Organists compared w/jazz organists, Hammond vs others

[c3hamby]

This is a two part post.

In the other posts you discuss some organists I am unfamiliar with, as I specialize in jazz organ. How do jazz artists such as Joey DeFrancesco and Larry Young compare w/the organists you discuss, if they do at all?

The 2nd part of this question-jazz players tend to prefer the Hammond B3 or C3-the organs that you are discussing seems to be more in the theatre or classical/pipe genre. Is the Hammond a viable organ for these organists?

[John Bittner]

Is the Hammond a viable organ for these organists?

Not entirely.

Although one can play both classical and theatre repetoire on a Hammond, it lacks the tonal simularity to a pipe organ that afficionados of both types of music are seeking.

However, celebrated theatre organist Jesse Crawford made numerous recordings on the Hammond, and others like George Wright and Gaylord Carter owned Hammonds at one time or another.

[back52887]

I remember in my impressionable youth hearing church organist saying of Hammond ;" it's really for entertainment, not very adequate as a liturgical instrument. Then theatre organists told me " Hammonds are for churches, They just dont have what it takes for use in the world."
They were both wrong and both right. A hammond sounds like a hammond, and fits in its own slot. A church with a fine lare pipe organ may still have a c-3 sitting in the corner for an ocassional gospel tune. The finest Theatre Wurlitzer or Morton can still be ougmented by a B-3 W/leslie for some sounds IMHO.
Lee

[JAZZLOVER]

Let me lay it on you as I see it. In the jazz field, a Hammond is king, no other organ can compete with it. And jazz for some is a form of entertainment, for others it's an art form. In the 60's, the hammond was vital for soul (R&B) music. As for therock 'n' roll music of the 60's it seems that any organ would do. This was also the era of the portable organ i.e. Farfisa and Vox etc. which was made or distribruted by Thomas, Wurlitzer, Lowery areConn. A lot of Brittish invasion styled groups used these organs, and I must confess that I had to endure Baldwins, Thomas and Wurlitzer organs in those days and some of them wasn't half bad.

Now as far aschurch music, it depends on what type of church you go to and what type of music they play in that church. If you go to the average black church where they play a lot of gospel, Hammond is king. If you go to a hymn based church such a Lutheran or Episcopalian churches, pipe are simulated pipe organs sound best, even the theater organ do a great job in the liturgicalsituation, but even in these churches you will sometimes see Hammonds. One may say that a Hammond is a do all or all purposeorgan.

[Hammondlover]

I went to a church back when I was really young that used a church organ (too young to remember the model). Kind of unusual for a pentecostal (white gospel)church.

[JAZZLOVER]

Just a little something I found on youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_e_dL82bE8. In this video, a B3 is being played along side of a unknown church organ. Give me some feedback.