JON HAMMOND
*Jon is currently Host of daily CBS radio program HammondCast on KYOU & KYCY 1550 AM, 7 days a week at 4AM PST.
*Performing solo in Hospitals, Nursing Homes regularly. Bandleader for annual overseas dates for over 20 years.
*Musician: Jon Hammond is one of the premier B3 PLAYERS in the world. Played venues as diverse as Boston's "Combat Zone" in the striptease clubs during the '70's and the exclusive Wychmere Harbor Club in Cape Cod, where he was house organist with Lou Colombo.
Showing posts with label american friendship. Show all posts
Showing posts with label american friendship. Show all posts
PIA 747 Flight Deck Footage of Jon Hammond Tour + Singing of Star Spangled Banner at Pakistan/American Friendship Day
Personally shot film by Jon Hammond on tour, Germany and onboard in cockpit of PIA 747 Jumbo (Pakistan International Airlines) flying with Paki VIP's to New York for Pakistan - American Friendship Day Celebration with singing of our National Anthem "The Star Spangled Banner" and showing of patriotism that will touch your heart. This is a must-see. Look closely for quick cameo appearances of radio legend Al Jazzbeaux Collins and Ruth Messinger former Manhattan Borough President. *Note: Jon Hammond would like to say a special thanks to Pakistan International Airlines Crew, Pakistan Minister of Culture/Poetess Kishwar Naheed, Remin Kart-A-Bag USA, FRAport, Pakistan American Friendship Commitee. Jon Hammond's official site: http://www.HammondCast.com Host & Producer of HammondCast Show
Focus International Musician Whatever Happened to Those Jazz Clubs on Every Corner? I live in a city of about 250,000 people. Vinnie Falcone, a member of Local 369 (Las Vegas, NV) who played and conducted for Frank Sinatra, and now works with Steve & Eydie and Robert Goulet, used to live and work here. That was about 35 years ago. When he wasn't selling pianos for a local Hammond/Steinway dealer, he probably played in almost every club within a 20-mile radius of here at one time or another. There were tons of them. Falcone and I talked about this just the other day. We came up with the names of the clubs that used live music five to seven nights a week. They could be found on almost on every street corner. Now they are all gone. Jazz groups, blues bands, singles, duos, and trios were always working; and if you came up with a new group you could, in all likelihood, find a club owner who would give you a shot. Unfortunately, that is no longer the case. It's tough to make a living as a jazz musician today. But É you can make a living if you work at it. Like most things, I think it's just a matter of wanting it badly enough. One thing I've found out from the readers of this column is that musicians seem to be divided into two segments: 1) musicians who won't play anything they don't like or any venue that doesn't suit them; and 2) musicians who need to work because they need to pay their bills and find all kinds of ways to fill their calendar. I still get occasional letters from readers who say that it's not their fault that they are not getting enough work. I guess then the logical question would be: whose fault is it? I really appreciate the insight of those musicians who have creative and interesting ways of finding work, and I sympathize with the musicians who need to get out there and find gigs just to pay the rent. I don't have all the answers, but a lot of our fellow AFM members have some very good answers. One in particular is Jon Hammond, a member of Local 802 (New York City) and Local 6 (San Francisco, CA). Hammond has found a way to get his own TV show broadcast on Time Warner Cable and RCN cable access, he has produced a CD that gets airplay on jazz radio stations around the world, and he plays at Music Performance Fund (MPF) gigs on a regular basis on both coasts. He has booked himself on several European tours, played jazz clubs in Germany and many other locations in Europe, year after year, and has found a way to obtain instruments from national manufacturers for endorsements, advertising, or trial. Hammond is also a perfect example of "success being in the mind of the beholder." When he put together his first self-booked German tour 20 years ago, he saved up enough money to fly to Europe on Pakistan Airlines. He only had $50 in his pocket when he landed there. Hammond came home 10 months later with $150 in his pocket. He was able to pay for rent, food, and everything he needed during his time on the road in Europe. He wasn't rich, but he was happy--and he firmly believes it was also a terrific learning experience. Over the ensuing years Hammond has performed with some of the world's top jazz musicians, and he now lives in midtown Manhattan and plays any and every job he can, on either coast. Money is not his prime motivation. He just loves to play. He makes it work, through sheer hard work, and he prides himself on being a union musician. If you are a jazz musician, perhaps you might like to ask him some questions of your own, and share some ideas. Hammond is very approachable. Ask him about how he put together his TV show, how he successfully gets radio airplay, how he lands MPF gigs, and how, through it all, he always keeps money coming in to pay the rent. He's found a way to do state-funded programs in prisons, nursing home gigs, and casual dates in clubs. (He's scrambled so much over the years that his new CD is called Late Rent.) Hammond does not play for free. He finds ways to get paid. He agrees that the only thing you get out of playing a free gig is the opportunity to do another free gig. I know jazz musicians can have a tough struggle, and it's true that there simply are not as many places to play as there once were. But that is not to say that jazz players can't find work. Venues have changed, clubs have closed, but people still want to listen to cool sounds. Jazz festivals in major cities are still popular. Radio stations still offer jazz programs. PBS stations showcase jazz artists in their programming. It's just not as easy to make money at it as it once was, but you can still make a living. I don't have all the answers. I think Hammond has some. I bet if you brainstorm with your fellow AFM members who specialize in jazz, you can go one better and come up with a lot of other ideas yourself. A positive attitude is obviously going to play a big part, but if you want to play jazz and make a few bucks, there are certainly ways to do it. It really is a matter of wanting to be a jazz musician badly enough. --Bob Popyk is a member of Local 78 (Syracuse, NY) and Local 47 (Los Angeles).
