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John-Paul Gard and The Hammond Corporation  John-Paul Gard and the Hammond Corporation is a great
new band
replicating the music of 1950’s and 60’s New York “Blue Note” Jazz
sound with it’s “Jimmy Smith Tribute.” The band is designed to play UK
Jazz Club’s, Venues and both local and International Jazz Festivals.
John-Paul Gard has had a special Hammond B3 built by his endorsing
company The KEYB Music Group that replicates the sound of Jimmy Smith’s
original B3 Hammond sound. John-Paul Gard and The Hammond Corporation
originates from the Jazz sessions at The Daffodil Restaurant in
Cheltenham, England and gradually took shape as all the band members
got on so well together and enjoyed the style of music. So did the
audience! The band decided to embark on recording an album CD “Tribute
to Jimmy Smith” which is due to be released soon. The aim with the
recording was to show the band in a studio situation “as live”
replicating the music of Jimmy Smith. When you hear the sample tracks
below we think you will agree and it is indeed a great tribute to The
Late, Great Master of The Hammond Organ, Jimmy Smith!Sample Audio
The Late, Great Jimmy Smith  Jimmy Smith the Hammond B3 Organ maestro and jazz genius died in 2005. Before Jimmy Smith discovered the Hammond B3 in 1951 the organ had little respect from jazz artistes. Hammond organs were mainly used for gospel music in black churches. Jimmy developed on his tap dancing experience to learn to play the bass pedals with is feet using a heel and toe technique. After he had heard the pioneer Hammond organist Wild Bill Davis, Jimmy Smith borrowed the money and went out and bought an organ and set it up in a warehouse and stayed in the warehouse for up to a year playing what he termed “the beast.” He made a chart of the foot pedals which he would keep on the wall to guide him to play the bass with his feet. He played around with the instruments possibilities. He described: ”I pulled out that third harmonic and the bulb lit up and there was thunder and lightening and stars in the sky!” Fusing be- bop jazz, blues, Rhythm and Blues and gospel he took the Hammond B3 where it had never gone before. It was described that “he had turned the organ into an ensemble in itself.” He was the best known exponent of the infectious “Philadelphia sound” of the Hammond B3 that was found in the clubs of Philadelphia, Baltimore and New Jersey. Miles Davis apparently described him as “the eighth wonder of the world.” Jimmy Smith made his New York debut at Smalls Paradise in Harlem in January 1956 and signed with Blue Note Records shortly thereafter after a sensational performance at Newport Jazz Festival. As organ combos proliferated they became the sound of young, hip, urban black America. New organ stars arose such as Jack McDuff, Big John Patten, and Baby Face Willette. Non surpassed Jimmy Smith. His first album “A New Sound-a New Star: Jimmy Smith at The Organ” He was dubbed “The Incredible Jimmy Smith” He was credited with being the first jazz organist to combine the blues-drenched sounds of R&B with the more sophisticated rhythms of bebop. He developed his remarkable melodic fluency of his right hand because” I’ve always been an admirer of Charlie Parker and I try to sound like him.” He said and added: “I wanted that single-line sound, like a trumpet or alto saxophone.” He recorded 30 albums for Blue Note and included collaborations with Kenny Burrell, Art Blakey, Tina Brooks and many others were the classic “The Sermon” (1957) and “Back at the Chicken Shack” (1960) In 1962 Smith left Blue Note for Verve, then part of the international MGM empire. He then was presented as a feature artiste and changed from the leader of a small combo to a featured artiste with big band accompaniment. Almost straight away he had a mainstream hit single with “Walk on the Wildside” and had a hit album “The Cat” (1964) arranged by Lalo Schifrin. He toured extensively in the 1960’s and 70’s. In the 1970’s with the rise of electronic keyboards and synthesisers the Hammond Organ fell out of fashion. Smith continued touring until 1975 when he moved to Los Angeles and opened Jimmy Smith’s Jazz Supper Club in partnership with his wife Lola. He continued to tour intermittently until 1984 and when he received a revival in his music he began recording again with his protégé Joey De Francesco and just before it’s release on Concord and a planned tour Jimmy Smith sadly died in his sleep. Joey De Francesco stated:”He went out at the top of his game!” He had a spirit and a sound that comes across and there was nothing like it” He went on “He was full of fire and soul, just the complete musician.” His last British performance was at London’s Jazz Café. John-Paul Gard (Hammond Organ)  John-Paul
started playing Hammond organ at the age of 10. He had been
influenced by his late father who was an organ player and music
enthusiast. He had always been exposed to jazz by his father and would
play music to John-Paul as he travelled in his dad’s car when his
father toured around the country with his job selling jewellery.
