HammondCast 16 Jon Hammond's Journal KYOU Radio Dot Org

*LISTEN TO THE AUDIO HERE: HammondCast 16 Jon's archive http://kyouradio.org/music-23.html HammondCast 16 This episode of HammondCast will feature Organ Shuffle Blues Grooves and is coming from Hamburg St. Pauli Germany just hours before going in to the famous Studio 1 of NDR Radio to record my new Jon Hammond Band album. Recordings with drummers Bernard Purdie and Ronnie Smith Jr. on the band. The first track was recorded live at Kimball's East Club in Emeryville California in 1998. A fine example of Bernard Purdie's "Purdie Shuffle" that he is known for with Hammond playing for a hometown crowd on a real B3 organ with spinning Leslie speakers. Also 2 blues shuffle tracks from Jon's "Hammond's Bolero" album: "F.P. Blues" and "Cannonball '99...One More Time!" plus 2 public service announcements I did in Zurich Switzerland that are played at the end of the night to encourage patrons of dance clubs to take a taxi if they had too much to drink. Jon Hammond is an organ player & accordion player member of Local 802 & Local 6 Musicians Union and ASCAP Composer/Publisher: JON HAMMOND International, Inc. All music on HammondCast is original and instrumental. "The FINGERS...are the SINGERS!" http://www.HammondCast.com Jon Hammond solo accordion for my good friends in Bernal Heights Neighborhood Center (BHNC) - photo credit for this precious photograph: Cheryl Fippen - AFM Local 6 - Excelsior Accordions http://www.accordionradio.com/ Jon's archive https://archive.org/details/HEADPHONEPodcastMeetinghouseJazzOrchestraSession by Jon Hammond Published October 23, 2015 Usage Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Topics Head Phone, Sennheiser, Superlux, Meetinghouse Jazz Orchestra, Todd Anderson, Bob Rosen, Jon Hammond, Horn Section, Funky Jazz, Friends Seminary, #HammondOrgan #HeadPhones CNN iReport http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1278572 Vimeo https://vimeo.com/143461502 Youtube https://youtu.be/c57WST4w-qQ New York NY -- We just had a ferocious 2 hour rehearsal, Joe Berger​ and myself Jon Hammond​ in famous Room B - we're getting ready for The NAMM Show​ folks! Looking forward to seeing all our NAMM head friends, and we'll be breaking in the new NAMM Stage at the Sheraton Park Hotel at the Anaheim Resort *LINK: https://www.namm.org/thenammshow/2016/events/jon-hammond-funk-unit-0 Event Information: Location: NAMM Sheraton Acoustic Stage Event Date: Thursday, January 21, 2016 - 9:00pm to 9:40pm Add to Calendar Associated Musicians of Greater New York, Local 802 AFM​ Facebook Video Vers. 2.0 Ultra HighDef HEAD PHONE Podcast Meetinghouse Jazz Orchestra + #HammondOrgan Hammond Organist Jon Hammond covering bass: https://www.facebook.com/jonhammondband/videos/1148019035226892/ "Head Phone" was written by organist Jon Hammond and Arranged by Todd Anderson - Podcast of Session with Meetinghouse Jazz Orchestra from the inner sanctum of Friends Seminary, 230 year old school K-12 on Manhattan's East Side - Bob Rosen presiding over the Music Department. On guitar David Acker, drums Mike Campenni, Greg Ruvolo trumpet, Jim Piela saxophone, Jon Hammond organ & bass, Pat Hall, Art Baron, Alfredo Marques trombones, Charles Lee alto, more names coming! ©JON HAMMOND International ASCAP http://www.HammondCast.com - Associated Musicians of Greater New York, Local 802 AFM - AFM Local 6 - TV Producers of Manhattan Neighborhood Network [MNN] Manhattan Neighborhood Network Published October 24, 2015 Usage Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Topics Head Phone, Sennheiser, Superlux, Meetinghouse Jazz Orchestra, Todd Anderson, Bob Rosen, Jon Hammond, Horn Section, Funky Jazz, Friends Seminary, ‪#‎HammondOrgan‬ ‪#‎HeadPhones‬ Producer Jon Hammond Language English This is my Lucky Day folks...I just had breakfast in Manhattan with Lee