Exactly my point Don. Learning music effects parts of our thinking that cover many areas. Math being one of the biggest. The discipline and focus are beneifits too in many areas.

To say Joey was a Prodigy is a question. Would he have developed his skills if not in the same environment ? Who knows, others from non-musical backrounds have reached high levels too.
I love seeing how he has inspired so many and kept the Hammond Legacy alive.

Many people think that the left handed players are simply substituting for another form of bass line generation.

I think that we are talking a "direct wired" issue here. While it's fabulous to hear musicians get "in the pocket", I think that the fascination with playing by Jimmy Smith and Joey is the direct wired connection between two intricate lines that work together. Intricate bass notes interspersed with rapid triplicates...it doesn't get any better.

Rather than being a substitute for a bass player, this is a complex, perfectly timed way of coordinating parts in a way you can't duplicate any other way.

It's GREAT , and Joey does it BEST!

R.

Russ, what a great observation. Non-LH bass players may not get it but if you think about it, no other individual can really give you the EXACT bass note/pattern that will PERFECTLY interact with the chord or comp pattern as the person themselves. Playing pedal bass goes way back, even beyond Wild Bill Davis and Jackie Davis and other jazz organ pioneers, but Jimmy Smith, along with Jack McDuff, Groove Holmes, and others, took it to a whole new level....leading to the current masters, Joey D, Tony Monaco, et. al.

So yes, if I'm going to see a jazz show featuring an organ trio/quartet, I DON'T WANT TO HEAR A BASS PLAYER. That Organ bass (when it's right) is as much a part of the musical excitement as any other musical part. So glad Russ pointed this out.

chas

Yup. No one can read my right, like my left.

Wow Dave, that should be a jazz organist's mantra....or anyone else that plays LH bass.

chas

When I was teaching guitar, I had my students play scales, it gave them better command of the instrument. There was one student I will never forget; after two months he was playing scales with speed and accuracy far beyond myself. These people are born with abilities that make them outstanding.

Perfect pitch. My wife’s student was able to tell her what note and what octave she was playing while he was standing in the hallway with no view if the piano.

The good news is that we can have moderate talent, and still love and enjoy making music. The best parts of my life included music, and I was never that great. I just enjoyed what was going on insdie of me.

John C.

The most difficult people I ever worked with had perfect pitch. But they
were very talented but knew it. Mel T.(full name left out on purpose) and a great old piano player and singer Al Morgan. Al never hit a wrong note and if he did he blamed the band.
MEL

I have a good friend, Richard, who is a top-notch musician. He plays piano, sax, clarinet, harmonica and even bagpipes, and he sounds almost exactly like Ronnie Milsap when he wants to. He and his two brothers are all blind, all excellent musicians and all have perfect pitch. They can play in any key effortlessly.
I asked him once about having perfect pitch and he told me that he "sees" the notes like colors; in other words each appears differently in his brain. He quit the traditional music business some years ago and became a minister. He does play a lot for his church and other worthy functions.
One of his brothers, Talmadge. has unfortunately almost lost his hearing, and that's a real tragedy.
When Richard used to work with me, I would try to fool him by hitting dis-chords but he could tell me immediately every note I hit, even when the chord was not musically correct. He also used to program my drum machines, and he was my "sound engineer" and would help me set e.q., etc., and then tell me "don't touch it".
Side note: One time when he wasn't working with me, his sister came in. I had never met her until she introduced herself. I asked her if she sang and she said yes, she loved to sing.
So I invited her to sing a song with me, and ...she was absolutely terrible. Couldn't hit a note on key to save her life! But she could see . . . maybe music talent could be some sort of compensation for physical disabilities in some cases.
Rory, Ray Charles, Milsap, all seem to have this talent.
I know the brothers all had early training in music theory but you can not teach perfect pitch.
Sorry for rambling.

You're not a 'ramblin man', Don ... that was a great story ...
thanks

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