That was a big honor for me to be profiled by main man Bob Popyk! I always look forward to reading his articles
*HammondCast Radio Show airs daily on KYOURADIO on the CBS Radio Network, Music, Travel and 'Soft News' with Jon Hammond
Bob Cunningham, Bass, Bernard Purdie, Jon Hammond, Local 802, Musicians Union, NDR Jazz, Late Rent, Mikell's, Jazz Foundation of America, Elmar Lemes, ASCAP Network, B3 organ, XK-3c, Blues, Funky, Rhonda Hamilton, WBGO
Drummer, Bandleader, NEA Jazz Master Award Recipient CHICO HAMILTON on HammondCast KYOU Radio, excerpted from interview by Jon Hammond, organist and host of HammondCasthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chico_Hamilton
Chico Hamilton (born Foreststorn Hamilton, September 20, 1921), is an American jazz drummer and bandleader.
Hamilton was born in Los Angeles, California. He had a fast-track musical education in a band with Charles Mingus, Illinois Jacquet, Ernie Royal, Dexter Gordon, Buddy Collette and Jack Kelso. Engagements with Lionel Hampton, Slim & Slam, T-Bone Walker, Lester Young, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Charlie Barnet, Billy Eckstine, Nat King Cole, Sammy Davis Jr., Billie Holiday, Gerry Mulligan and six years with Lena Horne established him as a jazz drummer,[1] and he struck out on his own as a bandleader in 1955.
Hamilton appeared in the March Milastaire number in the film You'll Never Get Rich (1941) as part of the backing group supporting Fred Astaire, and performed on the soundtrack of the Bing Crosby/Bob Hope film Road to Bali.
He recorded his first album as leader in 1955 with George Duvivier (double-bass) and Howard Roberts (jazz guitar) for Pacific Jazz. In same year Hamilton formed an unusual quintet in L.A. featuring cello, flute, guitar, bass and drums.[2] The quintet has been described as one of the last important West Coast Jazz bands.[1] The original personnel included flutist Buddy Collette, guitarist Jim Hall, cellist Fred Katz and bassist Jim Aton, who was later replaced by Carson Smith. Hamilton continued to tour using different personnel, from 1957 to 1960. The group including flutist Paul Horn and John Pisano was featured in the film Sweet Smell of Success in 1957. The same group, this time including Nate Gershman and Eric Dolphy appeared in the film Jazz on a Summer's Day in 1960. He marked his first recordings with Eric Dolphy on With Strings Attached, Gongs East, The Three Faces of Chico, and That Hamilton Man.
In March 2011, with his 90th birthday six months off, Hamilton trekked out of his New York City penthouse apartment to helm a marathon recording session resulting in 28 new tracks with his Euphoria group. No one woodsheds like a jazz drummer, and coming off a health setback during the Summer of 2010, Hamilton and his Euphoria group began sheding at weekly rehearsals at Hamilton’s Penthouse A. These weekly rehearsals played an important part in Hamilton’s rehabilitation, facilitated Hamilton and his group becoming very tight with each other and exploring places musically they had not previously gone together, and brought together a wealth of new original material, offered up in three courses, each of which is a different viewpoint of Hamilton’s Revelation.
