Recently I read Jeff Charney's review about Fishbelly Black's album "Crusader". Fishbelly Black are George Mitchell (guitar, keyboards, bass, drums and all other noises and manipulations), Brian Mitchell (keyboards) and Ray Gaskins (sax). The group from Washington DC started with the single "Spontaneous Combustion" in 1993, followed by "The Muse" in Summer 1993. Read more about it at Ronnie Scott's website. 

Their debut album was the same titled "Fishbelly Black" (1993) as you can read at Backbeat Records and Ronnie's website. All Music Guide starts with Movin' in 1996 and put "Fishbelly Black" in 2000, although the catalogue numbers are proving the contrary. I can understand this error, because neither the website nor the liner notes nor the CDs contain dates of the year. "Spontaneous Combustion" is the starting tune on this album and also the absolute summit. 7:40 minutes of explosive Acid Jazz. Ray Gaskins' sax and George Mitchell's Hammond B3 are busting Acid Jazz moments. If your flesh doesn't begin to creep, you are dead or just not an Acid Jazz fan. Further higlights are "Taking It Uptown" (Wonderfull the Ronny Jordan like guitar), the propulsing "Mr. Bobo" and the funky "The Muse". The album was often played at JazzFM and at Smooth Jazz stations in USA as WJCD-FM or Smooth 106.5 or Smooth Jazz 103.5. You can even find it on Slim Man's playlist.

"Get Up, Get Down" was released in 1994. This album contains 6 (!) remixes of this track featuring the great vibraphonist Roy Ayers. The album is still available at the Backbeat Records website. The tune was also released on the collection album  Boneshakers Vol. 3.

The next album "Movin'" sees more musicians in the liner notes: Besides George, Brian (organ solos on 1, 7) and Linda Mitchel (lead vocals) Vince Hammond and Greg Thomas play alto sax, Daryl Minus an organ solo and Walter Cosby the bass on 6, not to forget the P-Funk Horns. The old spirit shines through on "Funk Cafe". Although the album doesn't reach the level of its predecessor.

"Crusader" (2002), Fishbelly Black's third album, brings back the energy. The big Hammond B3 sound on "Ven A Gozar", the funky Chic-LeFreak rhythm on "Brick House", the Herbie Man attitude on "Grapevine", some Incognito feeling on "Crusader" or "Call Me Kiki", a "Spontaneous Combustion" follow up. There is much great music on this new album. Fishbelly Black was in earlier time an opener for The James Taylor Quartet on their US tour, this time their new album is far better than JTQ's new one.

And if you cannot get enough of George Mitchell's music, I have good news for you:

Try the album "Sausalito" of the group Common Cause (1997). This album was produced and played in by George Mitchell and several of the above mentioned musicians. New names are Kathy and Jody Styles, Frankie Addison, Jay Nichols. The album has a certain affinity to Smooth Jazz with some midtempo tunes as "Kota Kinabalu", "Cool Out" or "Midnight" (I like this trumpet solo), but one also finds Acid Jazz as "Nightflight" or the jazzy "Sausalito". My favorite is besides "Midnight" "A Second Thought", a driving tune with a reminisence to Roy Ayers' vibes.