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Barbara Dennerlein... Wow!


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Hey all,

 

I've known who Barbara Dennerlein was for years. I can remember a feature Keyboard did on her in the eighties or early nineties. It particularly stood out in my mind because she was using her Hammond as a part-time MIDI controller, which was unusual at the time.

 

But I never listened to her until now. Holy cow...

 

Not only is she incredible capable (I'm not sure I've ever seen someone kick bass like her), but I just really dig her tunes. I bought three albums today and I've had them on shuffle. I "discovered" her through a couple of YouTube clips.

 

If you haven't ever checked out this artist, I highly recommend it. Maybe I'm the only one who was living under a rock, but she is an incredible jazz organist. And when she does use her Hammond as a controller, she blends synth and acoustic sounds in very effectively.

 

Todd

Sundown

 

Working on: The Jupiter Bluff; Driven Away

Main axes: Kawai MP11 and Kurz PC361

DAW Platform: Cubase

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I've been a fan of hers for many years, from the first video I saw of her kicking the bass pedals with her shoeless feet. Foot fetishists should love that one. But it's also her playing and expressiveness on the keyboards.
These are only my opinions, not supported by any actual knowledge, experience, or expertise.
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Yeah but the unorthodox footwork is pretty impressive.

I was taught old school cornball Hammond stye where you rotated on your butt keeping your legs together.

This was natural for me as I raced motocross where you squeeze the hell out the gas tank with thighs.

I could never tap more than a couple pedals with my legs open.

 

Having said that, I stand and play, always have, and with a K4 Ive got 3 Expression pedals a Sus and Footswitch that I nail with my deadly accurate feet. Thanks to old school study.

 

So watching her feet still amazes me each time I see her.

 

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I was taught old school cornball Hammond stye where you rotated on your butt keeping your legs together.

 

 

I got through most of my organ training before being abused in college by the Gleason method of keeping your knees together and rotating on your butt. This made no sense to me and my previous organ teachers made no mention of this technique. When I ditched college I also ditched the method. Economy of motion dictated splayed legs and quiet torso. Barbara gets more out of one foot than most players get out of two. Mind boggling.

9 Moog things, 3 Roland things, 2 Hammond things and a computer with stuff on it

 

 

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Most Hammond consoles have the 25 pedal layout where all of the pedals are in the same plane, as opposed to the AGO (American Guild of Organists) 32 pedal curved layout.

 

The reason for the curved layout (which costs more to make) is so that the pedals will be closer to the same distance from the player's feet; and it is very common for players of this type organ to use both feet on the pedals. Shoes worn (if worn) are made specifically for the use, and are made so as to minimize their width to minimize chances of accidentally depressing two adjacent pedals at the same time.

 

A good bit of the customary organ repertoire for larger pipe organs uses both feet by necessity, since there may well be places where two pedals a good bit apart are depressed at the same time. Chords aren't just for manuals.

 

Sitting in one spot with knees together doesn't work well for AGO pedals, unless one is playing largely in the same range.

 

Howard Grand|Hamm SK1-73|Kurz PC2|PC2X|PC3|PC3X|PC361; QSC K10's

HP DAW|Epi Les Paul & LP 5-str bass|iPad mini2

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

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Hey all,

 

I've known who Barbara Dennerlein was for years. I can remember a feature Keyboard did on her in the eighties or early nineties. It particularly stood out in my mind because she was using her Hammond as a part-time MIDI controller, which was unusual at the time.

 

But I never listened to her until now. Holy cow...

 

Not only is she incredible capable (I'm not sure I've ever seen someone kick bass like her), but I just really dig her tunes. I bought three albums today and I've had them on shuffle. I "discovered" her through a couple of YouTube clips.

 

If you haven't ever checked out this artist, I highly recommend it. Maybe I'm the only one who was living under a rock, but she is an incredible jazz organist. And when she does use her Hammond as a controller, she blends synth and acoustic sounds in very effectively.

 

Todd

 

OK, with a build-up like that, where are the links to some of her performances you really like?

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I was taught old school cornball Hammond stye where you rotated on your butt keeping your legs together.

 

 

I got through most of my organ training before being abused in college by the Gleason method of keeping your knees together and rotating on your butt.

How did that concept ever get started? I can't conceive of a rationale where that makes sense. Weird.

Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.

-Mark Twain

 

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I saw Barbara Dennerlein in the early 1990's when I lived in Philadelphia, PA. A handful and people showed up for the concert since she was not known well in the US at that point. She came out, very graciously thanked those of us in the audience, and proceeded to blow us away. What a player. I am pretty good on bass pedals but she was just incredible.

Wm. David McMahan

I Play, Therefore I Am

 

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OK, with a build-up like that, where are the links to some of her performances you really like?

 

Moe nailed it with the "Very Hot Stuff" clip. For an upbeat tune, that's a good example.

 

Here are a couple of others I liked:

 

[video:youtube]

 

[video:youtube]

 

[video:youtube]

 

[video:youtube]

Sundown

 

Working on: The Jupiter Bluff; Driven Away

Main axes: Kawai MP11 and Kurz PC361

DAW Platform: Cubase

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Her YouTube videos are great, no doubt about that. She's incredibly gifted. On the studio recordings the drums are over played and loud. I tried listening to them and it sounded like a non stop drum solo after a while.

 

The other thing she doesn't have is a jazz guitar comping. There's nothing wrong with it if the mix is good. For example, on the song, "Back Track" by Lonnie Smith, he's got 2 guitars playing, one in each speaker.

 

It's interesting how this stuff works out when it comes to the mix. Some people get it perfect while others it's off a bit. That's why I believe her studio recordings didn't catch on.

 

Korg 01W/FD, Hammond XK-2, Neo Ventilator2, JBL Eon, Rhodes 88
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On the studio recordings the drums are over played and loud. I tried listening to them and it sounded like a non stop drum solo after a while.

 

I haven't noticed that. I have Love Letters, Outhipped, and Bebabaloo. I particularly like Love Letters.

 

She'll do straight ahead jazz, but then she'll do tracks like "Pendel der Zeit" which have some jazz tones, but are really just great instrumentals. I also really like "A Summer Day", where she breaks into a totally different rhythm at the ~6:30 mark.

 

Her music has really been a breath of fresh air for me. It's jazz organ, but she really makes the instrument sound modern.

Sundown

 

Working on: The Jupiter Bluff; Driven Away

Main axes: Kawai MP11 and Kurz PC361

DAW Platform: Cubase

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  • 2 years later...
great, great Hammond player and to me the way a Hammond should be played. kicking pedals. not this left hand bass crap with taping one bass pedal lightly.

 

If you like pedals, you"ll love this:

 

1967 B-3 w/(2) 122's, Nord C1w/Leslie 2101 top, Nord PedalKeys 27, Nord Electro 4D, IK B3X, QSC K12.2, Yamaha reface YC+CS+CP

 

"It needs a Hammond"

 

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great, great Hammond player and to me the way a Hammond should be played. kicking pedals. not this left hand bass crap with taping one bass pedal lightly.

Yea, like those hacks Jimmy Smith, Larry Young, Goldings, etc.

 

(BTW, nice video and great pedal playing!).

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