michel devos

I always had a special place for John Patton in my Hammond heroes universe...I remember his first LP when it came ou "Along came John" : it was offered to me by my Dad, a nice, heavy Blue Note vinyl in its blue greenish artcover...I still play it from time to time. And, yes...in short I'll definitely back this project. My fav' tune, maybe "Just 3/4" or "I want to go home".

Thanks Gold, I placed the order from one seller of the Market Place. Some good fun : Amazon.fr was selling the item for a price of...799 Euro

Thanks Jim and Goldberg for this incredibly detailed reporting about these 1961 Paris Concerts. I remember at the time I dreamed attending them , but the trip to Paris was not as easy and fast as it is today. So I had to wait for their appearance in Brussels, but this one was unfortunately without an organ... By the way, I might add my very tiny pinch of salt : for the Paris concerts, Ray havin' just acquired a Hammond RT-3 at home, his management imposed the same instrument for the concerts. You can see from the splendid pictures Ray is indeed playing an RT-3, lookin' quite similar to the C-3, but with a pedalboard of 32 notes instead of 25. and, no...you can't see the 32 pedals on the pix...where the text wrongly mentions "his B-3".

My dear Goldberg, Thanks for that MAGNIFICENT job...as usual whenever you commit your efforts to investigate the Hammond organ history : this is really great! There are many names barely known to me in your text, but I was rather surprised to discover there was a Live version of the fantastic "Genius+Soul= Jazz". And what's more, recorded in Paris, not so far away from where I live. Can we have some more comments on this album please? And is it still available? Thank you. Michel

I will look into that but I'm not making any promises. As Chuck said, they are quite expensive. Thanks again to everyone who got on board! Really looking forward to getting this release out there. I think you're going to love the sound, too. I've been working very hard the last four years since 2008's Groovadelphia to refine my humble home studio. I think this recording is my best in terms of engineering. The drums sound fantastic and I'm finally happy with how I captured the Leslie. Guitar is easy. Good to read that...I'll listen very carefully to the way you come to terms with the Leslie...as a sound engineer, I mean. These monsters are VERY difficult to capture realistically! Can't wait to hear it. By the way, did you use the 122's or the 3300?

Money sent thru Paypal on 24th september. Is it ok for a shipment to Belgium? Should there be any extra costs, pls let me know. Looking forward to hear that new opus! Michel

When Joey arrived on the market, he had everything, the technical abilities, the power, the sound, the repertoire...he was the super-organist of the time, the archetype, the new Jimmy Smith. And he went on like that, with the support of his many fans (including myself) to build up a successful career taking him in the 4 corners of the world. So what's wrong with him..? Nothing with the musician, talented as he is, but in my view, with the repertoire. For several years, I feel the material released in his CD's is rather on the weak side : nice and enjoyable during the first listenings and then gradually vanishing...no strong melodic themes, no surprising chords, no audacity in the harmonies...but extremely well played and clean. But boring after repeated listenings. I'd expect that is the reason why people have either one or two of JDF's CDs or then the complete collection : I have most of them, except the last 6 or 8 ones. Maybe this album with Coryell and Cobb is back to his previous standards...or maybe just one more running from the mill. We'll see.

I had no idea Joey DeFrancesco was also playing guitar...

Among my top pianists, Ivan Moravec holds a central place. I love his Mozart Fantasy K475 and K457 sonata, the Chopin Nocturnes in the 1966 Connoisseur version that has just been re-released by Supraphon. Moravec has no peer in his rendition of Debussy, like the Suite Bergamasque. Incredibly subtle but powerful playing in th Brahms concertos and the intermezzi 116 117 118 . And the Goldberg variations by Alexis Weissenberg in the digital version.

Well, I seem to remember he was playing some Monk pieces at home in the documentary retracing his tour in Germany back in 1965.

I did a little research on All Music Guide and found an album Jimmy Smith did in 1986 entitled Go for Whatcha' Know. On it was the guitarist Kenny Burrell. Perhaps it was he who did that tour in 1987? The next album listed is a 1989 offering called Prime Time with Phil Upchurch and Terry Evans on guitar. Hope this helps. Here's the link: Jimmy Smith on AMG

Thanks for these replies : maybe we'll find out the right answer. The guitar player also sang a tune, Georgia on my mind : Jimmy introduced the song, but did not mention the name, just said '"our guitar player"...Would that help? Another correspondent thinks it was Nathan, or Nathen Page who toured with Jimmy in 1987: but no evidence yet. Now, if one of you heard the guitat player, would he be able to identify him?

