Today, let's celebrate the B3

....the Hammond B3 that is. Jimmy Smith switched to the B3 from piano in 1953 after hearing Wild Bill Davis play. Mr. Smith played entirely by ear, and took to adapting horn lines to the organ. His name soon became synonymous with the Hammond B3. Here is Jimmy Smith playing his most famous number, The Sermon on a BBC program in 1964.

Here's a very groovy piece indeed, featuring 4 B3s. It's Paul Shaffer, Joey DeFrancesco, Doug Riley, and the amazing Dr. Lonnie Smith playing The Cat, a tune by the late Jimmy Smith. Then, listen to this interview with Dr. Lonnie Smith.

The B3 is a remarkable instrument. It is what is called a "tone-wheel" organ. You can read some excellent description of how it works here.

The B3 is not just a jazz instrument though. We've all heard it in rock n roll too. Remember Al Kooper's B3 at the beginning of Bob Dylan's Like a Rolling Stone?.

You may have figured by now that I love this instrument. This post could go on and on, but I'm going to close with soul giant Solomon Burke singing None of us are Free with the Blind Boys of Alabama.

Concertina maker Bob Tedrow

Washboard Hank

Tuffy P was going through some stuff the other day, including some old cassette tapes when she discovered a blast from the past. It was a cassette by Washboard Hank called Donkeys and Tire Fires. I recall going to see Hank with his band The Honkers, at the El Mo on Tuesday nights, sometime back in the 80s. He performed songs like Polyester Polly Lit a Tire Fire in my Heart (how many of you remember the Hagarsville tire fire?), Beautiful Belle of Bailieboro, Do the Prince Charles, and my fave, The Midnight Ride of Red Dog Ray.

I hadn't heard the name Washboard Hank in some time, but a quick search on YouTube tells me he is still out there doing his thing.

I can still play cassettes out in my car, and I think I'm going to enjoy hearing this material once more.

Duelling Gas Cans?

mister anchovy's new toy....

This organ has been sitting around at its last home for some time without seeing much action, when moving time came and it was offered to me. How could I turn down an old Hammond organ? The answer is that I couldn't. My friend SC, who happens to be a big guy with a truck and a really good sport, helped me haul it home today.

I don't know what model this is, or how old it is or really anything much about it. It's working, but I'd say it needs a little work. The speaker is making some noise, and, while the keyboard is all working, a couple of the switches don't seem to be functional. I think the first thing to do is to clean it up. I'm betting that the contacts haven't been cleaned in many years, and I'm hoping that a good cleaning will be helpful. As well, I think I'll have to bipass the built-in speaker and connect to some kind of keyboard speaker. I'm not going to try to get a Leslie for it. We just don't have the room right now.

If there are any keyboard experts out there, any advice is appreciated. I don't know that much about organs, and while I play piano accordion, it takes a little getting used to a horizontal keyboard. It doesn't seem right. I think I'm going to have some fun with this.

Melodica Music

This post is for those who thought that I was just makin up melodicas in the post below.

Night Boat to Cairo


I once met a girl...


Tequila


How Far I've Come

Very Be Careful

I dropped by my local accordion repair and sales place today to visit Rudy, the friendly and very knowledgeable fellow who runs Musical Instruments of Canada. I wanted to ask him about bellow straps. I have an old Mundinger piano accordion that has woven metal bellows straps. These look very good, but they get bent up eventually, and mine now have sharp edges. I'm afraid these sharp bits might damage the bellows, and I'd like to replace them with leather straps. As well, the same accordion has an intermittent problem with a bass note that occasionally sounds faintly when it isn't being played - when you push the bellows closed. Right now, it's fine, and I can't replicate the problem, but tomorrow, it may show up again. I'll have to try to bring it in when I'm experiencing the problem.

While there, I had an opportunity to play a 4-reed Gabbanelli instrument. Gabbanelli are known to make top-rate diatonic instruments, and this one was quite fine. I also played a Hohner Corona III, tuned to ADG. The Corona III is a three voice instrument, This one didn't have the ability to play in 1, 2 or 3 reeds - in other words, no stop switches on the front of the box. I enjoyed playing it, although, I thought the bass side didn't sound that great. It was a very responsive instrument, though, and fun to play. Apparently the Vallenato players from Colombia favour this instrument. The video I posted today feature a Vallenato quintet from Los Angeles, called Very Be Careful. I think they're quite a fantastic band - very intense music.

Hey, that guy's playing a cigar box

Apparently, cigar box guitars are sweeping the country...

Dr. Oakroot marches home the saints:


Steve Plater makes his own too:


Robert S. Hilton and Brother Yusef:
(These guys rock!)


One-man band, Johnny Lowebow. This one's for the punkier visitors to mister anchovy's. We met Mr. Lowebow a couple of years ago at his shop in Memphis.

Armenian Jut is unmatched (?)

I'm not sure how this article showed up in my accordion RSS feed, but here it is.

Carnatic on Harmonium

I've never played a harmonium. Nice sound!

Johnny Lowebow 1-man band

We met Mr. Johnny Lowebow at his shop in Memphis. He makes cigar box guitars and plays music like this....

Dr. Oakroot on the Cigar Box Uke

Words are not necessary....

Who is Bob Tedrow?

Check out this video about Bob Tedrow, Alabama concertina-maker extrodinaire. You can also check out his website.

I don't play a concertina....although many Portuguese people call the 3-row button box I play a concertina. One day though, I'll pick one up.... not yet though. Also on the list is clarinet!

Tuning your djembe

The author of this piece, about tuning djembes says, "A family of hungry insects travelled along with the djembes, and during the trip, they ate the goat skin heads of the djembes. I took several months to change them, and in the process I learned a lot about tuning djembes. The sensation I feel when, after the hard work involved in tuning a djembe, and I listen to its wonderful sound, is simply orgasmaical".

mister anchovy says....this is the first time I've seen the word orgasmaical, and I like it.