HammondCast 136
HammondCast KYOU Radio Very Special Guest and Music of CHICO HAMILTON, NEA Jazz Master Award Recipient, Interview with JON HAMMOND & CHICO and Chico's music: "I'm Still Thirsty" (Chico's Accordion Dub" and from new album HAMILTONIA "Bones, No Meat", "How's Your Feelings", "Spring Again"
Hessischer Rundfunk Kenny and Benny Meet Bing and Bong Jon Hammond Reporting From Frankfurt
Historic hr-Bigband Frankfurt Radio Bigband Concert and Broadcast News Brought To You By Jon Hammond in Frankfurt Germany
Kenny and Benny Meet Bing and Bong
Jon Hammond reporting from the Frankfurt Studios of Hessicher Rundfunk concert on a special night
broadcast of hr-Bigband with special guests guitarist Kenny Burrell and saxophonist composer
Benny Golson aka The Kenny and Benny Show, because at the time the hr-Bigband had Kurt Bong
and Herbert Bings, this was the historic night that as Jon Hammond says:
"The Kenny and Benny met Bing and Bong !"
Photo of broadcast:
photo by Jon Hammond
Jon Hammond and Kenny Burrell in Hannover Germany after NDR Interview Session with Knut Benzner:
Benny Golson and Jon Hammond
Jimmy Smith and Kenny Burrell photo by Jon Hammond
Kenny and Benny, Bing and Bong, HR-Bigband, Jon Hammond, HammondCast, NDR Radio, KYOURADIO, HammondCast, Jazz, Frankfurt, Hamburg, ASCAP, Local 802 Musicians Union, Hannover, Knut Benzner
http://www.hr-online.de/website/rubriken/kultur/index.jsp?rubrik=39528
The Orchestra
Frankfurt Radio Bigband: Top-Class but not Elitist
Sk1 Now in USA Jon Hammond REPORT/海外からのお客様／ハモンド／鈴木楽器
Jon Hammond Trio with Jim Grantham tenor sax and Jack Dorsey drums
Sk1 Get Back In The Groove by Jon Hammond - Dedication to Japan Recovery - on the new Hammond Sk1. World's First Road Test of the ultra-portable Hammond Sk1 with Jon Hammond Band in Germany at Jon's annual Musikmesse-Session in Jazzkeller Hofheim April 8, 2011 Special Thanks Suzuki Musical Instruments, Ken Atsumi, Waichiro 'Tachi' Tachikawa, Hiromitsu Ono, Yu Beniya, Shigeyuki Ohtaka, Shuji Suzuki, Bernie Capicchiano, Malc Deakin Hammond Suzuki UK Europe, Michael Falkenstein Hammond Suzuki Germany, camera: Jennifer
Joe Berger guitar, Giovanni Gulino drums, Peter Klohmann tenor sax, Jon Hammond Sk1 Hammond Stage Keyboard http://www.jonhammondband.com
Sk1 Sk2 Hammond Suzuki Musikmesse Blues Soul Organ Hofheim Hamamatsu Japan
No X-Cess Baggage Sk1 Blues - Sk1 Theme Song - World's First Road Test of ultra-portable Hammond Sk1 with Jon Hammond Band in Germany at Jon's annual Musikmesse-Session in Jazzkeller Hofheim April 8, 2011 Special Thanks Suzuki Musical Instruments, Bernie Capicchiano, Malc Deakin Hammond Suzuki UK Europe, Michael Falkenstein Hammond Suzuki Germany, camera: Jennifer
Joe Berger guitar, Giovanni Gulino drums, Peter Klohmann tenor sax, Jon Hammond Sk1 Hammond Stage Keyboard http://www.jonhammondband.com
Sk1 Sk2 Hammond Suzuki Musikmesse Blues Organ Hofheim Hamamatsu Japan
Suzuki Musical Instruments, B3mk2 Organ, Tachi Tachikawa, Hamamatsu, Headquarters, Jon Hammond, Local 802 Musicians Union
Jon Hammond is introduced to Founder President of Suzuki Instruments Manji Suzuki by Master of Ceremonies Waichiro 'Tachi' Tachikawa at special concert for President Suzuki and Suzuki Team at Suzuki World Headquarters Suzuki Hall in Hamamatsu Japan. Jon played the incredible New B3mk2 Organ solo and together in duo with Suzuki Harmonica Artist Keio Tanaka *see corresponding videoshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXgA6MRW0KcWine and Roses and Mercy Mercyhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Uok7LV6OZkSuzuki builds Hammond Organs and the famous high quality Harmonicas http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=5869633&l=e84b420b06&id=558692101
Suzuki Musical Instruments, B3mk2 Organ, Tachi Tachikawa, Hamamatsu, Headquarters, Jon Hammond, Local 802 Musicians Union, Sk1, Sk2, Now in USA, Jazz, Blues, Gig Bag
Chico Hamilton, Foreststorn, New School, Martin Mueller, Beacons In Jazz, Arnie Lawrence, Jon Hammond, Meat No Bones, Fred Katz, Alex Foster, Barry Finnerty, Montreux Switzerland, Festival, Guitar, B3, Sk1, Sk2, Local 802, Musicians Union, Radio
*WATCH THE VIDEO: Indigo Blues Pocket Funk Jon Hammond Bandhttp://www.archive.org/details/IndigoBluesPocketFunkJonHammondBandIpod
Indigo Blues Pocket Funk Jon Hammond Band Large version http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4OFmNyQ2mM
Jon Hammond and The Late Rent Session Men concert in the Indigo Blues Club 221 W. 46th St. New York City that was partly owned by Miles Davis playing original funky composition POCKET FUNK on December 12, 1989. 12/12/1989 As Seen On The Jon Hammond Show cable TV show.
