Wednesday, April 30, 2008

BOB POPYK of AFM's INTERNATIONAL MUSICIAN Magazine profiles JON


BOB POPYK of AFM's INTERNATIONAL MUSICIAN Magazine profiles JON
HAMMOND in his monthly motivational column: FOCUS !
*Listen to HammondCast Audio *Here:

Focus
International Musician, July 2005
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

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Saturday, April 26, 2008

Jon Hammond Show Dancers aboard Horizon Celebrity Cruise Ship


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The highly-synchronized stylings of The Jon Hammond Show Dancers dancing to Jon's theme song "Late Rent" aboard m.v. HORIZON Celebrity Cruises ship on maiden voyage to Bermuda with Jon Hammond & Joe Berger directing. Then on to Hamburg Germany years later, same song, same guys, but sadly we couldn't take our dancers to Hamburg. In VILLON Club by Hauptbahnhof. Special thanks to Amy Curtis of Hill & Knowlton Celebrity Cruises and Henry of Villon, ILLUSTRATORP, Jennifer & Knut Benzner. Musicians: Gabriel Coburger, Heinz Lichius, Joe Berger & Jon at the organ as seen on The Jon Hammond Show ©2008 http://www.HammondCast.com

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Jon Hammond Late Rent Session Men with Bernard Purdie at MIKELL'S NYC 1989 FSB=Funk Soul Blues


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Jon Hammond Late Rent Session Men with Bernard Purdie drums, Alex Foster sax, Chuggy Carter perc., Barry Finnerty gtr., Jon Hammond at 1959 B3 Organ in MIKELL'S 97th St. & Columbus Ave. NYC, very first hit of 5 night run on a hot summer night in Aug. 1989. Kicking it off with a classic organ blues James And Wess on this historic date. This was the musicians hang from 1969-1991 run by Pat & Mike Mikell (RIP) ©2008 http://www.HammondCast.com FSB = Funk Soul Blues As Seen On The Jon Hammond Show MCTV and HammondCast Radio Show KYOURADIO camera Joe Berger

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Friday, April 25, 2008

Club Tac SIDEWINDER in Crocket CA Jon Hammond Trio with Bob Scott and Barry Finnerty cam by Pete Fallico


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In the shadow of C & H Sugar Co. in Crockett CA is the notorious CLUB TAC where Jon Hammond Trio played twice weekly for 6 months in 1998 when Jon returned from living in Europe. On the band: Bob Scott drums of Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks & Willie Nelson Band, Barry Finnerty gtr. of Crusaders, Miles Davis, Brecker Brothers Band and Jon Hammond at the B3, Host of daily radio program HammondCast KYOURADIO special thanks Pete Fallico of Doodlin' Lounge for camera and Pat & Sand Moriarty for keeping the gig going ©2008 http://www.HammondCast.com 1336 Pomona Avenue, Crockett, CA 94525

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Cornell Dupree with Jon Hammond & Bernard Purdie 1989 Mikell's NYC


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Cornell Dupree gtr., Jon Hammond B3 organ, Bernard Purdie drms., Chuggy Carter perc. 1989 Mikell's NYC Shuffle Blues ©2008 http://www.HammondCast.com on KYOURADIO 1550 AM every morning FSB = Funk Soul Blues

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Tuesday, April 22, 2008

The Lost Butterfield Tapes: Born Under a Bad Sign, Paul Butterfield Blues Band with Buzzy Feiten 1986


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One of my all-time favorites, I filmed this in Nov. 1986, Paul Butterfield (RIP) performing the classic Born Under a Bad Sign with Buzz Feiten on guitar. enjoy! Jon Hammond NYC ©2008 http://www.HammondCast.com jh

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Sunday, April 20, 2008

ROXANNE JAM: Joe Berger, Alf Schneider, Dieter Schnapka Directed by Jon Hammond


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As seen on The Jon Hammond Show, this March 1987 first-time-ever explosive Jam between guitarist Joe Berger, drummer Alf Schneider and bassist Rolf-Dieter Schnapka in Club Roxanne during Frankfurt Musikmesse was a magic session that we came to know as ROXANNE JAM (Rock Blues). Special thanks: Engl Amplifiers, ESP Guitars, Lufthansa and Star Alliance. Fasten your seatbelts on this one..achtung ZZ Top Fans & Deep Purple were in the house. *Note: Notice headstock on Joe's ESP Guitar. This guitar is unique and was stolen. We will give a reward if this guitar is returned. Thanks for your attention, Jon Hammond & Joe Berger of Ham-Berger ©2008 http://www.HammondCast.com

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Dave Van Ronk on The Jon Hammond Show 'Saturday Alley Up The Sunday Street'


