Hammond Organs, Bicycles and Other Things

Jazz Organ Collective, Live! This coming Thursday.. 5-7 PM....join me(organ)Jason McHughes(drums and center below) and David Williams II(sax and right below),Southern Style, in The Heights, 5717 Kavanaugh Blv d, Little Rock, AR.

One of the most exciting things I have been involved with is a group that I've put together, called Jazz Organ Collective. What is 'jazz organ'? Historically it is the use of the Hammond B3 organ in the use of jazz. The standard trio consists of organ, guitar and drums. Expanded, it could include sax, trumpet or even trombone. This was how Jimmy Smith intended for jazz organ to express itself in the 50s. It was continued by Jimmy McGriff, Jack McDuff, Larry Young and many others. I had in mind a couple of things that I wanted Jazz Organ Collective to be. Of course I wanted it to be a vehicle to pay respects to the jazz organ legends, and teach a little bit about what jazz organ is all about here in Arkansas. I also wanted it to be made up of a community of a variety of different musicians, each who would share their individual sound with the group. That's why it's not called The Brian Hamby Jazz Organ Group...it's intended to showcase everyone and what the...

Conflict Conflicted Confliction Consternation Constipation Coniption Conundrum Conair Conman Conivance Conrad Connelly Constiution Canned Tuna Canography ...can you see.... constant

I just got back from picking up my rental organ. I usually get a call about once a year regarding my organ. I rented my Hammond Xk3 out this week to a women's conference that ended tonight. They said it sounded great! The Leslie 2101 filled up the room wonderfully. I use a Behringer speaker with a 250W amp and a 15" speaker that is in charge of the low end. Renting is not for everyone. If your church or event does not have access to an organ, and it is only for a day or a few, then renting may be for you. If your church already has an organ but it needs some work, you are usually better of spending the money on getting it fixed. All of us who own vintage Hammond organs have to be stewards of the instrument. They aren't going to make these tone wheels again. After I got my A100, I thought about the idea of selling the Xk3. But when I consider what I paid for it and what it is worth now, I've decided to hold onto it. Besides, I have not had much trouble with the in...

A blank piece of paper.  It lies there in front of me. Expectantly. Waiting. Waiting on me.  Waiting on me for words.  Some people wait patiently, some people wait impatiently.  But paper waits in silence. A deafening silence that will not go unanswered.  Will I write?  Will I put down that first word in my mind?  Do I trust that word?  Do I trust that word enough to trust that another word will follow if I just just start with the first? And one to follow that? And another? And yet another after that? Soon enough, that blank piece of paper One word at a time It is not blank anymore.

For me, writing is a sign of life. My previous blog, 'Almost Forty' has long ago outlived it's purpose. Turning forty over a decade ago, that ship has sailed. Now that I'm learning to manage a new decade, the number which shall not be spoken of, a new blog is in order.  'Hammond Organs, Bicycles and Other Things'. Life makes sense when I'm playing organ or riding a bike. I think what might make sense for me is to meet a girl while I'm playing organ, and then go on a bike ride with her. I think as long as we kept doing that, everything would work out just fine. Or, at least, make sense. Until then, I'll just do all that myself.  I did a lot of working out starting out in October. I joined a gym, working on arms, abs and on a stationery bike.  Sort of a 'Brian 3.0' project. The result is that I dropped from 210 to 170 and I am now incredibly fast on the bike. Faster than I have ever been.  My bicycle, is a Surly Long...