Independent 2021.

On April 21, to celebrate his 43rd birthday, Hammond organ maestro Lachy Doley went into studio 301 in Sydney with a small audience of 20 friends and recorded this live album.

The show featured 13 musicians including special guests Mahalia Barnes, Karen lee Andrews, his brother Clayton Doley, plus a fantastic horn section.

The show included 14 tracks covering selections from a good cross-section of his records.

Many of his live show stopping tracks were included such as his interpretations of Spencer Davis’ I’m A Man and Jimi Hendrix’s Voodoo Child (Slight Return).

Karen Lee Andrews provides a fantastic bluesy vocal for Get It While You Can while Mahalia Barnes shows just what a talent she is with an inspired and emotional vocal on Love Come Around.

Lachy’s brother, Clayton, provides a great piano solo in Get It While You Can and provides piano and lead vocals for Right Time.

However, the star of the session was of course Lachy Doley himself.

He is without a doubt a master of the Hammond organ, he can make it produce sounds that no other seems capable of producing but on top of his virtuosity he also has a wonderful blues voice.

The band line-up deserves special mention, along with Lachy on Hammond C3 organ, Hohner D6 Whammy Clavinet and lead vocal we have Joel Burton on bass; Jackie Barnes on drums; Clayton Doley, piano and vocal; Karen Lee Andrews, vocals; Mahalia Barnes, lead and backing vocals; Juanita Tippens, backing vocals; Bek Jensen, backing vocals; Franco Raggatt, guitar; Ray Cassar, trumpet; Matt Keegan, tenor sax; Anthony Cable, trombone; Andy Bickers, baritone sax; and Vincent Sebastian on percussion.

Throughout the concert Lachy gives each of these wonderful musicians their chance to shine, and shine they do.

Franco Raggatt’s guitar solo in I’m A Man is amazing; Jackie Barnes and Joel Burton lay down a solid bottom end throughout; Clayton Doley’s piano work is top notch; and the horn section is truly magnificent.

It would have been an experience to have been in the select audience but at least you can get the album as compensation.

When restrictions are finally a thing of the past, I’m making sure that I take in one of Lachy Doley’s live shows.

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