Tony on the XK1

Great stuff, Donny...Tony has that magic touch, no matter what Hammond he plays...the XK1 is a nice instrument.

The Right hand was a little overpowering at times, overwhelming the bass line, but a fine performance as usual.

Ian

Bassline overwhelmed...he wasted his time playing it..really a poor mix..

He also wandered into the Upper range, at least once, with the bassline.

Why he didn't use pedals is beyond me, unless showcasing the instrument without them was the purpose?

All in all, still a terrific organist.

Ian

mix is fine through my SR phones, nice fat round bassline. Its probably just your speakers. The XK1 isn't my favourite instrument, but Tony is a great player.

I tried it through 'phones too...still too much Right Hand volume...bassline is fat and round, but not enough volume...TWD, how 'bout loanin' me yer phones?

I'm just usin' a pair of Sennheiser HD 600's.

I can't find my Yamaha's.

Ian

TWD...did you get to try Hammond's new SK1/2 yet?

Tony very rarely uses pedals....
My B3 hero...one of the best there is and will ever be.

I just listened with my Ultrasone headphones...and yep I hear the baseline

Listened with my Pioneer SE-Dj5000 headphones ...
OMG! he's such a B3 monster~!!!!! Wow!

I hear it alright...the sound itself is fine...the mix isn't right...Tony should invest in some pedals...if they were good enough for Jimmy Smith, the all time best, they just might help Tony. The pedals are needed for accents, especially.

Donny, I have a pair of Pioneer SE DJ5000 headphones (actually I have a dozen other pairs of 'phones) and the bass is still not balanced.

I had a problem with my first pair of SE DJ5000...bad connectors.

My Yamaha's are in the studio...drat!

Ian

Ian no way Tony is a B3 God......pedals ?.hahah

YOU CAN'T BE THE BEST IF YOU DON'T PLAY PEDALS!!!!!

Hey, Fran, how can that be...Donny doesn't use pedals?

Barbara Dennerlein...now there's a pedal player!

Ian

your more than welcome to call by and pick up my headphones, but sometimes both low and high frequencies can drop out a little as we get older... maybe its just that ;p

Seriously though, I listened back and imo the recording is fine. However, Bass is tricky because its like marmite, some people cant get enough and others just don't like it at all. Its often down to personal taste.

I agree about the personal taste thing...I've heard players who drown themselves in bass, and you can't distinguish much else...and they still want more?

I tend to go with a very balanced mix...at least that's my goal when working in the studio...I'm also very fortunate to have started using ear protection at the beginning of playing in a band...the lead singer worked as an audiologist.

Plus, back when I started, gear didn't have the power it has today...my old Leslies were only 40 watts.

So, last hearing test was pretty good...thankfully.

If I travel all the way to your place to pick up the 'phones, I just might try some marmite. Ha Ha!

Ian

To me organ pedals sound like a muddled mess in the mix........
there are no rules...use whatever you like.
Some dont use Standard midi files...
Some don't sing.....
some don't use pedals.

Tony Monoco Voted #1

Where is Tony from, Donny...Ireland?

He reminds me of one of the guys in the Carlton Show Band.

I really didn't know much about him until you put up some clips of him a while back. He was at a trade show.


Ian

I think hes from Columbus, Ohio...




http://www.b3monaco.com/bio.htm

Here is his email if you want to ask him yourself why he doesn't use pedals.

B3Monaco@aol.com

I think he probably has good reasons not to use pedals...playing pedals is not for everyone....it's just another acquired skill.

Most of the greats do use them...Joey Defrancesco, Jimmy Smith, Barbara Dennerlein, Chas, Dr. Lonnie Smith...the list goes on.

There are few like Tony, that don't use pedals (at least very much), Paul Shaffer for example...Paul is originally from Canada.

Another one of my favorites was Doug Riley, also known as "Dr. Music"...another Canadian.

Ian

Whats next Auto bass like arranger players use on a Hammond?

Hammond did make an arranger type instrument...had the drawbars...single manual...it was made several years ago.

The accompaniment was limited...no On Bass, for example.

You could add another manual.

http://website.lineone.net/~thebkc/Hammond_XE.html

Ian

TWD is right, you chaps are thinking your ears are all perfect most of you over 60 and you don't know unless your have been for a hearing test recently, the more your play your KB near to load noise the more your ears will be damaged, so it is little use you trying to judge what is good HF and LF, just believe me my HF is shattered and only a good set of hearing aids (Phonax) will bring some of it back, (not all). BTW if your hearing is damaged, it is more easily damaged future if you continue to be exposed to load noises. I am sure you all know about this and don’t need me to tell you, but just in case. Incidentally women can hear much HF than men so don’t ask your Doris about the bass pedals. A good test is set the KB on Hammond sound set the transpose up high and see if some of the top notes disappear when you play them, then get your wife to see if she can hear them and then go the see the audiologist.

Tony

Tony, I had my hearing tested this past December, and me and neighbor's dog howl at the same time when we hears a siren....but, if'n I don't get to go and get TWD's headphones, I'm still gonna get some Marmite from him...can't get it here on Cape Breton Island...must be one of them there mainlander products...I can put a little in me ears when the sirens start bothering me again, and even feed some to the neighbour's dog.

