Jan Hammer appreciation thread |
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Topic: Jan Hammer appreciation thread Posted: December 21 2007 at 17:39 |
A big influencer... Fans?
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Dick Heath
Special Collaborator Jazz-Rock Specialist Joined: April 19 2004 Location: England Status: Offline Points: 12799 |
Posted: December 21 2007 at 18:36 |
Any help:
http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=44121&KW=jan+hammer |
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The best eclectic music on the Web,8-11pm BST/GMT THURS.
CLICK ON: http://www.lborosu.org.uk/media/lcr/live.php Host by PA's Dick Heath. |
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jammun
Prog Reviewer Joined: July 14 2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3449 |
Posted: December 21 2007 at 19:24 |
What's interesting to me is that Jan Hammer, while playing in the original incarnation of Mahavishnu, did not even have a synthesizer. I had the good fortune of seeing a Mahavishnu/ELP double bill, way back when. Jan's only instrument was a Rhodes, though he had some ring modulator effect box attached, which he used to approximate the bends of guitar notes. He was quite accomplished, but of course we weren't there to hear Mahavishnu and were just biding our time until ELP took the stage.
However I remember my guitar-playing friends being slack-jawed...
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Dick Heath
Special Collaborator Jazz-Rock Specialist Joined: April 19 2004 Location: England Status: Offline Points: 12799 |
Posted: December 22 2007 at 05:39 |
However, by the mid-70's Jan Hammer's development of the Mini-Moog meant his style of playing and indeed his sound were most distinctive. Remember last year Moog presented him with a lifetime achievement award for his work on their synths. Besides who could afford synths at the very beginning of the 70's - Moog seemed to be restricted to recording studios, Walter Carlos or Keith Emerson? Fender Rhodes was one of the keyboard instruments of choice - btw great to hear Alan Pasqua's new album The Anti-social Club (also his DVD withAllan Holdsworth - Live At Yoshi's), utilising the latest genration of Rhodes, in this recording. |
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The best eclectic music on the Web,8-11pm BST/GMT THURS.
CLICK ON: http://www.lborosu.org.uk/media/lcr/live.php Host by PA's Dick Heath. |
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Slartibartfast
Collaborator Honorary Collaborator / In Memoriam Joined: April 29 2006 Location: Atlantais Status: Offline Points: 29625 |
Posted: December 22 2007 at 06:33 |
I don't want to knock the guy, because I am a long time fan. But that whole synthesizer as guitar thing grew old after a while. Then it seems he was trying too hard for commercial success and the music suffered. For me he really went down hill after Oh Yeah. The Miami Vice soundtrack certainly bought him some commercial success and it's OK though I don't have it in my collection. I am really happy that his earlier discography has come out on CD. One of the more pleasant surprises for me has been discovering "Highway Made Of Glass" from Hammer number two. Sounds like a Porcupine Tree song.
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Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...
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Woodbridge
Forum Newbie Joined: November 17 2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 28 |
Posted: December 22 2007 at 22:36 |
It's sad that I consider myself a progger and my only Jan Hammer experience, is his two collaboration albums with Neal Schon.
I LOVE the two Schon & Hammer albums, some experimental arena rock, right up my alley.. great music. I'll need to delve into Mahavishnu and his solo offerings someday soon. Edited by Woodbridge - December 22 2007 at 22:37 |
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prog4evr
Forum Senior Member Joined: September 22 2005 Location: Wuhan, China Status: Offline Points: 1455 |
Posted: December 23 2007 at 02:07 |
Since you went 'off-topic' with this, Dick, what is it about the guy writing in the liner notes of Holdsworth's original solo release (1976) basically saying that Pasqua was a mediocre keyboardist 'going nowhere' with his career? Is this because Pasqua landed in Nashville for a while (during the 1980s and 1990s) and played on some CCM (Contemporary Christian Music) albums (e.g., Twyla Paris)? I think Pasqua is one of the finest, most under-rated keyboardists in the jazz-rock genre. I mean anyone who gets to play consistently with Allan Holdsworth (!) has got to be pretty good...
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Slartibartfast
Collaborator Honorary Collaborator / In Memoriam Joined: April 29 2006 Location: Atlantais Status: Offline Points: 29625 |
Posted: December 23 2007 at 03:41 |
One of his proggiest post Mahavishnu albums is the duo with Jerry Goodman, Like Children. I'd start there if I were you. |
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Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...
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