Houskeeper, friends from 'real San Francisco CA'! Lee knows everybody worth knowing and is Chief Editor San Francisco Stories - Press Agent extraordinaire! Great to see you on this side of the good ol' US of A Lee! Jon Hammond *Note: Folks, Lee worked with some of my all-time favorite musical and political activist heroes including the late great Phil Ochs who was a huge inspiration to me, greatly missed! *Wiki:"Kansas City Bomber" is a song by Phil Ochs, a U.S. singer-songwriter best known for the protest songs he wrote in the 1960s. In 1972, record producer Lee Housekeeper asked Ochs to write the theme song for the film Kansas City Bomber, a film about roller derby starring Raquel Welch.[1][2] Although Ochs enjoyed watching the sport on television, composing the song proved difficult, as Ochs was suffering from writer's block.[1][2] At last, he made a demo, on which Micky Dolenz of The Monkees sang back-up vocals.[3] Months later, Ochs was traveling in Australia. Housekeeper told him the film's producers liked his demo, but it was not exactly what they were looking for. Ochs decided to make a new recording of the song, backed by the Australian rock band Daddy Cool.[4][5] Ultimately, the film's producers chose not to use the Ochs song in the soundtrack.[6] Nevertheless, he convinced his record company, A&M Records, to release it as a single. The record sold poorly.[6] In the only known review of "Kansas City Bomber (song)", Record World wrote that "progressives will find this a moody change of pace."[7] Billboard included the single in its "Also Recommended" column.[8] In 2001, writer Mark Brend described "Kansas City Bomber" as "unremarkable".[9] Biographer Michael Schumacher wrote in 1996 that the song "was neither an admirable work nor an embarrassment".[10] Many Ochs fans never heard "Kansas City Bomber" before it was included in 1988's The War Is Over: The Best of Phil Ochs. The song was also included in the 1997 collection American Troubadour." Jon's archive https://archive.org/details/LYDIASTUNEMeetinghouseJazzOrchestraPodcast by Jon Hammond Published October 22, 2015 Usage Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Topics Lydia's Tune, Meetinghouse Jazz Orchestra, Todd Anderson Arrangement, Hammond Organist, Jon Hammond, Friends Seminary, 230 year old school, Manhattan, Paris France, Jon Hammond, #HammondOrgan Jon Hammond Funk Unit https://www.namm.org/thenammshow/2016/events/jon-hammond-funk-unit-0 Artist Info Jon Jon Hammond Organ / Organist Leader Joe Berger guitar / guitarist Dom Famularo drums / drummer Alex Budman Tenor Saxophone / Saxophonist Koei Tanaka Chromatic Harmonica / Master Chromatic Harmonica Player Chuggy Carter Percussion / Percussionist Genre: Rock Website: http://www.jonhammondband.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jonhammondband Endorsed By: Hammond Suzuki Artist Bio: *WATCH THE VIDEO HERE: #TheNAMMShow "White Onions" Jon Hammond Funk Unit NAMM Showcase Jon's archive https://archive.org/details/TheNAMMShowWhiteOnionsJonHammondFunkUnitNAMMShowcase Youtube http://youtu.be/EKavYAXYYw4 #TheNAMMShow "White Onions" Jon Hammond Funk Unit NAMM Showcase lunch set https://www.namm.org/thenammshow/2015/events/jon-hammond-funk-unit 23rd 2015 reprising 1989 Late Rent Sessions recording ©JON HAMMOND International ASCAP with special guest Bernard Purdie drums, Leslie J. Carter percussion Jon Hammond organ (original members on record) featuring Koei Tanaka chromatic harmonica from Tokyo Japan Suzuki world star, Joe Berger guitar JJ guitars, Alex Budman tenor saxophone Dom Famularo returning to the NAMM Stage - special thanks NAMM President CEO Joe Lamond, KHS Hercules folding stands - congratulations KHS America: Announces Acquisition of Hohner Inc. USA KHS America, Inc. has announced plans to acquire Hohner Inc. from Matth. Hohner GmbH in Trossingen, Germany. Hohner, Inc. is the