Organ Bands?

[lowfreqgeek]

Any organ-based band bassists on TB?

I've played a few times with a great rare-groove/soul-jazz/blues band called the Midnight Creepers here in Albuquerque. They aren't gigging much now, but I'm starting a new organ funk band with an awesome organist who's been playing B3 since 1967. We've played together with Midnight Creepers and a hard rock band we contract with, so he called me for the gig.

Stylistically, we're more on the funk/jazz side of things. We're doing stuff as diverse as Vital Information, The Meters, MMW, John Scofield, Grant Green, Lou Donaldson, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Jimmy McGriff, 20th Congress, Greyboy Allstars, and so on. A lot of GREAT bands out there.

Just curious how many other TBers are doing the "organ band" thing.

[TripleDouble]

I've done this a fair bit, it's always a great time and a great break from the nerdier jazz stuff I do. These days I'm playing in a soul jazz quartet with a wurli player and a trumpet or sax player. Lou Donaldson, Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard, Hank Mobley, Meters, that tune Povo which I love playing, and some covers interpreted in this style...all danceable, accessible jazz...have fun.

[hennessybass]

There is a great club in Austin that features a lot of B3 guys. There are two trios in particular that I like to go see... both are the B3, Drums, and Guitar... and both have some of the funkiest, bada$$ bass groves I've ever heard.

I'm listening, trying to steal lines from these B3 players!

[Hoover]

Semantic issue here:

Arguably, if you're the bassist in the group, it's not a real "organ band" ...because real organ bands don't have a bass player, they just have the organist's feet.

I'm not saying I support this semantic distinction, just pointing out that the phrase "organ band" has historically indicated more than simply the presence of an organ in the ensemble. Similar to the way (...um...I think it was Lilian Roxanne...maybe) differentiated between "horn bands" and "bands with horns".

[lowfreqgeek]

Originally Posted by hennessybass

There is a great club in Austin that features a lot of B3 guys. There are two trios in particular that I like to go see... both are the B3, Drums, and Guitar... and both have some of the funkiest, bada$$ bass groves I've ever heard.

I'm listening, trying to steal lines from these B3 players!

I love stealing lines from B3 players. I hear stuff I'd never otherwise think to do on bass. However, the organist I'm playing with said the same; he hears stuff we bassists play and wishes he could pull that off.

The grass is always greener, I guess...

I will say it's great playing with an *organist* vs. a pianist who plays an "organ sound" on his keyboard. Nothing like a real organ w/Leslie - and someone who knows how to drive it!

[lowfreqgeek]

Originally Posted by Hoover

Semantic issue here:

Arguably, if you're the bassist in the group, it's not a real "organ band" ...because real organ bands don't have a bass player, they just have the organist's feet.

I'm not saying I support this semantic distinction, just pointing out that the phrase "organ band" has historically indicated more than simply the presence of an organ in the ensemble. Similar to the way (...um...I think it was Lilian Roxanne...maybe) differentiated between "horn bands" and "bands with horns".

Yeah, you're right. However, when the main melodic and harmonic instrument is the organ, it's a little more than just a "band with an organ".

But I get your point.

[Hoover]

Originally Posted by lowfreqgeek

I will say it's great playing with an *organist* vs. a pianist who plays an "organ sound" on his keyboard. Nothing like a real organ w/Leslie - and someone who knows how to drive it!

+1
One of the rock bands I play with has an excellent keyboard player who's been bringing a Nord Electro to gigs for the past couple years, and it gets a perfectly passable organ sound...but earlier this year we did a show at a club that actually has their own B-3 (!), and the difference (in terms of palpable texture and impact) was so stunning that none of us wanted to get offstage!

[avvie]

I'm looking forward to the return of keys and keyboardists. I'm still not ready for organs because I got burned out on Lee Micheals and his incessant V-IV-I cheesiness, but one of my fave bands was fronted by Rhodes and B3s.... a Raleigh NC band from the 90's called Hipbone.

[baba]

You will love Soulive. Maybe start with Turn It Out.

Check out the original - Jimmy Smith.

For more current B3 genius, check out Joey Defrancesco.

[PolkaHero]

I own a Hammond A100 and a B-3 with Leslie 251 and 330 speaker cabinets. There is no comparison to the real thing (providing it's working correctly) vs. a sampled keyboard although Hammond is releasing a new model (SK1) that is getting close!

[FromTheBassMent]

I used to play organ in a reggae band and a Chicago-style soule review (with horns, backup singers, the full monty). I did not have pedals, and in both bands I was encouraged by the bass players to keep my left hand the hell OFF of the keyboard! That was cool, as it allowed me to fiddle around a lot with the drawbars!

[jlane72t]

I would be willing to personally purchase and haul the B3
if I meet a decent organist with no legs or left hand

[Holdsg]

I'm subscribed.

