Hammond Extravaganza Part 2 : A HAMMOND S

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.

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.

"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.

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

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

Digging out Wynder K Frogg aka Blue Weaver aka Mick Weaver playing some soulful Hammond backing Taj Mahal for next Thursday's radio show. Anybody recently checked out Al Kooper's Hammond which in prominent throughout  the Who's Rael 1 (ex. The Who Sell Out), sounds quite different  from the norm nowadays? When did Rick Wright include the Hammond; curious to know so I get my facts right for Erik's Hammond articles?

By the way regarding the VH1 special on Ladyland. I don't think it mentions Larry Young's appearence on that album, but I believe I read in a Young bio that he did play on one cut of that album. He and Hendrix were playing together some at that point.

Hey Erik and Diok, just buzzed through some Floyd very quickly but I would say Meddle and Atom Heart are mostly Hammond, but Erik is right, there is a bit of Farfisa towards the end of Echos. Dark Side is Hammond. Obscurred uses Hammond and Farfisa and More is mostly Farfisa except Cirrus Minor may be Hammond.
The earlier stuff is Farfisa and his later stuff is something I don't listen to much.

This Wednesday we can enjoy the BBC docu entitled "Which one's Pink?", I hope to see some Animals live footage with Rick Wright on the Hammond organ , I love his job on the David Gilmour Live DVD, very inspired and great interplay with David 

Edited by erik neuteboom - December 08 2007 at 21:53

Another great Hammond/ Mellotron driven album that I recommended is this: