Hip hammond bands on the hip side of the Atlantic...

[I.Jackson@lancaster.ac.uk (Ian Jackson)]

UK band Kula Shaker are currently very hip over here and getting a lot of
national media coverage. Their latest single is a cover of Deep Purple's
version of Hush, and very tasty it is too (not quite as good as the
"original", but not bad for the 90's!).

Another UK band with a distinct hip factor are Mother Earth (not to be
confused with a much earlier band of the same name, and a current band
called I-Mother Earth). They feature a very prominent C3, with strong Brian
Auger influences. Their album "People Tree" on the Acid Jazz label is
highly recommended.

One thing I do miss on the contemporary music scene is the lack of bands
where the Hammond is an upfront integral part of the band sound. Look at
the role of the Hammond in bands such as Deep Purple, ELP, Traffic, early
Yes, etc. Are there any equivalent new bands? (I've heard a lot about
Phish, but I found their studio material to be a disappointment - maybe
they shine live?).

IJ