I am bass player, and keyboard player for a cover band. I don't usually play both at same time, but sometimes in the same song. Own a Hammond XK-1 clone wheel. Now, I would never say its as good as a B-3, but does not require a rental truck and roadies to move it around either. I love me some good Hammond, any time, any place, any style. Listen as much as I can to the De Francescos, Tony Monaco, Jimmy, Dr. Lonnie, John Lord, Keith Emerson, you get the picture.

[poorbassist15]

I'm the keyboardist/bassist in my band, and the guys despise my hauling around my L-102. But I insist on carrying it, because it's the most reliable piece of gear I own. Now, if only I could play better...

[bassguppy]

The most fun I ever had in a band was with a player who hauled out his B-3 & Leslie (and some sort of Korg synth) in a van with a handicapped chair lift. He actually restored organs for a living.

We did some 60's & a lot of 70's rock & funk. I miss that band.

[Munjibunga]

I suppose you could always use hair ties.

[Flux Jetson]

Hola mangs! First post in the forum. I was cruising the list of threads and the title of this one snagged my attention. I'm a Hammond player (1962 A102 and a 1955 M3) and a bassist .. well ... depending on how far you're willing to stretch definitions .. haaha!

Anyhow, one "organ trio" band that usually escapes attention that truly deserves it is "UK". John Wetton on bass, Eddie Jobson on keys, Terry Bozio (of "Missing Persons" fame and also from the later "Black Light Syndrome"). Btw, Bozio's performance is thrilling! If all one did was read the credits on the album jacket you'd think "oh c'mon ... Bozio? The Missing Persons drummer? What this gonna be .. a bunch of 4/4 160bpm crap?" Nope ... the dude jams!

Anyhow, here's some of UK's rather ratty history (thank the Almighty Wiki for this):

"Singer/bassist John Wetton and drummer Bill Bruford had worked together in King Crimson from 1972-4, when guitarist Robert Fripp disbanded the group.[1] In July 1976, Bruford assisted Wetton on demos for a proposed solo album by the latter (a couple of these demos were later released on Monkey Business). In September 1976, they worked on forming a band with keyboardist Rick Wakeman, who had previously worked with Bruford in Yes. The project was stopped by Wakeman's label. According to Bruford, "A&M Records were unwilling to let their 'star,' Wakeman, walk off with a used, slightly soiled King Crimson rhythm section, and the idea failed."[2]

Bruford and Wetton next asked guitarist Robert Fripp to reform King Crimson.[3] When Fripp eventually declined, Bruford and Wetton decided that each would bring in a musician of his choice to form a new band. Wetton brought in keyboardist/violinist Eddie Jobson, whom Wetton knew from his work with Roxy Music in 1976 – "stealing" him from Frank Zappa.[4] Bruford recruited guitarist Allan Holdsworth (formerly of Soft Machine and Gong) who had played guitar on Bruford's 1977 debut solo album, Feels Good to Me.

U.K. released their self-titled debut album in 1978 and followed it with a supporting tour. Following two lengthy American tours (June–October 1978), Wetton and Jobson decided to fire Holdsworth over musical differences and Bruford chose to depart as well.[2] Bruford soon formed jazz rock fusion group Bruford and invited Holdsworth to join him.

[edit] Trio line-upAfter the departure of Bruford and Holdsworth, U.K. did not bring in another guitarist, instead becoming a trio with drummer Terry Bozzio (another one-time Frank Zappa band member). They recorded the studio album Danger Money, released in March 1979, and spent much of that year touring North America as opening act for Jethro Tull. A live album, Night After Night, was recorded in Japan that Spring and released in September. Following a final European tour in December 1979, and in spite of plans to record a new studio album in America in March 1980, U.K. disbanded as Jobson and Wetton had different ideas on how the band should develop. Jobson wanted UK to go on with more long instrumental pieces, while Wetton thought that performing shorter songs was a better idea.[5] Jobson stated that one song in particular was the reason of the band to disband: "When Will You Realize?",[6] a non-LP B-side (to date still unavailable on CD) featured on the "Night After Night" single, which Wetton would re-record (with slightly different lyrics) in 1980 on his solo album Caught In The Crossfire"

In any case, the album "Danger Money is phenominal! I bought the cassette in '79 just before I joined the military (yea, I'm old). One of the last of the concept albums, written about a professional assasin/mercenary. Wetton's bass chops are classic 70's prog, and his tone is classic J-bass thick-mids/picked stuff (more Dave Hope than Geddy Lee though). The songs are heavy with Hammond riffs with the added pleasure of Jobson's violin chops. The last song "Carry no cross" is a long cut classic 70's prog thang with an insane central section.

Odd meter, monster Keith Emersonian organ riffs, and great fun. One of the greater unheralded three piece efforts. Their first album isn't as good, despite the heavy-names in it's lineup. Too bad egos got in the way .. again! (How many times in rock history have oversized heads got in the way of undersized reason?). But their sencond work, "Danger Money" is one of those magical "one offs" that is really well done.

Thanks ... just sayin'.

Flux, State of.