John-Paul took lessons with Alan Woodley and within 8 months he won the
national UK competition “Home Organist of the Year.” Alan Woodley
continued to teach and influence John-Paul and they regularly stayed in
touch until Alan sadly passed away last year. John-Paul was offered a
job in his local organ shop and during his 6 years there he met some of
the finest players and demonstrators in the business and also played
many concerts. This exposure to the best Hammond musicians enabled
John-Paul to develop his own style which is also heavily influenced by
Jimmy Smith, Jimmy McGriff and Joey DeFrancesco. His other influences
are Errol Garner, Oscar Peterson,Harry Stoneham,Jerry Allen, George
Flurey, Tony Peglar and Alan Haven.When John-Paul was 20 he gained a place on a 3 year music composition course at Coventry University where he studied with Prof Julian Heleby, Dr Christopher Best, Owen Dutton and Robert Ramskill. He also had tuition from Jason Rebello and Dave Buxton. During his studies at Coventry University he was also offered a place at the famous Jazz college, Berklee Music College in the USA. John-Paul’s recent credits are appearing with his own band John-Paul Gard’s Pedalmania but also with The Esmond Selwyn Organ Trio with Esmond Selwyn (Guitar) and Robin Jones (Drums) which has a CD due out shortly. He has also appeared with Swedish guitarist Andreas Olberg organ trio at The IGG Festival. He is also a member of Cookbook, The George Benson Tribute Band of Italy. Another project for this busy Hammond player is another band “Organic” based in South Wales. A great success that John-Paul is currently part of is The Jon Dalton Organ Trio based in Venice Beach USA which has recently released the album “Warm ghosts in a Cold World” which is climbing the Jazz charts in the USA. After a lifetime of influence from the great Jimmy Smith, John-Paul Gard has recently recorded an album with The Hammond Corporation due to be released shortly “A Tribute to Jimmy Smith” with (Ben Thomas (Trumpet and Flugel Horn) Peter Tantrum (Saxes) and Tim Ward (Drums). He has recently received a new endorsement by The KEYB Organ Group who have built him a special replica Hammond B3 with the sounds of Jimmy Smith’s original organ built in.
Photos by Clive Burling (except Jimmy Smith photo) |
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Trumpet
and flugel horn player Ben Thomas has performed with a diverse range of
contemporary artists from the world of jazz, pop and classical music.
In 2004 he formed the trio "Mosaic" which featured legendary pianist
Brian Waite and Double Bassist Erika Lyons, being described as "A
versatile and creative threesome" (Humphrey Lyttelton, Best Of Jazz,
BBC Radio 2). Ben has performed and recorded with some great musicians
including Annie Whithead, Dennis Rollins and Jim Mullen to name but a
few and has graced major concert venues and festivals throughout the UK
and Europe being described as "Very impressive and creative" (Jazz
Journal).
Peter
is a much in demand sideman around the country and was a soloist
with The National Youth Jazz Orchestra when it first started. He has
worked with many famous artistes including The Johnny Howard Band. He
toured Scandinavia with The Mike Westbrook Orchestra. He has also
featured with the internationally famous Syd Lawrence Orchestra.
Tim Ward has
worked with many top jazz stars over the years. He started
playing drums at 8 years of age. His father Hedley Ward was a
nationally known bandleader in the 1940’s 50’s and 60’s broadcasting on
Radio and his Hedley Ward Trio is still remembered by many for their
radio and TV broadcasts. Tim is currently Jazz Co-ordinator at The
Daffodil in Cheltenham one of the few fine dining Jazz venues in the UK.
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© 2010
Tim Ward - tel: 01743 244 300 personnel subject to change without notice |