Studio drummer Bernard "Pretty" Purdie kickin' off the snappy tempo with his famous trademark "Pop!..And-A One...And-A Two..And-A You Know What To Do!"
Pocket Funk: *Folks, Jon Hammond here..."To get Pocket Funk, try leaving a Kleenex in your pocket the next time you do the laundry...Pocket Funk!" cymbal crash please...international problem folks!
ALEX FOSTER saxophone
JACK WILKINS guitar
BERNARD PURDIE drums
JON HAMMOND B3 organ
camera: Joe Berger
http://www.jonhammondband.com ASCAP Local 802 Musicians Union, MCTV, MNNTV, Miles Davis, Jon Hammond and The Late Rent Session Men, Indigo Blues Club
Category:
Music
ASCAP Local 802 Musicians Union MCTV MNNTV Miles Davis Jon Hammond and The Late Rent Session Men Indigo Blues Club Laundry Pocket Funk
Jon Hammond and The Late Rent Session Men as Seen On The Jon Hammond Show MCTV MNN TV Cable Access TV 28th year New York City
Bernard "Pretty" Purdie drums
http://www.viddler.com/explore/hammondcast/videos/106/http://www.viddler.com/explore/hammondcast/
ABOUT:
JON HAMMOND Instruments: Organ, Accordion, Piano, Guitar Attended: Berklee College of Music 1974, City College San Francisco Languages: English, German Musician: Jon Hammond is one of the premier B3 PLAYERS in the world. Jon has played professionally since age 12. Beginning as a solo accordionist, he later played Hammond B3 organ in a number of important San Francisco bands. His all original group HADES opened shows for Tower of Power, Quicksilver Messenger Service and Michael Bloomfield. Eddie Money and Barry Finnerty became musical associates. Moving East he attended Berklee College of Music and played venues as diverse as Boston's "Combat Zone" in the striptease clubs during the '70's and the exclusive Wychmere Harbor Club in Cape Cod, where he was house organist and developed a lasting friendship with House Speaker Tip O'Neill. He also toured the Northeast and Canada with the successful show revue "Easy Living", and continued his appearances at nightclubs in Boston and New York. Subsequently Hammond lived and traveled in Europe, where he has an enthusiastic following. TV/Video Producer: In 1981 Jon formed BackBeat Productions. Assisted by Lori Friedman (Video by LORI), the innovative TV show "The Jon Hammond Show" became a Manhattan Cable TV favorite. Jon's "Live on the street" video style included news events, as well as live music/video clips of Dizzy Gillespie, Paul Butterfield, Jaco Pastorius, John Entwistle, Sammy Davis Jr., Percy Sledge and many others. The weekly show is now in it's 22nd year and has influenced the broadcasts of David Letterman and others. Billboard Magazine hailed Jon's show as "The Alternative to MTV". The Jon Hammond Show can be seen worldwide at various times streaming from www.mnn.org and on channels 56 and 108 in Manhattan. Media Personality: Host and narrator of his TV show, as well as co-host of numerous radio broadcasts, Jon has defined a musical and personal style that is unmistakeable. As Musical Director, Producer and Host of The Jon Hammond Show, Mr. Hammond formed a unique multi-media music group. This spring they will return to Europe to perform for 19th consecutive year at Frankfurt Musikmesse and will be hosting shows there and in Hamburg Germany. Description: "The Jon Hammond Show" is a funky, swinging Jazz instrumental revue, featuring notable international soloists and reflecting the influences of Miles Davis, The Crusaders and Jimmy Smith. The show has universal appeal Jon Hammond is endorsed by the following companies: Hammond Suzuki, Excelsior CEMEX Accordions, Superlux Goang-Fann Co., Ltd., CASIO, Sennheiser, Fender and Remin Kart-A-Bag *Member ASCAP, AF of M Local 802 and Local 6 SUBSCRIBE: JON HAMMOND Instruments: Organ, Accordion, Piano, Guitar Attended: Berklee College of Music 1974 Languages: English, German *Jon is currently Host of daily CBS radio program HammondCast on KYOU & KYCY 1550 AM, 7 days a week at 4AM PST. *Performing solo in Hospitals, Nursing Homes regularly. Bandleader for annual overseas dates for over 20 years. *Musician: Jon Hammond is one of the premier B3 PLAYERS in the world. Jon has played professionally since age 12. Beginning as a solo accordionist, he later played Hammond B3 organ in a number of important San Francisco bands. His all original group HADES opened shows for Tower of Power, Quicksilver Messenger Service and Michael Bloomfield. Eddie Money and Barry Finnerty became musical associates. Moving East he attended Berklee College of Music and played venues as diverse as Boston's "Combat Zone" in the striptease clubs during the '70's and the exclusive Wychmere Harbor Club in Cape Cod, where he was house organist with Lou Colombo. Jon Hammond played Hammond organ on the Mike Myers movie "The LOVE GURU" (unseen) Paramount Pictures backing up Telma Hopkins as "Lillian Roanoke" when she sings "Star Spangled Banner" at the Hockey game.
Jack Wilkins guitar and Jon Hammond at B3 organ *Jon: "I first saw and heard Jack playing guitar in Boston one night when he played on a trio gig with Buddy Rich drums,
Jimmy McGriff on B3 organ and Jack Wilkins guitar for the trio...he blew me away, it's really great to re-discover this gem from the gig we played together in Indigo Blues Club,
enjoy! - Jon Hammond NYC USA
Jon Hammond Intro:
Instruments: Organ, Accordion, Piano, Guitar
Attended: Berklee College of Music 1974, City College San Francisco
Languages: English, German
Jon is closely identified with the two main products of his career, the Excelsior Accordion and the Hammond Organ.
*Note: Jon Hammond would like to say a special thanks to Pakistan International Airlines Crew, Pakistan Minister of Culture/Poetess Kishwar Naheed, Remin Kart-A-Bag USA, FRAport, Pakistan American Friendship Commitee. Jon Hammond's is Host of daily radio program HammondCast Show on KYOURADIO KYCY 1550AM ©2009 http://www.jonhammondband.com/news.html
by Jon Hammond
Usage Attribution
Topics Kishwar Naheed, Pakistan American Friendship, PIA 747 Flight Deck, Jon Hammond, HammondCast, Ruth Messinger, Jazzbeaux, Ambassador, KYOU Radio
Producer Jon Hammond
Audio/Visual sound, color
Jon's archive https://archive.org/details/LeoFenderWithJonHammondAndJoeBerger
Youtube https://youtu.be/Xgzz9pZMDUQ
Frankfurt 1988 -- TWA Flight with Leo Fender, Phyllis Fender, Joe Berger, Jon Hammond - Leo's long-time business partner Dale Hyatt and Richard Nixon's lighter! - Happy Birthday Leo Fender August 10th! - Jon Hammond Band
Coming back from musikmesse in March of 1988
- http://www.HammondCast.com
Facebook video https://www.facebook.com/hammondcast/videos/10153646305977102/
TWA 747 Jumbo Jet, waiting to board for flight from Frankfurt to Kennedy Airport - March 1988 returning from Musikmesse
Leo Fender, Dale Hyatt, Phyllis Fender, Joe Berger, Jon Hammond, TWA Airlines, Frankfurt Musikmesse - Leo Fender's birthday today August 10th!
Jon's archive https://archive.org/details/GetBackInTheGrooveJonHammondBandInJazzkeller_201604
by Jon Hammond
Jon Hammond Band live in Jazzkeller celebrating 30 years musikmesse Warm
Up Party - "Get Back in The Groove" - Peter Klohmann tenor saxo, Joe
Berger guitar, Giovanni Totò Gulino drums, Jon Hammond at the Hammond
Sk1 organ with many special friends in the house jonhammondband.com - video Tino Pavlis
Producer Jon Hammond
Language English
Youtube https://youtu.be/Tm2ZFE5V4As
Vimeo https://vimeo.com/164279506
Facebook video https://www.facebook.com/jonhammondband/videos/1271197279575733/
Getting ready for my 10th ASCAP "I Create Music" EXPO - Hollywood CA!