Jimmy Smith toured Europed in march 1987 with his trio. Played among others in Brussels where I of course attended. Drummer was Grady Tate, but I am not sure of the guitar player. Was it Terry Galbraith or Nathan Page? I rather incline for the second, but with no certainty. Would anybody care to help here? Many thanks in advance

For my live recordings in jazz clubs, I have used Sennheiser HD25 for years. Excellent neutrality and reasonable noisy environment insulation.

Yes...great to hear from you again. Welcome bach, Mr Goldberg (aha)

I spent last week 4 days in Italy : they have some fine Hammond players over there and probably the best ice cream in the world...That is at least what an ice cream shop advertised in Verona : he might be right for his Tiramisu and white peach ! The nice thing is that some of you, the ones residing in NY or LA, have the possibility to check that themselves, this brand is also manufactured locally in the US, check this link and enjoy : http://www.grom.it/eng/index.php

That´s a wonderful foto and it´s great you knew Francis Paudras. How much would I have liked to get to know this man. I often listen to the recordings he made of Bud at home (in France) and at Birdland. That´s where I head that tune "Margarete" I mentioned. Also got one of the first editions of his book "Dance of the Infidels" in one of the first french versions in 1986 when it came out, and years before "To Bird with Love" which he published together with Chan Parker. You are the piano player who worked often with Johnny Griffin, right? Johnny Griffin was the very first musician I saw live in a club, and ironically also one of the last, shortly before he died. Great to see this unpublished photograph of Bud Powell and Francis Paudras. I do not particularl like Powell, but I remember the very moving story Francis Paudras wrote in the french magazine Jazz Hot in the sixties (?), explaining his concern about Bud Powell and the efforts he made to bring him back in the frontline : I think Francis really saved his life. Thanks for the link to the video, although it won't change my mind about the pianist performances.

Paypal sent today. Sorry I missed this announcement. Thanks for this unique Forum!

How sad...and difficult to understand : there have been lots of 3 Sounds enthusiasts since the sixties, so why could they not buy a possible Mosaic box of all their BN recordings? Ready to send the check right now!

A really excellent, in-depth review, Jim. It is clear, rigorous, complete, it handles the practical side of a keyboardist requirements and, most of all, the quality of the many sounds available here. I'm especially glad to read you are smashed by the organ sound itself : I only heard a couple of demo's in the Hammond booth but I was as impressed as you are : very, very close ro a B3, actually. Thanks for this outstanding report.

And, finally, here is a short youtube video of the Hammond demo booth in Frankfurt : http://www.youtube.c...h?v=-UXBQvgUe3Y

Here is my report of the Musik Messe for a french website : http://hammondnco.free.fr/hammondandbuzz/index.php?2011/04/10/94-coup-d-il-sur-hammond-a-la-musik-messe-2011 Afraid it is written in french, but, at least, there are some interesting pictures.

I've been looking for ever for the Jimmy McGriff Solid State LP reissue "A bag full of Soul". Looks like his other SS lp's have been reissued in CD, but not this one...

What makes me enthusiast about the new SK2 is linked to a very strong personal souvenir. In 1965, I heard Jimmy McGriff perform a version of Round'midnight using simultaneously the C3 and a Bechstein Grand. The combination of the smooth, deep rumbling bass and chords played by the left hand and foot on the C3 and the sharp, sparkling clear notes of the grand piano at the right hand made a fantastic sonic impression I never forgot...I tried several times to convince other players to use that combination, but that appeared unpractical due to the huge weight and dimensions of a concert grand (and also the costs). With the new SK2, this should become a breeze, B3 one keyboard, concert grand second keyboard! Up to now, I knew only of Korla Pandit who played that combination : he was rather not my cup of tea, but Jimmy McGriff was and I hope there will now be some challenge to this beautiful rendition of Round'midnight. I happened to have this concert recorded and I'd be pleased to share some samples with those interested. PM me or check this Rapid Share file : https://rapidshare.com/files/459545272/SampleMG.wav

16 lbs and 35 lbs respectively. 16 lbs is not much! Quite right...it can be easily taken under one arm. It seems my pictures cannot be uploaded : anyone knows what error 406 is..?