exclusive North American provider of Hohner branded Harmonicas, Accordians, Melodicas, Guitars and Bluegrass Instruments; SONOR Drums and Orff Instruments, Lanikai and Kohala Ukuleles, H. Jimenez Guitars, Hohner Airboard, as well as Hohner Kids and Greentones children’s instrument brands. Transfer of ownership will take place today, January 12, 2015 - Jupiter Wind Instruments, XO Professional Brass, Mapex Drums, Majestic Concert Percussion, Hercules Stands and Aaltus Professional Flutes, the new KHS America Vimeo http://vimeo.com/117661543 CNN iReport http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1208955 Jon Hammond Funk Unit Facebook https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10152557856517102 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Hammond Organ NAMM Extravaganza to take place Friday January 23 2015 Center Stage 12 Noon All Star Band Anaheim Convention Center Organist Jon Hammond composed this song in Paris France after flying there aboard Air France Concorde​ in year 1981, played here now with Meeting House Jazz Orchestra - Arranged and Conducted by tenor saxophonist Todd Anderson​. Bob Rosen​ (tenor) presiding over the Music Program at Friends Seminary​ 230 year old school on Manhattan's East Side - Greg Ruvolo​ takes the flugelhorn solo, Jim Piela saxophone, Pat Hall, Art Baron​, Alfredo Marques​ trombones, David Acker​ guitar, Mike Campenni drums, Charles Lee alto, more names coming! Thank you for playing my song and those listening and watching this Podcast folks! Jon Hammond​ ©JON HAMMOND International ASCAP http://www.HammondCast.com TV Producers of Manhattan Neighborhood Network [MNN]​ - Manhattan Neighborhood Network​ - Associated Musicians of Greater New York, Local 802 AFM​ AFM Local 6​ PROFILE http://afm6.org/member-profile/jon-hammond-wheres-the-gig/ Producer Jon Hammond Language English Youtube https://youtu.be/idKeKk2v_xU CNN iReport http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1278353 Vimeo https://vimeo.com/143381440 Facebook Video https://www.facebook.com/jonhammondband/videos/vb.133709526657853/1147576505271145/?type=3&theater *Photos courtesy of Elmar Lemes ©Elmar Lemes / Jon Hammond — with Jon Hammond at Friends Seminary. Jon's archive https://archive.org/details/FirstPlayDownOfLATERENTMeetinghouseJazzOrchestra Al Jazzbeaux Collins aka Al Jazzbo Collins on the air at KCSM Jazz 91 Happy Birthday Jon Hammond's Annual musikmesse Warm Up Party Chocolate Chocolate Cake in the famous jazzkeller Frankfurt Full HD - *WATCH THE FILM HERE: #TheNAMMShow White Onions Jon Hammond Funk Unit NAMM Showcase Jon's archive https://archive.org/details/TheNAMMShowWhiteOnionsJonHammondFunkUnitNAMMShowcase Usage Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 http://jonhammondband.com/blog.html/jon_hammond_funk_unit_namm_showcase_namm_show_white_onions/ #TheNAMMShow “White Onions” Jon Hammond Funk Unit NAMM Showcase lunch set https://www.namm.org/thenammshow/2015/events/jon-hammond-funk-unit 23rd 2015 reprising 1989 Late Rent Sessions recording ©JON HAMMOND International ASCAP with special guest Bernard Purdie drums, Leslie J. Carter percussion Jon Hammond organ (original members on record) featuring Koei Tanaka chromatic harmonica from Tokyo Japan Suzuki world star, Joe Berger guitar JJ guitars, Alex Budman tenor saxophone Dom Famularo returning to the NAMM Stage – special thanks NAMM President CEO Joe Lamond, KHS Hercules folding stands – Location: NAMM Sheraton Park Hotel at the Anaheim Resort Acoustic Stage Jon Hammond Funk Unit Event Date: Thursday, January 21, 2016 - 9:00pm to 9:40pm Genre: Rock #CNNiReport AFM Local 6 Member Profile JON HAMMOND: "WHERE'S THE GIG?" -- by ALEX WALSH https://afm6.org/member-profile/jon-hammond-wheres-the-gig/ 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. 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.”

