JOCELYN GOULD MUSIC 1026 (RELEASED OCTOBER 9, 2026)
For her fifth recording, Canadian guitarist Jocelyn Gould returns to a time when few sounds in jazz were more soulful and joyful than the organ trio of organ, guitar, and drums. Drawing inspiration from guitar greats Wes Montgomery, Grant Green, and Kenny Burrell, Gould and her core trio of organist Ben Paterson and drummer Fabio Ragnelli celebrate that tradition on So Delighted. As with the organ trios of the 1950s and ’60s, the program varies in style and tempo, with all but two tracks adhering to a no-frills, straight-to-the-point groove. Oscar Peterson’s “Cakewalk” gets things swinging, showcasing the unison playing of Gould and Paterson. Other standards include Jerome Kern’s “The Song Is You,” on which Gould stretches out with her clean, single-note style; Neal Hefti’s “Girl Talk,” which moves along with an easygoing groove and finds Gould paying homage to Wes Montgomery; the often-overlooked Gerald Wilson ballad “Teri”; and a Latin-tinged version of Richard Rodgers’ “The Sweetest Sounds.” Gould rounds out the program with five originals featuring guest soloists. Trumpeter Jonathan Challoner contributes his warm sound to the up-tempo bossa “Amethyst,” while tenor saxophonist Christine Jensen proves an ideal addition to the organ-trio setting on Gould’s jazz waltz “June Moon” and the modal swinger “Cleo’s Countdown.” Guitarist Jory Landreth brings a wah-wah effect to “Grin Seeker” and a twangy blues sound to “The Game Changer.” These two tracks depart from the album’s otherwise consistent approach and seem at odds with Gould’s goal of creating a joyful, straight-ahead session. Despite those tracks, So Delighted will easily delight fans of the organ trio genre.
BOTTOM LINE: The smile on Jocelyn Gould’s face on the cover of So Delighted says it all. The guitarist has good reason to be pleased with a session that pays homage to the organ-trio tradition through a combination of five standards and five originals, enhanced by several guest soloists. Although two tracks that add another guitarist to the mix seem out of place, the rest of the session is a delightful addition to Gould’s discography and to the genre she celebrates.
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