George Porter Jr. & Runnin' Pardners - Porter's Pocket (LP Vinyl)

George Porter Jr., as a founding member of The Meters, has been synonymous with New Orleans funk nearly as long as there's been New Orleans funk. The Meters were an on-and-off entity for years, however, and Porter has always kept himself occupied during his downtime, whether contributing to recordings and live performances by the likes of Dr. John, John Scofield, Paul McCartney, Bill Kreutzmann and Tori Amos or leading his own Runnin' Pardners (currently keyboardist Michael Lemmler, drummer Terrence Houston and guitarist Chris Adkins, the band's newest recruit). Now 77, Porter is as dynamic a bassist as ever, and the all-instrumental Porter's Pocket is a groove in every sense of the word. "Buttermilk," the leadoff tune, features Lemmler's rich organ work, positioning the track somewhere between classic Booker T. and the MG's and the soul-jazz of Dr. Lonnie Smith or "Brother" Jack McDuff. "Latenighter" tones down the pace, putting Adkins in charge of atmospherics, and "Sauce on the Side" mines a loping, quasi reggae beat that Porter uses as an opportunity to dig in deep and subtly define. But it's "Tito's Dumpling Machine," which closes out the album and was the first song released from it, that takes best-of-show. Here, in just under four-and-a-half minutes, is what George Porter Jr. is all about— non-stop danceable rhythm (drummer Houston shines), flawlessly intuitive interaction with his fellow players and a chill feel that grabs hold of your soul and doesn't let go.

— Jeff Tamarkin, Relix

George Porter Jr. wrote the book on New Orleans funk bass—literally, through his foundational work with The Meters that established the rhythmic vocabulary every funk bassist since has studied. Porter's Pocket finds the living legend with his Runnin' Pardners delivering the deep groove mastery that's defined New Orleans music for over five decades. When Porter locks into the pocket, he creates the kind of bass lines that make you understand why New Orleans has always been America's most rhythmically sophisticated city.

From The Meters' essential recordings through countless sessions with everyone from Paul McCartney to the Grateful Dead's Bob Weir, Porter has maintained his position as the master of the implied beat—the spaces between notes carrying as much weight as the notes themselves. His Runnin' Pardners translate that philosophy into extended instrumental workouts that reward close listening while never losing sight of the dance floor. For crate diggers who understand that New Orleans funk represents American music at its most innovative, Porter's Pocket delivers the goods from the source. Color Red's vinyl presentation captures the warmth and immediacy of the legendary bassist's current work.

LP Vinyl. Color Red Music. George Porter Jr. with Runnin' Pardners. New Orleans funk from The Meters' legendary bassist. Deep groove mastery.