“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.” 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 n 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 Hammond Entertaining on Excelsior Accordion in Bernal Heights SF Neighborhood Center -- photo by Cheryl Fippen Local 6

Kimball's East, CBS Radio, Jon Hammond Show, Bernard Purdie, NAMM Show, Cable TV, #LeslieSpeaker #HammondOrgan #Zürich #CableTV

HammondCast 22 KYOU Radio Dot Org Jon's Journal

*LISTEN TO THE AUDIO HERE: HammondCast 22 Jon's archive http://kyouradio.org/music-32.html KYOU Radio Dot Org This episode of HammondCast on KYOU 1550 AM Radio features some historic recordings of Jon Hammond with radio & tv legend AL "JAZZBEAUX" COLLINS, this will blow your socks off! Al does a complete recitation of his Hipster version of "Little Red Ridinghood" accompanied by Jon on the Hammond organ live. Also radio host CHRIS CORTEZ talking about how Jon and Jazzbeaux almost blew up the transmitter for the radio station by plugging the Hammond organ directly in as a late-night experiment on the Bay Area station...wooops! All worked out ok, but the Chief Engineer and Station Manager were a little bit upset the next day... Chris Cortez and Jon Hammond in KCSM where they did the historic broadcast with Al Jazzbo Collins some years before Al Jazzbeaux Collins aka Al Jazzbo Collins on the air at KCSM Jazz 91 Happy Birthday Jon Hammond's Annual musikmesse Warm Up Party Chocolate Chocolate Cake in the famous jazzkeller Frankfurt Full HD - *WATCH THE FILM HERE: #TheNAMMShow White Onions Jon Hammond Funk Unit NAMM Showcase Jon's archive https://archive.org/details/TheNAMMShowWhiteOnionsJonHammondFunkUnitNAMMShowcase Usage Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 http://jonhammondband.com/blog.html/jon_hammond_funk_unit_namm_showcase_namm_show_white_onions/ #TheNAMMShow “White Onions” Jon Hammond Funk Unit NAMM Showcase lunch set https://www.namm.org/thenammshow/2015/events/jon-hammond-funk-unit 23rd 2015 reprising 1989 Late Rent Sessions recording ©JON HAMMOND International ASCAP with special guest Bernard Purdie drums, Leslie J. Carter percussion Jon Hammond organ (original members on record) featuring Koei Tanaka chromatic harmonica from Tokyo Japan Suzuki world star, Joe Berger guitar JJ guitars, Alex Budman tenor saxophone Dom Famularo returning to the NAMM Stage – special thanks NAMM President CEO Joe Lamond, KHS Hercules folding stands – Location: NAMM Sheraton Park Hotel at the Anaheim Resort Acoustic Stage Jon Hammond Funk Unit Event Date: Thursday, January 21, 2016 - 9:00pm to 9:40pm Genre: Rock #CNNiReport AFM Local 6 Member Profile JON HAMMOND: "WHERE'S THE GIG?" -- by ALEX WALSH https://afm6.org/member-profile/jon-hammond-wheres-the-gig/ 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. 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.”

“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.” 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 n 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 Hammond Entertaining on Excelsior Accordion in Bernal Heights SF Neighborhood Center -- photo by Cheryl Fippen Local 6

For more info visit www.jonhammondband.com Jon's archive https://archive.org/details/48MinuteDocumentaryJazzMovieBigBandWithOrganistJonHammond by Jon Hammond 48 minute Documentary movie of Tuesday night session at Friends Seminary School in Manhattan, 5 original compositions! "Head Phone" by Jon Hammond arranged by Todd Anderson "Lydia's Tune" by Jon Hammond arranged by Todd Anderson "Late Rent" by Jon Hammond arranged by Todd Anderson "Pocket Funk" by Jon Hammond arranged by Todd Anderson "Have a Nice Day Blues" by Todd Anderson arranged by Todd Anderson *Note: Tenor Saxophonist Arranger Todd Anderson was Jon Hammond's teacher for Arranging and Compostion at Berklee College of Music in Boston MA in 1973. 