Jon Hammond
#ASCAPExpo ASCAP Audio Portrait: Jon Hammond http://www.ascap.com/audioportraits/h/jon_hammond_rent.aspx
Jon Hammond
Late Rent
Jon Hammond says "the fingers are the singers.'" The latest CD from this exceptional and soulful Hammond organist is the proof. "Late Rent" draws on decades of great recording sessions and top live performances to showcase his own playing and many top jazz and funk artists. It shows why the Hammond organ is one of the most enduring electric instruments and why Hammond is one of its best players.
Jon Hammond Rent
The Late Rent Story
Swingin' Funky Jazz & Blues
Two Hot Tracks
Sonny's Advice
11th edition of the ASCAP "I Create Music" EXPO, April 28th - 30th, 2016 in Los Angeles at the Loews Hollywood Hotel
American Association of Independent Music (A2IM)
American Composers Forum (ACF)
American Federation of Musicians (AFM)
Association of Independent Music Publishers (AIMP)
Berklee College of Music Alumni Association
Berklee Online
California Copyright Conference (CCC)
Canadian Music Week
Foreign Performing Rights Organizations (PRO)
Girls Rock & Girls Rule
GoGirlsMusic.com
International Film Festival Summit (IFFS)
International Music Festival Conference (IMFCON)
International Songwriting Competition (ISC)
Los Angeles Women in Music (LAWIM)
Music Publishers Association (MPA)
Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI)
National Music Publishers Association (NMPA)
New Music USA
The Recording Academy (NARAS)
Regional/State/Local Songwriter Associations
SAG-AFTRA
SOCAN
Society of Composers and Lyricists (SCL)
SongNet
Songwriters Guild of America (SGA)
Songwriters Hall of Fame (SHOF)
Student/University Music Programs
TAXI
USA Songwriting Competition
West Coast Songwriters
Jon's archive https://archive.org/details/6842260423
AFM Local 6 Member Jon Hammond https://afm6.org/member-profile/jon-hammond-wheres-the-gig/
JON HAMMOND: “WHERE’S THE GIG?” - Alex Walsh
Jon Hammond is a musician, composer, bandleader, publisher, journalist, TV show host, radio DJ, and multi-media entrepreneur. He currently travels the world, playing gigs and attending trade shows.
“Every time I see a musician walking down the street I say, ‘Hey, where’s the gig?’ Because it doesn’t matter what kind of music you play, if you’re carrying an instrument–going to a rehearsal, or coming back from a repair shop, whatever it is–we all need our gigs. And that’s what the union is all about. Hopefully, we can all keep working and be supportive of everybody’s gigs. There’s room for everybody.”
THE EARLY YEARS
Jon Hammond was born in Chicago in 1953. His father was a doctor and his mother was a housewife. They both played the piano. In 1957, his parents moved Jon and his four sisters to Berkeley, CA, where his father worked in a hospital as head of the emergency room. When he was nine, Jon started accordion lessons. “In those days, they had studios where parents would drop their kids off after school for tap dancing and accordion lessons. There were accordion bands and they would compete against each other.”
Jon played his first gig at a senior citizens luncheon when he was eleven. Not only did he get a free lunch but he was paid $25 –a lot of money in those days. Jon says his father was supportive, but did not want him to pursue a music career. “He told me that music was a great hobby. He got me a wonderful professional accordion for my Bar Mitzvah, directly from John Molinari, one of the greatest accordionists who ever lived. It was a Guilietti Professional Tone Chamber accordion. That’s the accordion I won Jr. Jazz Champion on in 1966.”
In high school, Jon attended a private boys school in San Francisco. He was a class clown, and when it got to the point where he was going to be expelled, Jon took his accordion and ran away from home. He immersed himself in the San Francisco music scene and started playing organ in several bands. By 1971 he was in a four piece rock group called Hades which shared a rehearsal space with Quicksilver Messenger Service. “I was friends with their manager, Ron Polte, who also managed guitarist John Cipollina. We got to open for his band, Copperhead.”
Jon continued to play gigs in the Bay Area in different configurations, including a few gigs with a young Eddie Money. By this time Jon had become frustrated with the Bay Area scene. One night while playing a biker bar he got into a fight and his band didn’t come to his defense. “That was the last straw. I was angry and I said I wasn’t coming back.”