When you're married you develop a special kind of hearing....selective hearing...Ha Ha!

Ian

PS...I have a buddy with hearing problems...he told me he bought a cheap hearing aid...I asked him, "What kind is it?"

He looked at his watch and said, "It's 3 o'clock."

Ian,

You are wasted here on SZ you should be on the stage telling jokes like Beakybird, nice one about the watch.

I went to a organ group a few weeks back and said to them I normally bring my wife so she can tell me how good the Audya sounds outside the house, she didn't go with me this time, it's that water bed I bought, ever since then we have been drifting apart. You started it Ian! I friend of mine said I am good, but I am on too long!

Cheers Ian, now get to bed!!!

Nice to see Tony Helping young kids playing also....






Love the Louie Prima at the end

I didn't see tony at the last Summer NAMM, but have had a chance to visit many times and catch a few shows. I have seen him do a superb job on pedals. I thing his style preference is the waling left hand his idol, Jimmy Smith, was famous for.

The guy "COOKS" and is a great ambassador of a very special kind of American music. Plus, he's a good guy. He was a good friend of my long-time buddy and B-3 giant, Winston Walls.

Believe me, he chooses to play left hand bass for style purposes only; not because he can't.


Russ

Jimmy Smith used bass pedals a lot...especially for accenting the left hand bassline.

Tony is an excellent player, and probably a very nice guy, but he's not quite in Jimmy Smith's league, in my opinion.

Smith was an original and an innovator...Tony has obviously been influenced by him, and has copped some of Smith's style, but he's not a pioneer like Jimmy.

Maybe someday.

Ian

Jimmy Smith to 16 yo Tony Monaco: "Don't worry about playing all them notes, learn how to play the right chords"

Tony Monaco's tribute to Jimmy Smith:

Who cares about JS...this thread is about TM.

Tony Monaco for one !
Watch the YouTube Clip I just posted above.

Great, and wise, advice by Jimmy, for sure.

Hey, it's easy to play any musical instrument: all you have to do is touch the right key at the right time and the instrument will play itself.

Ian

Went over your head Scott...
I was referring to the topic thread...btw, sometimes the student passes the teacher

I think Tony cares a lot for Jimmy Smith...that's why he imitates him.

Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery.

That's why Tony is often referred to as the "Jimmy Smith sound-alike".

Nothing wrong with that, but it would be more impressive, at least to me, if Tony had developed a style all his own...the "Tony Monaco style".

But, I guess that's why there are "Jimmy Smith's" in this world.

Ian

I think Tony Monaco is the most exciting b3 jazz organ player I have ever seen perform.

Donny...I hope you realize my last post was just me funnin' with ya.

I'm glad Tony is your hero of sorts...we all need them.

Mine is Fran.

Ian

With good reason

Hey, I know how to pick 'em...

Hammond 44

btw.. he's playing pedals too


http://www.hammondorganco.com/

I enjoy all visits to shows where Tony demos for Hammond; I've seen him many times. I've seen Jimmy Smith a good number of times, too.

Tony is no Jimmy. But, he's a really nice guy (a lot nicer than Jimmy) and is the current "standard bearer", so ya gotta like that!


R.

I agree Russ....being a "Nice Guy" in this business is just as important as being a great player....without the audience your ain't nothin' they'll make ya or break ya ..

D.

I've never met Tony, but I did meet Jimmy many years ago...he was dabbling with the Yamaha Electone FX-10 and was considering endorsing one of the Electone series.

That fell through, but I had been in Toronto on an Electone teacher's seminar at the same time, and was at the same table with him and the rest of the Yamaha crew in the hotel restaurant later on.

Very nice guy indeed, very confident, and very witty...I remember him telling stories about carrying his old chopped Hammond in an old Cadillac hearse when he was just getting started, and his friendly rivalry with Groove Holmes...a very entertaining and personable guy indeed.

Nice to see both in a person...great player, and nice human being.

Ian

I wish I had known Jimmy when he was a little younger - A friend and myself were fortunate enough to meet him on a few occasions and arranged with his manager to take these photos:

http://www.hammond-organ.com/Artist/image_directory/JSmith2.jpg
http://www.hammond-organ.com/Artist/image_directory/JSmith_hi-res.jpg

Jimmy was very happy to oblige us, and my friend (who took the photos) presented him with a set of the prints once they were ready.

You can clearly see the drawbar combinations he used on the night and he did not touch them at all except to switch between banks A & B. AND...he used fast Leslie only ONCE during the whole evening! He was a master of understatement.

I've listened to a lot of Jimmy Smith, and yes, you're right, he was a master of understatement. That's why it's so hard for other organists to duplicate him. Jimmy used the fast Leslie like they use fireworks...the big stuff at the end.

It's like Floyd Cramer...same idea...very understated...people I hear trying to imitate him (including me) tend to overplay his style.

It's like the old saying, " "You spend the first 20 years learning what to play, and the next 20 years learning what NOT to play."

Ian

Ian, that comment about learning what NOT to play, is right on point!

R.