By douglasm (68.113.15.28) on Friday, February 21, 2003 - 10:50 pm:

I'm partial to the organ. The little fills in "Mustang Sally" or "Gimme Gimme Good Lovin'" You got a favorite organ part?

By Soulpuss (24.102.217.36) on Friday, February 21, 2003 - 11:08 pm:

So I can love you- Emotions
This house - Eddie Floyd
I've just been feeling bad - Eddie Floyd

Beautiful organ work in the above. I think Booker T's handiwork. Very appealing.

By Eli (151.197.37.243) on Saturday, February 22, 2003 - 01:35 am:

Any day now
Runaway
Red river valley
The happy organ
Stop in the name of love
Could it be Im falling in love
Love and happiness
Why cant we live together
Nothing takes the place of you
Lets stay together

By BankHouse Dave (195.93.50.9) on Saturday, February 22, 2003 - 06:08 am:

Cleo's Mood - Jr Walker
Night Fo' Last - Shorty Long

By organgrinder (195.219.7.71) on Saturday, February 22, 2003 - 09:41 am:

Billy Preston-Billy's Bag.
Gloria Jones(with Billy Preston)on Organ on Heartbeat.
Spencer Davis/Stevie Winwood-Gimme'some Lovin'.
Jnr.Walker-Satans Blues.
Dave 'Baby'Cortez-Rinky Dink.
And the Lady at our Church.
Jess Yates.
ps
Also the guy that used to come up out of the floor at the Tower Ballroom in Blackpool.

By Lynn Bruce (65.60.200.153) on Saturday, February 22, 2003 - 10:08 am:

All of Johnny and the Hurricanes songs!!
Red River Rock
Reveille Rock
Beatnik Fly
Down Yonder
Rocking Goose
Cross Fire
Sheba
Ja-Da
You Are My Sunshine
and many more on the albums.

By Davie Gordon (193.122.21.26) on Saturday, February 22, 2003 - 10:45 am:

Hi Lynn,

Your selection wouldn't be maybe a bit biased ?;-)

I saw Johnny and the Hurricanes AND Del Shannon
on the same bill at a gig they did in, I think,
1979 at Hamilton Town Hall ( about 10 miles
south-east of Glasgow).

Del was brilliant - Johnny looked like he was just
going through the motions. I've no idea who the
Hurricanes were - they were all in their mid 20's - oh yeah, no organ. Plenty of goose noises
though.

By Lynn Bruce (65.60.200.153) on Saturday, February 22, 2003 - 12:17 pm:

Davie,the Hurricanes stoped working with Johnny in the 60s.We kept the sound,but by law he kept the name.So what you heard was"exactly that" a group of young musicians going thru the motions,with John. It,s to bad you didn,t see the real thing as we didn't play very complicated music, but man we did have the drive!!

Slainte, Lynn

By Major Bill (67.233.44.84) on Wednesday, February 26, 2003 - 09:59 pm:

The following recordings come to mind:"Time is Tight"-Booker T;"Tune Up"-Jr. Walker;"Than You Can Tell Me Goodbye"-The Casinos;"Fading Away"-Bobby Taylor/Vancouvers;"I've Got To Go On Without You" Van Dykes (Mala Label) ;"Average Guy"-Masquaraders(spine-tingling intro.This group's first recorded efforts appeared on Groove City and LaBeat,both Detroit labels. God Bless-Major Bill

By BankHouseDave (195.93.50.9) on Friday, February 28, 2003 - 03:55 am:

I Put A Spell On You - Alan Price
Fire - Arthur Brown (Vincent Crane on the B3)
Dick Halligan did some great things with Blood Sweat and Tears.
Rondo - The Nice (Keith Emerson)
Whiter Shade of Pale - Procul Harum (Matthew Fisher)
Electric Music for the Mind and Body - Country Joe and the Fish (Barry Melton)

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Friday, February 28, 2003 - 10:03 am:

"Give Me One More Chance" - Wilmer & the Dukes (R&B group from Rochester, NY featuring Gap Mangione - Chuck's big bro - on the Hammond B-3).

"K-Jee" - MFSB (the organ doesn't come in until the last 40 seconds of the record but sounds great....extended version, Mr. Eli? )

"Stoned Soul Picnic" - Fifth Dimension (Larry Knechtel's organ chords set the mood of the song just right)

Any record by the incredible Jimmy Smith....

Kevin Goins - KevGo

By john c (12.2.233.107) on Friday, February 28, 2003 - 10:27 am:

Shotgun and 96 Tears.