Jon in the early 70s
Jon moved to Boston in 1973 to attend the Berklee School of Music. He also got a gig playing in Boston’s Combat Zone backing up burlesque shows. When Jon saw one of his idols, pianist Keith Jarrett play in New York he told him he was going to Berklee and asked him for advice. “Keith looked me right in the eye and said ‘Berklee can be very dangerous for your music.’ It was like he popped this huge bubble. Years later I came to understand what he was talking about. You have to learn the fundamentals, but the music itself comes from a much deeper place. They can’t teach that, you have to find it yourself.”
When Jon’s teachers began sitting in on his gigs in Boston, he questioned why he was in school if the teachers were coming to play with him. He quit school, moved to Cape Cod and started playing with bandleader Lou Colombo. “He did all the private parties for Tip O’Neill. We played what they used to call the business man’s beat. On the gig it was forbidden to swing. It was like swing cut in half. So if you tried to go with the four, Lou would say, ‘Don’t swing it, don’t swing it.’ He pounded it into my head night after night.”
LATE RENT
In 1981 Jon took a trip to Paris where he broke through his writers block and wrote some of his best music. He returned to New York with his new tunes and started a production company with the idea of getting a record deal for a friend that had played on a #1 hit record. After months of pounding the pavement with no results, Jon realized he had better work on his own music before his money ran out. He took the last of his savings, including his upcoming rent money, and went into the studio to record what came to be known as “The Late Rent Sessions”.
The session had Todd Anderson on tenor sax, Barry Finnerty on guitar, Stephen Ferrone on drums, and Jon on B3. They recorded at Intergalactic, the last studio that John Lennon recorded in. Jon had no luck getting a record deal for his new project, but he did get gigs in New York with his band Jon Hammond and the Late Rent Session Men.
Jon Hammond Band Onstage at NAMM, 2014: Joe Berger, Dom Famularo, Alex Budman, Koei Tanaka, Jon Hammond
In 1982, Jon found out about public access television and the idea that anyone could produce a show and get it on TV. He started broadcasting on Manhattan’s public station in 1984. “I decided I was going to produce a radio show on TV. The first episodes showed just my tapping foot and my voice. It was a gimmick. We had graphics that were synchronized to go with the music. It worked out well. People dug it.” Within a few weeks, Jon was interviewed and featured in Billboard Magazine. The Jon Hammond Show was considered an alternative to the clips on Cable TV. “MTV was still in its infancy. We had a concept that was revolutionary. My phone started ringing and we were the hot kids on the block.”
LIVING ABROAD
Jon continued to play gigs in New York and produce his TV show. In 1987, he went to his first trade show (NAMM) where he was introduced to Mr. Julio Guilietti, the man who built his accordion. He then began traveling to trade shows and making contacts with musicians and companies around the world, including Hammond Suzuki. “They gave me the Hammond XB-2, the first really powerful portable Hammond organ. Glenn Derringer, one of my all-time heroes, presented it to me. I got one of the first. Paul Shaffer from the Letterman Show got the other. At the time there was only one EXP-100 expression pedal–we had to share the pedal. I used the pedal for my gigs and when Paul needed it I would bring it over to him at 30 Rockefeller Center on my bicycle.”
In the early 90s, when his New York gigs began drying up, Jon was encouraged to go to Germany. “It was a hard time. My father had just died and there were very few gigs. I got the XB-2 organ right when I needed it, so I decided to take a chance. I bought a roundtrip ticket to Frankfurt with an open return. I went with 50 bucks and stayed for a year. When I came back, I had 100 bucks.”
Jon stayed at a friend’s house and played a borrowed accordion on the street until he could get a band together. “I played on the street until my fingers turned blue and would collect enough money to get some fish soup. After about two weeks I got a call—I had put a band together and had 3 gigs coming up. A TV show had heard my story and wanted to do a story on me. At the first gig 19 people came; the second only 15 people came. Then I got the little spot on TV. When I came to the third gig people were lined up down the street. When I walked up I thought they were having an art exhibit. When they said, ‘No, they’re waiting for you.’ I choked up, I couldn’t even talk. So I’ve been playing there every year since. The people in Germany really saved my musical career at a time when very few things were happening for me in New York or San Francisco. I have a really good following in Europe. I keep busy as a musician in the States, playing hospitals and assisted living places, but my band dates I pretty much play overseas.”
Jon’s Late Rent Sessions was eventually released on a German label and received modest airplay. During the 90s he travelled back and forth to Europe, spending a year playing gigs in Paris, and eventually settling in Hamburg. Since then he has released two more albums and has played gigs in Moscow, Shanghai, and Australia. With the help of the internet, Jon is able to produce his TV show anywhere.
