Hammond Extravaganza Part 2 : A HAMMOND S

erik neuteboom wrote: Yesterday evening I had a very pleasant musical experience with the DVD Classic Albums : Electric Ladyland by Jimi Hendrix, incredible what a stunning progressive ideas  And so many known musicans like Al Kooper (piano), Mike Finnegan and Stevie Winwood (both Hammond organ) and Jack Cassady (bass). And Jimi also plays a wide range of instruments, from the harpsichord to the kazoo, what a creative mind and what an album Dick, about Jon Hiseman. I watched the DVD with the 1994 Colosseum reunion tour in Cologne (Germany), he does a fine introduction to their magnum opus: Valentyne Suite featuring great work on the Hammond B3 by Dave Greenslade, goose bumps!

Edited by Dick Heath - December 04 2007 at 13:11

Putting the radioshow together last night, and taking a listen to a few more Hammond players. For instance Carla Bley as part of Jack Bruce Band on the album Live 1975. For a lady much better known for laying down some really distinctive Americo-European jazz in the last 20 years, it is interesting to catch her providing Hammond and Mellotron, behind Bruce and Mick Taylor. Also checked out Jack Bruce Band Radio One In Concert, (I think recorded 1977) with a completely different line-up behind Bruce, indeed a superstar line-up of Graham Bond, Art Themen, Jon Hiseman, Chris Spedding. The mix is  poor for the BBC, whilst Bruce's bass is over-recorded, distorted and swamps half the band at times (Ginger Baker claimed in that Cream DVD documentary, that Bruce had  the habit of turning up his bass and couldn't hear the rest of the band), but Bond's organ comes through and sounds pretty good - presumably only a little time before he "fell" in front of a London tube train. Also reminded myself of Al Kooper being imported to London to provide Hammond for tracks on the Who Sell Out - hence Rael will get played on Thursday, Kooper sounds through clearly but playing the instrument differently from what most are used to - perhaps it might be called in psychedelic mode??

Edited by Dick Heath - December 04 2007 at 05:13

"Lee Michaels Live" - An album worth a listen by any serious fan of the Hammond organ.  The last release by Lee for A&M records.  The concert was recorded at New York's Carnegie Hall in 72 or 73 ( I was there and it was great).  This concert marked his return to the B3 organ, for concert purposes.  Prior to that he had given up the B3 (he claims because he was going deaf) for first a piano then, he then started playing guitar.  For the concert it was Lee on B3 with 6 Leslie's stretched across the stage (the show was loud) and a drummer (soon to be Doobie Brother drummer) the late Keith Knudsen.  By the time of this recording he was pretty well burnt out and in no way does his playing approach that of his self-titled third album (an absolute classsic rock organ album).  But there is enough classic Lee Michaels to make this album worth a listen.

Album has probably  been mentioned already in this thread,ELP's Pictures at an exhibiton is just great, even better than the first 4 studio releases for me, brilliant.

Just gone through my article on the British Hammond in the 60's and beyond, done some typo removals, added at least one more picture and have it in pdf form - which means most of the pictures can be blown up larger. PM me if you would like a copy of the up date.

jimmy_row wrote: Dick Heath wrote: jimmy_row wrote: I've been listening to Electric Ladyland a lot the past couple weeks and I'm struck with the amazing hammond organ/guitar all over Voodoo Chile.  For some reason, I never bothered to find out who was playing the Hammond on that track and checked today...and it's Steve Winwood.  I knew he could play...but damn!  He always seemed just a bit restrained with Spencer Davis and Traffic.  Voodoo Chile has some of the best tones I've ever heard from the B3, and he really smokes it!   Excellent choice - remember because of contractual reasons, most of the players on ELL weren't named, so it was some time before Steve Winwood and Jack Casidy's names bubbled through wrt to that tune. Also remember the tune was an afterthought wrt to inclusion to the album. It is a cleverly spliced together  track of several spontaneous jams that petered out individually. So wonder if Winwood  did any "plastering over the cracks" with his solos? There are a couple of  bootlegs around with Hendrix and most of Traffic in support. You would have read that Traffic also jammed with Wynder K Frogg when Winwood wasn't around. The hippy culture and all that!   BTW just read that at a recent Hendrix tribute concert Mitch Mitchell played; the reviewer stated this performance demonstrated Mitchell is still one of the best users of Elvin Jones' style of drumming around. It still seems like there are many credits missing...the notes of the cd reissue don't list who plays Hammond on the remaining tracks, harpsichord on Midnight Lamp, and the extra piano bits here and there.  Interesting that Voodoo Chile was an "afterthought", it really feels like they hit the "sweet spot" with that one (the fact that it was apparently improvised tells me that something "special" was in the air), and I'd agree that it is masterfully pieced together, I can picture myself in the audience with the added sound effects - just like a crowded smoky bar with Jimi's almost Satanic leads and that evil B3 sound.  I'll have to search for one of these bootlegs you speak of with Hendrix/Traffic.

erik neuteboom wrote:   Hello Mandrakeroot.   Thanks for the compliments and I also own that Rock Milestones DVD by Wishbone Ash, see my review on this site. This evening I will post a Hammond drenched DVD recommendation for you, at this moment I have a break at my work     Hello Dick.   Good recommendation that Niacin DVD, the title sounds as the Holy Trinity

Just bought the live cd from Wicked Minds, now that's hammond for ya.

Edited by erik neuteboom - December 03 2007 at 06:25

great work, Erik.