One of my all-time favorite LP's is Guitar Beat by the Raybeats. They used a Japanese compact organ called an Acetone, which is the chessiest thing you've ever heard. It's great. I think Acetone was owned by the guy who started Roland.

I have a related question. What hit records actually used a Farfisa? Usually you find out it really was a Vox, like on 96 Tears.

By Livonia Ken (136.2.1.101) on Friday, February 28, 2003 - 10:42 am:

I love the organ on Junior Walker & the All-Stars' "Shake & Fingerpop". I like Al Kooper's organ playing for Dylan, especially on "Positively 4th Street". Most anything that Benmont Tench plays organ on is great.

That instrumental version of "He Was Really Saying Something" by Earl Van Dyke & the Soul (Funk) Brothers on the recent "Cellarful of Motown" CD is pretty great.

Regards,
Ken

By MEL&THEN SOME (195.219.7.67) on Friday, February 28, 2003 - 10:49 am:

Billy Prestons
Billys Bag and Dave 'Baby'Cortez's Rinky Dink.
Mel.

By BankHouseDave (195.93.50.9) on Friday, February 28, 2003 - 11:44 am:

KevGo, Blues & The Abstract Truth by Jimmy Smith was the best jazz organ track of all time. Oliver Nelson's arrangement too. I started trying to learn the organ part in 1967. Another forty years and it might come.

By Ralph (209.240.198.62) on Friday, February 28, 2003 - 11:47 am:

Anything by Jimmy Smith pretty much works for me.

By Jim G (12.47.224.13) on Friday, February 28, 2003 - 11:56 am:

Jimmy Smith defined the organ sound in modern jazz.
Before Jimmy, it sounded like no one was quite sure how a jazz organ was supposed to sound.
Once the B-3 sound took off in the late 1940s it became popular in clubs, and there was even an attachment called an 'Organo' that could be fitted to a piano and (presumably)created an organ sound. But no one really wailed on it like Jimmy Smith.
If you listen to early jazz organ recordings, for example "Glenn Hardman and his Hammond Five" from 1938 (with Lester Young, no less) it sounds like he's playing at a roller skating rink.

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Friday, February 28, 2003 - 01:18 pm:

John C:
The Sir Douglas Quintet's keyboardist Augie Meyers used a Farfisa on "She's About A Mover" and "Mendocino".
Kevin Goins - KevGo

By john c (12.2.233.107) on Friday, February 28, 2003 - 01:23 pm:

Thanks Kevin. "She's About A Mover" is a good one.

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Friday, February 28, 2003 - 01:25 pm:

To All:
I guess we're all in agreement that if the Hammond B-3 were listed in the dictionary, a photo of Jimmy Smith leaning over the organ with his limber fingers would be listed "Exhibit A" !

I dig his Blue Note albums, especially tracks like "The Champ" , "The Sermon" and his version of "Flamingo." His Verve recordings are classics, too - "The Cat", "Livin' It Up" and his "Dynamic Duo" album (cut with Wes Montgomery) are among the favorites in the record collection.

Along with Smith, honorable mentions must go to Jimmy McGriff ("I Got A Woman" & "The Worm"), Brother Jack McDuff and the late Charles Earland (his version of "More Today Than Yesterday" gave the Spiral Starecase the run for the money).

Kevin Goins - KevGo

By Ralph (209.240.198.62) on Friday, February 28, 2003 - 01:38 pm:

Kevin,
I totally agree wih you regarding Jimmy McGriff and Brother Jack McDuff. I would like to add Ms. Shirly Scott to that group.

By lynnbruce (65.60.200.153) on Friday, February 28, 2003 - 02:00 pm:

Jimmy McGriff,s" COMPARED TO WHAT" is my all time favorite get down ,get it on song by a Hammond B-3
musician
Jimmy Smiths "Walk On The Wild Side" is centimeters,if that,in second place.

Hammond B-3s Rule!! As a person that had to help bull-dog that big mother,plus the Leslie into many clubs,it,s to bad they couldn,t strip away that atractive wooden structure with something much lighter,but with the same guts and sound as the heavy version

By Jim G (12.47.224.13) on Friday, February 28, 2003 - 03:00 pm:

Notable Detroiters who were/are 'Bad Muthas' on the B-3 include Milt Buckner, Lyman Woodard, Ben Baber, Rudy Robinson, Alma Smith, Charlie Harris.
The B-3 really defines whatever club it's featured in. Know what I mean? There is a different vibe--definately more soulful.
Ben Baber used to say that he could make any club feel funky IF the management let him play the organ as it was meant to be played.