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Dave Van Ronk aka "Mayor of MacDougal Street" appearance on long-running cable access TV show The Jon Hammond Show performing
"Saturday Alley Up the Sunday Street". Priceless footage of Dave telling stories during tuning and about tuning. The performance is flawless and up close and personal, shot by Mr. Hammond personally, enjoy! ©2008 http://www.HammondCast.com

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Sunday, April 13, 2008

Oliver Johnson batterie - Finale


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1988 Jazz Concert musé d'art moderne in paris: Francois Chassagnite trp., Oliver Johnson drms, Jean Bardy bs, Arnaud Mattei pno as seen on The Jon Hammond Show TV Show and HammondCast ©2008 http://www.HammondCast.com Oliver Johnson Finale

*Note, regrettfully, sadly and tragically Oliver Johnson was murdered in Paris 2004 by a homeless man who is now in prison: *From Jazzhouse.org : Oliver Johnson was a noted participant in the free jazz movement of the 1960s, but was a versatile and adaptable performer in many settings. He settled in Paris in the late-60s. He worked with a number of major figures from the free and experimental scene, including Anthony Braxton, Dewey Redman, Sam Rivers, Archie Shepp, the Art Ensemble of Chicago and David Murray, as well as more mainstream players, including Hampton Hawes, Bobby Hutcherson, Maynard Ferguson, Yusef Lateef, Atilla Zoller and Johnny Griffin. He worked regularly with saxophonist Steve Lacy between 1978-89. He co-led the trio TOK with Takashi Kako and Kent Carter. His body was discovered on a bench near Les Halles. In memory of Oliver Johnson, Jon Hammond NYC

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Friday, April 11, 2008

musé d'art moderne in paris: Francois Chassagnite, Oliver Johnson, Jean Bardy, Arnaud Mattei 1988 HammondCast


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1988 Jazz Concert musé d'art moderne in paris: Francois Chassagnite trp., Oliver Johnson drms, Jean Bardy bs, Arnaud Mattei pno as seen on The Jon Hammond Show TV Show and HammondCast ©2008 http://www.HammondCast.com "Stella By Starlight" *Note, regrettfully, sadly and tragically Oliver Johnson was murdered in Paris 2004 by a homeless man who is now in prison:
*From Jazzhouse.org : Oliver Johnson was a noted participant in the free jazz movement of the 1960s, but was a versatile and adaptable performer in many settings. He settled in Paris in the late-60s. He worked with a number of major figures from the free and experimental scene, including Anthony Braxton, Dewey Redman, Sam Rivers, Archie Shepp, the Art Ensemble of Chicago and David Murray, as well as more mainstream players, including Hampton Hawes, Bobby Hutcherson, Maynard Ferguson, Yusef Lateef, Atilla Zoller and Johnny Griffin. He worked regularly with saxophonist Steve Lacy between 1978-89. He co-led the trio TOK with Takashi Kako and Kent Carter. His body was discovered on a bench near Les Halles.
In memory of Oliver Johnson, Jon Hammond NYC

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Wednesday, April 09, 2008

HammondCast French Guest M. JACK LANG "A DIALOGUE on culture, politics, France today..."


Listen to Audio *Here:


HammondCast French Guest M. JACK LANG Member of the French National Assembly: Former French Minister of Culture and Minister of Education
"A DIALOGUE on culture, politics, France today...(in French) with TOM BISHOP (NYU)" Tuesday, April 8 2008
A FLORENCE GOULD EVENT, La Maison Francaise ©2008 http://www.HammondCast.com

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Friday, April 04, 2008

ENCORES: Louisville Kentucky Jazz Factory - JON HAMMOND Band


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Jazzin By Martin Z. Kasdan Jr.
Last year San Francisco-based organist Jon Hammond joined his buddy, Louisville guitarist John Bishop, for a night at the Jazz Factory. Hammond has just released Late Rent, on Ham-Berger-Friz Records, available at http://www.cityhallrecords.com/artist/HAMMOND,%20JON.htm if you can't find it locally. In an e-mail to me, Hammond described this as "a record that took me 25 years to put together. The disc opens with "Late Rent," a loping swinger and is followed by "Pocket Funk," with a slightly Latin feel. "Late Rent" is reprised in a live take at the end of the CD. Lee Morgan's funky "The Sidewinder" is the only cover tune on the album, although, as Hammond acknowledges in his liner notes, "White Onions" is "a bluesy Hammond/Finnerty composition reminiscent of `Green Onions.'"

In closing, happy holidaze to one and all. You can send greetings to me at mzkjr@yahoo.com
*Video: "Late Rent" in Jazz Factory, Louisville Kentucky, cam: Jennifer

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Wednesday, April 02, 2008

Besame Schnulze - Jon Hammond Band in Harburg Germany


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Jon Hammond Band in Schnulze die Kneipe in Harburg Germany in the North with guitarist Sandra Hempel, Lutz Buechner tenor sax, Jon Hammond XK-1 organ 3/11/2008 ©2008 http://www.HammondCast.com

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