Vagabond Synth Nerd’s Journal Vol. 62 - Electric Keyboards and Synth Albums that Adorn Music

Special Feature on Famous Hammond Organ Players and Iconic Albums: J-Jazz Edition

In this “Vagabond Synth Nerd’s Journal” post, I will introduce some iconic J-Jazz albums featuring the Hammond organ, as well as Japanese Hammond organ players I have personally heard live, who have not been introduced in previous articles.

Japan's leading organist, Ushio Sakai

I like the synthesizer as an instrument, but I have a strong attachment to the Hammond organ. This may be because the organ was the first instrument I played when I was a university student. My main setup was a Roland SH-5 monosynth on top of the Hammond, a Fender Rhodes on the left, and a Korg Polyphonic Ensemble Orchestra (strings) on top of that (the Rhodes was owned by a colleague).
I had no money, so I couldn’t buy Leslie speakers. I bought inexpensive Yamaha rotary speakers from a friend who had gone pro and connected them to the Hammond.
For my TV work, I interviewed Suzuki Gakki in Hamamatsu, which had been manufacturing Hammond organs, when I heard that they were going to make a Hammond organ without a keyboard using MIDI. The person I interviewed for that interview was Ushio Sakai, one of Japan's leading organists. I traveled from Shizuoka to Asagaya, Tokyo to interview Mr. Sakai.
I asked Sakai-san to play the Hammond so that viewers could understand what the Hammond sound is all about. Mr. Sakai, who is the epitome of jazz, played “Round Midnight” by Thelonious Monk. It was the first time for me seeing a professional Hammond organ played in front of me. The profound Hammond sound still resonates deep in my heart.

■ Recommended Album: Various Artists / BLUE NOTE VOYAGE (2019)

A Blue Note masterpiece with a distinctive Hammond sound!

In my opinion, I have to admit that I don't see too many jazz albums where all the music is good at a high level. However, this album is different. It’s good music and good performances all packaged into one album.
This tribute album from Japan was produced to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Blue Note.
Young top jazz musicians perform classic Blue Note tunes of yesteryear.
One of the songs here features a keyboardist named Jun Miyagawa (titles omitted) playing the Hammond organ. The Hammond he plays is a new cut of the young jazzman.

Recommended song: “Feel Like Makin' Love”.

A classic by Eugene B. McDaniel, this song was sung by Roberta Flack in 1974 and it reached No. 1 on the U.S. charts; it was sung by Marina Shaw in 1975 and became her big breakout hit. It is also known to be performed by Bob James. My band also plays it.
This is a great song that is often played in amateur sessions and is reproduced here by a young jazzman.
The melody is played by Jun Miyagawa on Hammond organ. The Hammond has a nice sound. Miyagawa also plays “A Night in Tunisia” on this album, and like “Feel Like”; his playing is incredible. I heard Miyagawa play at a jazz club in Shizuoka and he was so great. I felt that the young musician's passion for jazz really came out in his sound. There is a preconceived notion that organ jazz is “black”, but his playing was very smart and very “white” in the way I heard it. I was impressed by the way he played the melody with his right hand on the upper keyboard while adding chords with exquisite timing on the bottom keyboard, and the backing created a kind of groove.

■ Recommended album: Yuji Ohno, THE BEST COMPILATION of LUPIN THE THIRD 「LUPIN!!!LUPIN!!!LUPIN!!!」 (2007)

This is a two-disc album commemorating the 30th anniversary of Lupin, featuring a large collection of themes from Lupin III. The album is an extraordinary project that features 22 different arrangements of a single song, but it also shows the depth of the musician Yuji Ohno's musical talent. In addition to the two newly recorded songs, five vocal versions are included. It would be boring to listen to 22 different arrangements of the same song, but that’s Yuji Ohno! It is his masterful writing that makes you listen to the songs without getting strangely bored. You can see the abundance of his creative mind.

Recommended Track: "THEME FROM LUPIN Ⅲ ('99 Version)"

This arrangement begins with a simple ensemble featuring the Hammond organ. The arrangement emphasizes the best aspects of the organ as a Hammond track. In terms of sound, you can distinctly hear the Hammond sound. The saxophone solo, vibraphone solo, and organ solo follow one another, with restrained solo parts being particularly striking. During the vibraphone solo, the high tones of the Hammond organ and the fast Leslie backing create a beautiful sound.

■ Recommended Album: JOE HENDERSON meets KANKAWA, Jazz Time II: Blue Bossa Live 1987 (2005)

This album contains only four tracks! It’s a live recording from a tour where organist KANKAWA invited Joe Henderson to perform. On this album, organist KANKAWA reinterprets Joe Henderson’s iconic tracks. The album features classic standards such as "As Fresh as the Morning Sun", "Recorda Me", "Stella by Starlight", and "Blue Bossa." What stands out is that the live performance includes "Blue Bossa" and "Recorda Me", both of which were featured on Joe Henderson's hit album Page One released in 1963. Blue Bossa is well-known for being a gift from trumpeter Kenny Dorham to Joe Henderson.

Recommended Track: "Blue Bossa"

"Blue Bossa" is a piece I perform with my band, and it is always the first track we play. Everyone who plays jazz absolutely loves "Blue Bossa" and I’m no exception. The chord progression from the chorus is exquisite, and the beautiful, melancholic melody gives this track a sense of universality.
KANKAWA delivers a fantastic organ performance on this piece. The track is a major work, lasting over 20 minutes, and features a deep, groovy, Jimmy Smith-inspired solo with KANKAWA’s distinctive, wavy playing.
When I heard KANKAWA perform at a jazz club in Shizuoka, he wasn’t playing the Hammond organ but rather a Nord two-tier keyboard organ with a Leslie speaker. The Nord organ wasn’t the traditional drawbar type, but instead, it had a button system for adjusting the drawbars. I remember being impressed by how skillfully he operated the buttons to alter the sound.
The performance was quite funky, as I recall. Despite his age (no offense), he was really energetic on stage. The pose where he raised his left hand’s index finger above his face was perfect. He had a bit of a "bad boy" look, and he was truly cool!

Musicians, Albums, Recommended Tracks, and Keyboard Equipment Covered in This Issue

• Artists: Shiho Sakai, KANKAWA, Jun Miyagawa, Yuji Ohno, etc.
• Albums: BLUE NOTE VOYAGE, THE BEST COMPILATION of LUPIN THE THIRD, Jazz Time II: Blue Bossa Live 1987
• Tracks: "Feel Like Makin' Love", "THEME FROM LUPIN Ⅲ ('99 Version)", "Blue Bossa"
• Equipment Used: Hammond B-3 Organ

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