Kombo – the long-running contemporary jazz duo of Hammond B3 player Ron Pedley and guitarist John Pondel – return with Pretty Solid, their second album for Shanachie. The project highlights the pair’s 40-year musical partnership, first sparked at a Barry Manilow rehearsal in 1984 and strengthened through their time together in the funk-jazz band Uncle Festive. Their longtime friend and collaborator Bud Harner — percussionist, co-writer, and manager — remains an essential part of the creative mix.

Pretty Solid features nine originals plus a lively reinvention of Lake Street Dive’s “Hypotheticals.” The set ranges from the funky opener “Bussin’” and groove-heavy “Action D” to the atmospheric “Northern Night” (a reimagined Uncle Festive track), the soulful title cut and single, the retro-funky “Thick Heat,” and the dreamy closer “Lavender Dreams.” Throughout, the album blends vintage organ/guitar combo traditions with a fresh, state-of-the-art contemporary jazz sound.

Pretty Solid captures the spontaneity and chemistry that comes from decades of playing together. The grooves breathe and the interplay between Pedley and Pondel is palpable in every track.

As Pedley concludes, “This album is about groove and feeling good—it’s music made with joy, and I hope that joy comes through in every note. We didn’t make Pretty Solid to chase trends—we made it because it felt good. And if it feels good to you too, we’ve done our job.”