| Jazz |
From Belgrade with Groove: The DIL Organ Trio Revives the Hammond Legacy with a Balkan Twist
Producer Antonio Martino brings us a fresh offering that, from the very first notes, surprises with the crystalline quality of its sound. If only every album featuring the Hammond organ were mixed with such finesse—what a delight it would be each time. But then again, exceptional sound engineering has become something of a hallmark for A.MA Records.
This new release is, at its core, a vibrant throwback to the swinging sixties. Yet, as is often the case with Martino’s productions, the unspoken truth lies in the arrangements: unmistakably modern, effortlessly relevant. The result is a body of work that feels thoroughly contemporary while exuding a wistful scent of nostalgia.
Recorded in Belgrade as part of the Serbian Wave movement, Hammonday by the DIL Organ Trio pays homage to the legendary sound of the Hammond organ, so integral to the mod-jazz and hard-bop movements that defined a golden decade. The trio, longtime friends and collaborators Dusan Petrovic, Irina Pavlovic, and Luka Jovicic bring more than just technical prowess. Their initials form the name “DIL,” and together, they channel the soul of American organ trios, infusing it with the rich, spicy flavor of the Balkans.
Picture this: Jimmy Smith and Jimmy McGriff sharing a bottle of rakija and a platter of ajvar and tursija, joined by Brian Auger, Wes Montgomery, and Idris Muhammad. The result? A heady, joyous fusion they call Hammonday, a sound both familiar and entirely new.
This is an album that charms you from the start, evoking carefree days when the skies over Western Europe seemed forever cloudless. With ten spirited tracks, it offers a radiant escape. Dusan’s guitar virtuosity dances playfully with Irina’s deft command of the Hammond C3, while Luka’s intricate, propulsive drumming provides the perfect rhythmic backbone. It’s a record that pulses with joy,musicians in their element, playing what they love.
Irina, who made her A.MA Records debut on piano with The Soulful Heritage, here switches to the Hammond C3, composing and arranging six of the album’s nine tracks. The remaining three are penned by Dusan. The result is a jazzy, lounge-infused record that makes your head nod and your foot tap. And though it tips its hat to the past, Hammonday is no mere period piece. It’s sunny, fresh, and unmistakably now, a love letter not only to the Hammond organ, but to jazz itself.
The track Balkan, featuring a haunting vocal performance, ascends into cinematic territory—a moment of pure emotion. Echoes of Balkan tradition ripple through the entire album, forming a cultural signature that sets the group apart. It’s a singularly refreshing addition to today’s jazz landscape, and one that demands discovery.
Thierry De Clemensat
Member at Jazz Journalists Association
USA correspondent for Paris-Move and ABS magazine
Editor for All About Jazz
Editor in chief – Bayou Blue Radio, Bayou Blue News
PARIS-MOVE, April 25th 2025
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Musicians : Dušan Petrović – Guitar, Irina Pavlović – Organ, Luka Jovičić – Drums
Tracks 1-2-4-5-8-9 by Irina Pavlovic – Tracks 3-6-7 by Dušan Petrović
Tracklist:
You Move Me
Spy Walk
Gledaj Pravo (Look Straight)
Lights Off
This Is Funky
Irinčetovo Čukanje Na Ćukovcu (Fender-Bender)
Stari Grad (The Old Town)
Balkan
What If
Lights Off (alt. take)