I posted this in Facebook, but I figured it should also share it here.
Controversial Opinion: The sound of a Hammond B3 organ is one of the cornerstones of Rock, especially Prog Rock. The sound fits magnificently with its Ethos. But the same Hammond B3 organ in Jazz sounds like the deaf church lady playing the 7th inning stretch in a baseball game somewhere in Oklahoma and it is missing 3 middle keys.
The opposite? Vibraphone. Anything played outside Jazz sounds like an ice cream truck recording on a stretched cassette tape. Lionel Hampton playing vibraphone? The stuff of gods.
<tosses match inside dumpster & walks away>
Hampton was a terrific musician. His playing with the Goodman quartet was pure gold. Of course the other three guys(Goodman, Wilson, Krupa) were elite level musicians as well.
Milt Jackson with John Coltrane on ‘Bag & Trane’, 1961, is one of my favorites.
All I can say is that is one of the most EPIC quotes I have ever seen. You should get some kind of prize for that.
I’d like to see Rick Wakeman comment on it.
What is controversial about that?
100% spot on.
Somebody in Facebook actually posted Green Onions as proof I was wrong. You can hear the Hammond sound like an asthmatic squeeze box and played similarly and the melody is just annoying as a TV jingle
I was in a band in the late 80’s early 90’s. Our keyboard player didn’t know what the Hammond sound was!
To be contrary to point #1, there’s Jimmy Smith. Check out his live “Root Down” album, even if it’s more funky fusion sort of jazz.
And to be contrary to point #2, there’s Ruth Underwood playing vibes for Frank Zappa.