Earl Grant??? Hammond organ???

[norgeway]

I was listening to my Earl Grant Christmas Album,and was wondering,Are there any more Hammond organ fans out there,Anyone who has been to my house knows there is usually a record on the stereo,with the sounds of a Hammond coming out,more often than not Earl Grant,just wondering if there was anyone else who enjoyed this.

 

[Maytagluver]

Hammond organ

Hi, I just brought home an A-100 Hammond, which I will have my 147 Leslie speaker hooked up to.
I have a Rodgers for 'serious' music, but for the fun stuff, I go to the Hammond. There's NOTHING can produce the sound of a Hammond except a HAMMOND!!

Al

 

[norgeway]

A MEN!

And the new ones just are not the same,You have to have the old tonewheel and tubes!

 

[qsd-dan]

Are there any more Hammond organ fans out there,

Oh yeah!

I'm a big jazz fan and love the organ used in this genre (some jazz/funk too), when played properly. I'd say Jimmy Smith and Walter Wanderley are my top favorite organ players.

 

[petek]

Local Hammond talent

here's a snippet by Ollie Case. Great organist I remember seeing him play all the time when I was younger, sort of an inspiration. He went to work for hammond in Chgo as staff organist back in the 70s or 80s. Still does occasional shows around here.

http://www.itcamefromcanada.com/FBOBT/Music/OllieCaseOpus.mp3

 

[tolivac]

I am still kicking myself-years ago a freind offered to sell me a Hammond "B"for 100 bucks--trouble was I lived in an apartment that didn't allow householders there to have pianos or organs.Now when I see what Hammonds sell for its shocking.and yes the instrument had tonewheels and tubes.Would love to have it even if I can't play-can't carry a tune in a bucket-but could learn.In the want ad magazine out here someone was trying to sell a "B" for-----$9500!!

 

[petek]

Well now's the time to buy an organ, actually get them free because nobody wants them anymore and that includes small to midsize Hammonds. You see loads of them for sale in newspapers, Craigslist etc but dollars to donuts nobody every buys them and the owners just junk em.. It's easier to try and sell it and hopefully get something or nothing than to cart it to the dump. Also you could try a local piano / organ store for a freebie. I mentioned to the store here I was looking for something and they called me a few weeks later and had a really nice Technics I could have which would have saved them hauling it to the dump. It didn't have the full pedalboard though so I passed,, now I'm t hinking I should have taken it as my wurlitzer is having a few issues.

 

[tolivac]

Big reasons Hammond tonewheel organs are expensive now--they aren't made anymore-and many musicians insist on having "the real thing" than a digital imitation.Recording studios buy ones being offered-sometimes for those outlandish prices to put in their instrument stock-the studio advertises they have instruments so the musicians don't have to "slepp" theirs into the studio.Its already there and ready to play.Good point on the music stores-there are ony one or two music places in town-deal with pianos--so maybe they might run into organs.Be nice to have one instead of it going to the dump.I think folks now know the value of the original tonewheel Hammonds and the seller is trying to get max price for the instrument he is trying to sell.

 

[whirlaway]

Ethel Smith

I have a bunch of old Ethel Smith 78s with her on the Hammond.She actually demonstrated them,and was in quite a few movies playing the Hammond.One with Ester Williams and a great color Disney cartoon,I think it was called Blame it on the Samba.I have it on 16mm and the colors are great,Bobby

 

[dynaflow]

Another Ethel Smith fan

ive got one of her 78's white christmas, jingle bell rock

 

[whirlaway]

Tico Tico

When she played that number,she could really get that old organ flying.For one of the first electronic organs,they really sounded good.Lots of tubes and bass.,Bobby

 

[whitekingd]

I am often asked,

"Why do you carry that thing around? Can't you just get a synthesizer?"

I have been playing profesionally for twenty - five years, and carrying a Hammond M-3 and Leslie for the same amount of years. Not as fancy as the B-3, but still a great instrument. And there is NOTHING like it!!

 

[tolivac]

Hammond organs were also used in a device that is not a human player-but an electro mechanical one-The DeCap Gebroders dance hall organs.There are lots of sound and video clips of these on YouTube-love watching them.DeCap built a family of organs that had Hammond organ chassis in them-but the DeCap still used the "Vibratone" tremolo flute stops in the organ to play along with the Hammond,Accordeons and percussion.The Decaps with these instrument combinations make a real delightful sound.Later when Hammonds were no longer available DeCap Changed to other brands of electronic organs and synthesizors for their electronic instruments.DeCap "Herantals" division-their second division-and still in business today make both traditional pipe organs and electronic ones-the Herantal models have electronic systems that "play" the percussions so there is expression in the percussion section.Again examples on YouTube-too many to link here.And their website gives all kinds of info on these fascinating intruments.Just wished they were more popular in the US.