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Hammond B-3 Analysis

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The Hammond B-3 makes no differentiation between the genres because the instrument can be heard in just about a little bit of every style. The Allman Brothers who are categorized as Southern Rock cover the music of Billy Eckstine to the Chicago Delta Blues of Muddy Waters with Gregg Allman playing a Hammond B-3 on a bunch tracks. In the sound of the Memphis soul group Booker T. and the MGs, Booker is considered one of the best B-3 players I’ve read about from various Gospel, Soul, and Funk critics. Also, the Hammond B-3 can be heard being played by Owen Bradley on a few tracks who is known for the Nashville sound. Even Ray Charles has an album, Jazz + Soul = Genius, which includes several jazz standards he plays entirely on the B-3. The list is nearly endless and continues with a variety of musical styles including Gospel, Funk, R&B, Psychedelia (Iron …show more content…

A few personal notables include Shirley Scott (nicknamed, the queen of the organ), Gregg Rolie (who had notable tracks with both Santana and Journey), Merl Saunders, Billy Preston (of the Rolling Stones), Billy Larkin, Bill Doggett, Al Kooper, Dr. John, and Steve Winwood. The range in styles of each of these great representatives of the instrument is an indicator to the level of diversity and love that this machine garnered during its greatest period of success from the mid 50’s through the early 80’s.In the book, Learn from the Legends: Blues Keyboard: Great Licks and Interviews with the Stars, there is an interesting anecdotal story about how Al Kooper came to be known as an affluent B-3 organist. Al had learned the piano at an early age, but in the rapid shift in popular musical styles, he switched to learning the guitar because of the advent of Rock N

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