Guitarist Thom Rotella has waited his whole life to make a record like this - a funky, soul-dripping effort which he was exposed to early on. 'Side Hustle' is less of a tribute record, a more of a homecoming to his wheelhouse where the B-3 was King and the walls would sweat.
To pull it off, Thom recruited ex-Ray Charles organist Bobby Floyd, tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander, trumpeter Jeremy Pelt, master groove maker Roy McCurdy on drums, and percussionist Lenny Castro.
From a smokin' trio display on Cole Porter's Love For Sale, expanding on Marvin Gaye's Don't Mess With Mr. T, some originals, and some space for a salute to the bass with an inspired merging of Three Views Of A Secret/ Goodbye Pork Pie Hat, with one listen you can tell Thom's wait was worth the wealth.
