cbhathco

Mostly a lurker on this forum, but inspired by @SamuelBLupowitz posting his new organ trio, here are links to a new trio I am in where I'm playing mostly Fender Rhodes. We just put up our first single on all the streaming places. Band is called The Metrocenter and it's all instrumental, non-jazz, soundtrack-y stuff. Like Khruangbin but, you know, with a Rhodes, and easier to pronounce. https://themetrocenter.bandcamp.com/ or https://open.spotify.com/album/1lT5asljMBa4HY0gGEno8J?si=MvXhcYEjSdehjWMnFGH0KA And you can do all the social following stuff here: https://www.facebook.com/themetrocenter https://www.instagram.com/the.metrocenter

Valuable intel! Thanks, dude!

This doesn't answer your question, but I'm curious: what are you using for the synth bass? How are you amplifying it? And how do you position it relative to the Mojo?

Regarding Medeski, this is the best interview I've found where he talks about why/how he values the pre-midi, electro-mechanical stuff: https://web.archive.org/web/20130106235326/http://www.emusician.com/news/0766/being-john-medeski/146513 Most relevant bits are toward the beginning: "Medeski's idea of making music better includes surrounding himself with an array of vintage electronic keyboards, effect pedals, and amplifiers. His main instruments are a Hammond B-3 organ, which goes through a Leslie 117; a Clavinet that goes through a wah-wah, a Roland Space Echo, and a 1953 Fender Bassman amp; a Wurlitzer that's sent through a 1957 Fender Tremolux; a Mellotron that goes through a 1968 Fender Pro Silverface; an ARP String Ensemble; a Yamaha CS80 synthesizer; a Melodica, which is another Wurlitzer-type keyboard (“I don't know what the exact name and model number are, but it's somewhere between a Farfisa and an ARP,” says Medeski); and a Steinway piano. His only concession to modern times is the Moog Voyager, which he puts through a 1950s Kay 703 guitar amplifier. “I'm more interested in an instrument that has one sound world rather than an instrument that has 1,000 sounds, but each type has its limitations,” explains Medeski. “And each of my keyboards has its own sound world. I think of them as different personalities, and that's why they each have their own amplifier. I spend a lot of time finding amps that work. I really like the Wurlitzer sound that comes from its own speaker, but you can't mic it live. Even in the studio it doesn't have enough balls. But in the studio the Wurlitzer and the Mellotron can sound great direct to tape.”" /end quote What I find interesting is how specific he is with the amplifier/keyboard, how deliberate the choices seem to be. I think he hardly ever uses a Rhodes, for instance. And he seems to prefer the pre-200 Wurlitzer models. Fascinating! And I think what everyone is saying here is simultaneously true: there is a degree of fairy dust with these old instruments, no doubt inflated by nostalgia. They are heavy and impractical. There are reasons the technology changed. But playing them is a unique experience, despite the fact that the emulations get better every day. Anyone who gigs these things is probably deluded, and heroic.

Long time lurker, first time poster. Had to come out of the woodwork to add a few current organ groups. I really dig this music. -Eric Scone (in Miami) leads Scone Cash Players -The White Blinds, led by drummer Michael Duffy (L.A./Miami) -The City Champs, out of Memphis. Their first two albums totally slay. -Tim Carmon Trio, whose new album King Comfy is extremely good. Great tunes, perfectly recorded. -The New Mastersonds (four piece). Their guitar player, Eddie Roberts, is the P.T. Barnum of current soul jazz music. -Ibrahim Electric (from Denmark, their live album is totally bonkers) All of these groups have multiple albums out there in the ether and are actively out there writing and gigging this music. What impresses me is that this is a genre/tradition that is alive. It's not just a bin of old records. Also, that video of Wil Blades linked above comes from a live album he did with Charlie Hunter (on normal-human guitar) and George Sluppick (of City Champs fame) called Just Play the Blues. An excellent showcase of his talent. And don't sleep on Amendola vs. Blades, his duo with drummer Scott Amendola.