PRESENT DAY
In the mid-2000s Jon produced Hammondcast, a radio program for CBS that aired in San Francisco at four in the morning and was rebroadcast before Oakland A’s games. “When the baseball games played in the afternoon, my show would play for about 20 minutes and then it was pre-empted. I had a lot of fun with that.” His guests included Danny Glover, Barry Melton from Country Joe & the Fish, and many local people. “It took me awhile to figure out that I had permission to broadcast anything I wanted. I could play the London Philharmonic or Stevie Wonder. My tag line was ‘Hello, Hello, Hello! Wake up or go back to sleep…’”
Today, Jon continues to visit tradeshows and is determined to keep doing everything he does as long as he can. “I made a pact with my longtime co-producer, guitarist Joe Berger, that we are going to go to these trade shows until we are little old men with canes.”
Jon has released four CDs
Jon's archive https://archive.org/details/LydiasTuneAusterJazzSeriesWithNDRHorns
Lydia's Tune written by Mr. Hammond in Paris, first time in 1981 after flying there aboard Air France Concorde
- a bossa nova featuring the fine playing ofJoe Berger on guitar, Michael Leuschner trumpet, Fiete Felsch alto saxophone, Heinz Lichius drums and Jon Hammond at the Hammond Sk1 organ bass - special thanks to Nicolai Ditsch for operating the camera, Auster Bar Team Frank Blume & Torsten Wendt - support from Musik Rotthoff Hamburg long-time established music shop where The Beatles acquired their famous instruments - http://www.HammondCast.com/ Filmed in High Definition
Jon's archive https://archive.org/details/LydiasTuneHeadPhoneLateRentJonHammondFunkUnitNissanStage480
Lydia's Tune Head Phone Late Rent Jon Hammond Funk Unit Nissan Stage 480
by Jon Hammond
Youtube https://youtu.be/qKjYrk0fOFw
Facebook video https://www.facebook.com/hammondcast/videos/10153615680412102/
Full HighDef But Web Friendly Movie:
First song: Lydia’s Tune - Jon Hammond Funk Unit on Nissan Stage Nashville https://www.namm.org/thenammshow/2016/events/jon-hammond-funk-unit Nashville Music City Center, front line: Lee Oskar harmonica, Joe Berger guitar, Cord Martin tenor, Roland Barber trombone, Jon Hammond organ, Rhythm section Chuggy Carter congas & percussion, Louis Flip WInfield drums -- Head Phone Late Rent Nissan Stage Jon Hammond Funk Unit
Nashville Tennessee Nissan Stage Summer NAMM Show -- Head Phone Late Rent Nissan Stage Jon Hammond Funk Unit with special guest Lee Oskar, Roland Barber trombone, Cord Martin tenor saxophone, Chuggy Carter congas & percussion, Joe Berger guitar (TV Jones guitar and pickups), Louis Flip Winfield drums, Jon Hammond Sk1 Hammond organ and bass Greg Herreman productions manager, Michael Apodaca & Alex Moore audio / Sound Image Nashville, Tennessee https://www.namm.org/thenammshow/2016/events/jon-hammond-funk-unit - The NAMM Show Summer NAMM Show Nissan Stage - Jon Hammond Band — with Cord Martin, Lee Oskar, Joe Berger, Louis Flip Winfield, Roland Barber and Leslie J. Carter at The NAMM Show. - all compositions composed & published by JON HAMMOND International ASCAP #NAMMShow #SummerNAMM #FunkBand #HammondOrgan #Nissan #Nashville #NashvilleMusicCityCenter
Producer Jon Hammond
Language English
Jon's archive https://archive.org/details/2PMKickOffNissanStageSummerNAMMShow
2PM EST Jon Hammond Funk Unit kicking it off on the Nissan Stage at Summer NAMM Show Nashville Music City Center
Roland Barber - trombone, trumpet, sea shell
Cord Martin - tenor saxophone
Chuggy Carter - percussion
Louis Flip Winfield - drums
Lee Oskar - harmonica
Joe Berger - guitar
Jon Hammond - organ + bass
http://www.jonhammondband.com
#NAMMShow #SummerNAMM #NissanStage
Swingin' Funky Jazz and Blues
Youtube https://youtu.be/ZN0ZU0nHYqc
PIA Flight Deck, 747 Jet, Pakistani VIP, American Friendship, National Anthem, #StarSpangledBanner #PIA #747 #HammondOrgan