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Friday, February 28, 2003 - 04:55 pm:

Ralph:
Thanks for mentioning the dear departed Shirley Scott. I still have my Dad's copy of "Great Scott!" on the Impulse! label.

I believe she was married to another jazz legend, Oliver Nelson.

As for Rudy Robinson, I wish I was around Detroit years ago to see him play. His son Rudy Jr. is a dear colleague of mine and we're working on (hopefully) reissueing his Dad's D-Town work (details forthcoming).

Kevin Goins - KevGo

By mhc (172.137.165.76) on Friday, February 28, 2003 - 10:58 pm:

KevGo, Augie Meyers never used a Farfisa. He used a Vox Continental, and still plays one, for instance on Dylan's "Time Out Of Mind" album. For my money, he and Alan Price, with The Animals, are the two Kings of the Vox Continental. Sam the Sham used a Farfisa. "Liar Liar" by The Castaways has a Farfisa on it. And, judging by the photo of The Dapps, inside the "Star Time" booklet, "I Can't Stand Myself" by James Brown has a Farfisa on it. Another good Vox Continental record is The Grateful Dead's first album..

By STUBASS (206.135.204.2) on Friday, February 28, 2003 - 11:01 pm:

HEY JIM: DON'T FORGET MOSE DAVIS AND ROD LUMPKIN...WHO USED TO JAM A BIT AS WELL!!!...STU

By STUBASS (206.135.204.2) on Friday, February 28, 2003 - 11:03 pm:

PS TO THAT: CHARLES EARLAND IS ONE OF MY ALL TIME FAVORITE B-3'ERS...COMING ROM A JAZZ-FUNK STATE OF MIND!!!...STU

By mhc (172.137.165.76) on Friday, February 28, 2003 - 11:19 pm:

Also, if I remember correctly from Guaralnick's book, "When a Man Loves a Woman" has a Farfisa on it.

By BankHouseDave (195.93.50.9) on Saturday, March 01, 2003 - 05:03 am:

Pink Floyd used a Farfisa in the early days - Atom Heart Mother and before, I think.

Another boss organ man was Richard Groove Holmes (Blues for Yna Yna, etc).

By Carl Dixon London (62.31.40.155) on Monday, March 03, 2003 - 08:33 am:

Will it go round in circles/Billy Preston
The Liquidator/Harry J All Stars (indeed the whole album!)

are two that spring to mind. Has anybody heard of Earl Grant (Hide nor hair)?

By Lynn Bruce (65.60.202.214) on Monday, March 03, 2003 - 09:36 am:

Looks like no one caught my mistake. I meant Les McCan on"COMPARED TO WHAT". Where's my ginko?

By LTLFTC (12.210.76.205) on Monday, March 03, 2003 - 09:55 am:

Lynn;
Is there a version of Les McCann doing "Compared To What" on organ? THe only version I have is the classic 'Live At Montreaux' with Eddie Harris and Les plays piano on that. I'd love to hear him do that on B-3


Steve K

By lynnbruce (65.60.202.214) on Monday, March 03, 2003 - 10:56 am:

LTLFTC- I should have left well enough alone.I think your right,hes done it more than once,so now I have to start digging,maybe I'll hit Borders,it's time to up-grade Les from tape to C.D. anyway.

By LTLFTC (12.210.76.205) on Monday, March 03, 2003 - 11:13 am:

Lynn - yeah , I should upgrade 'Montereaux' , too. I usually just play that one cut , it's so BAD !! All the solos just kick ass , especially Les. Hey, did you know that song was written by Eugene McDaniels of '100 Lbs of Clay ' fame - quite a difference !

SteveK

By Livonia Ken (136.1.1.33) on Monday, March 03, 2003 - 11:23 am:

Lynn - The latest version of "Swiss Movement" (called the "Montreux 30th Anniversary Edition") from Rhino sounds pretty good and has a bonus track "Kaftan" that was not on previous versions. This has the "hit" version of "Compared to What". It's worth an upgrade, I would say.

McCann reprised "Compared to What" three years later on his "Live at Montreux" album, but without Eddie Harris. I have not heard that one in a while and do not own it.

Regards,
Ken

By STUBASS (206.135.204.2) on Monday, March 03, 2003 - 12:07 pm:

LES MCCANN...THE "CLOWN PRINCE OF JAZZ"..."COMPARED TO WHAT"...AND IF YOU LISTEN CLOSELY...YOU MAY RECOGNIZE SOME OF THOSE JOHNNY GRIFFITH TYPE "COOL JERK" TINKLES ON THE 88'S!!!...

By Horse (68.61.77.137) on Monday, March 03, 2003 - 10:40 pm:

Lee Michaels