Buffalo, New York was once the buckle of the Hammond B-3 Belt – the center of a circuit of urban clubs stretching from Philadelphia and NYC all the way to Chicago. The Queen City was home to legendary joints where national stars like Jimmy Smith and Brother Jack McDuff were heard along with up and coming locals like Buffalo’s own Dr. Lonnie Smith. On Walt Sopicki Trios: B3X3, Buffalo guitarist Walt Sopicki puts on the B-3 Belt with three of the latter-day legends of the Hammond from the region: Joey DeFrancesco, Doug Riley, and Bobby Jones. His first disc as a leader, Sopicki fully realizes his dream gig of melding his personal approach to modern jazz guitar with the classic sound of the mighty B-3. Recorded over a series of sessions with drummer Vito Rezza and producer Jim Krawczyk, B3X3 is a unique contribution to the 21st c. organ trio canon.