Billy Preston/ Joe Cocker/TOP

["Jeffrey Arnold" <hecjda@ccnet.com>]

Well, as long as someone brougt up Billy Preston (one of my favorite tasty
players -- I've always wished that Narada had made Mariah Carey's "I Don't
Wanna Cry" a vocal duet with Preston (and his B instead a that schmaltzy
synth)), everyone should make the effort to check out the Joe Cocker
"Organic" recording sessions video on PBS if it airs in your neighborhood. 
Probably due to that smile, Billy and his sweet sounding B3 get plenty of
camera time, and his licks are among the most tasteful ever.  Together with
an ace accoustic guitarist, this is special stuff. A nice recording, too,
done 'live' in the studio with some truly great players, including Randy
Newman.  Wait 'till you see them record "She' So Beautiful" (A Billy
Preston composition) live for the 2".  Every once in a long while, you find
some accidental quality on the tube!  Of course, more times than not, it
*is* PBS.  

Also, the suggestion that the Tower Of Power keyboardist get "some doppler
assistence" going on that rig will be forwarded to him.  If he has a
response, I'll print it here.  You never know.... maybe he'd like to
improve by Ben's rating system to "there".    JDA

----------
> From: BenWaB3@aol.com
> To: hammond@zk3.dec.com
> Subject: Re: Hip Hammond bands
> Date: Saturday, March 01, 1997 10:38 PM
> 
> 
> 
> On Sat, 1 Mar 1997 DGeesling@aol.com wrote:
> 
> > 1. Counting Crows
> > 2.  Black Crowes
> > 3.  Sheryl Crow
> > 4.  Zoo People
> > 5.  Storyville(not live though)
> > 6.  Sweet Vine
> > 7.  Niacin
> > 8.  Wilco
> > 9.  Tom Petty(not new but, hey it's Benmont!)
> > 10. The Jayhawks
> > 
> > These are ten cool bands that use the glorious sound to some extent or
> > another.  The tones on the new C. Crowes are hot and the playing is in
> place.
> >  The new Shawn Colvin disc also has some nice Hammond pads.  Well these
are
> > my picks for the time being.  Any one else have any?
> > 
> > Don
> 
> This is an "almost there" type of entry. You can't talk about what is hip
> without including the original "What Is Hip?" guys themselves, Tower Of
> Power. The only reason they get an "almost there" rating is that the
> keyboardist uses an XB-2 straight through the board without any Leslie or
> Leslie sim help. Every time you hear an XB-2 like that you think how much
> better it would sound w/ some doppler assistance. But T.O.P. still REALLY
> kicks big time when you see them.
> 
> Ben Ninmann