10 years later they recorded this music for TV Show "The Jon Hammond Show" still on TV every week for 32 years, the recording session went down at Intergalactic Recording Studios where John Lennon did some of his last recording dates. The big band here is presided over by Professor Bob Rosen in charge of the music program at Friends Seminary School on Manhattan's East Side, 230 year old school K - 12th grade. Top sight reading musicians gather weekly - more info: http://www.HammondCast.com ©JON HAMMOND International ASCAP / BMI Photographs Courtesy of Elmar Lemes Youtube https://youtu.be/2mcykc-OHTg these are the names I know at this time - more coming: Mike Campenni drums, Charles Lee a.s., Jim Piela a.s., Bob Rosen t.s., David Zalud trpt., Greg Ruvolo trpt. Todd Anderson t.s., Jon Hammond Hammond Sk1 org., Art Baron trombone, Pat Hall trmb., Alfredo Marques trmb., - entire session documentary ©JON HAMMOND International / Todd Anderson ASCAP / BMI - additional info http://www.HammondCast.com as seen on Manhattan Neighborhood Network Channel 1 community channel and streaming worldwide, late Fri. nights / early Sat. morning at 1:30 AM Eastern Standard Time - Associated Musicians of Greater New York Local 802, Jon is also a dual member of AFM Local 6 Musicians Union San Francisco - the date of this session was October 20, 2015 Jon's Journal - Logic Pro X - Apple Logic Recording / Playing workshop at The Beacon School conducted by Mark Via w/spcl. guests Joe Berger and yours' truly Jon Hammond (behind camera & organ: Put up a little tent that says "Free Cell Phones" and the people will come flocking! Maybe it's a good name for a band these days - Jon Hammond Real nice old car just blew my doors off on the 280 Freeway! He had the hammer down, looking real sharp, Jon Hammond Hamburg Germany -- Route 66 Hamburg Street P.R. Team - Mr. Berger and Mr. Hammond, thanks for the super cool T-Shirts Jens! They've been seen on TV and all over the place. 'Return of The Student' - 40 years later! Jon Hammond sits down with his piano teacher Tony Germain at Berklee College of Music in Boston MA exactly 40 years to the day that they first sat down at the piano together at 1140 Boylston Street in the Beantown - excellent interview! As seen on The Jon Hammond Show - MNN TV - Manhattan Neighborhood Network Channel 1 - TV Producers of Manhattan Neighborhood Network [MNN] *LINK: https://www.facebook.com/hammondcast/videos/10153098437422102/ High Definition Video inside Tony's Office at 1140 Boylston Street Boston - the old Berklee College of Music building Classic episode of Jon Hammond Show known as Val Hal Jazz Pub Special - for my friends in Brooklyn by Brooklyn Academy of Music / BAM and Junior's Restaurant & Cheesecake deli where the notorious Val Hal Jazz Pub used to me - actual audio from Val Hal gig - Jon Hammond *LINK: https://www.facebook.com/hammondcast/videos/10153098404357102/ Lazy Larry in the house...one of this century's most important writers since James Joyce! *as seen on MNN TV Jon Hammond Show Jon Hammond Flashback -- as seen on The Jon Hammond Show: THE NEGATIVES Featuring Crazy Barry (everything) and Lazy Larry (nothing)! MNN Ch. 1 Manhattan Neighborhood Network https://youtu.be/oMEMSbTl2Lo Oh wow folks, this really saddens me and took my breath away to read that we lost Steve Campos​ today! I can't believe it, a nicer cat there never was and beautiful player - I was very fortunate to have Steve play on my band with me at Pete Escovedo​'s club Mr. E's when I came back from living in Europe along with Bennett Friedman in the horn section - and he did a beautiful job when we played in concert on the lawn right in front of SF City Hall with Harvey Wainapel tenor, James Preston​ (also deceased sadly), Barry Finnerty​ gtr. and myself on Hammond B3 organ *Video of the hit: https://www.facebook.com/jonhammondorgangroup/videos/10151128877882102/ RIP Steve Campos - missing man formation, greatly missed! - Jon Hammond​ / Jon Hammond Band​ - San Francisco City Hall​ RIP Steve Campos - I found this photo: "Jon Hammond Band gig in Pete Escovedo's club Mr E's when I came back from living in Europe for a few years - 1998, front line Steve Campos, Bennett Friedman tenor, Jon Hammond organ" Jon Hammond says: "Attention all Accordion People - Alex Carozza aka 'Alex Accordions' is now open for business at swanky new address 250 West 54th Street right above the old legendary Studio 54 - expert repairs, custom modification and sales - best in the business" Good to see my old friends Alex and Juan today! - Alex Musical Instruments Musical Instrument Store - NEW ADDRESS: 250 West 54th Street (Saturdays entrance at 244 West 54th Street) - Jon Hammond Lydia's Tune Vers. 1.0 Meetinghouse Jazz Orchestra https://vimeo.com/143952229 Real nice guitar solo from David Acker on Lydia's Tune with Meetinghouse Jazz Orchestra folks! - Jon Hammond at the Friends Seminary school HAPPY BIRTHDAY DUCKDUCKGO JON HAMMOND HAMMONDCAST FUNK SOUL BLUES & SOFT NEWS http://hammondcast.twoday.net/stories/happy-birthday-duckduckgo-jon-hammond-hammondcast-funk-soul-blues-soft/ - Jon Hammond​ KYOU Radio, Dot Org, Alex Carozza, #Accordions #Bigband #NAMMShow #CNNiReport #MNNTV