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Lesson 19 of 45Hammond OrganIntermediate

Jimmy Smith's riffing in Organ Grinder's Swing

Joe Glossop

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Joe Glossop
6:21
Joe looks at the classic hammond moments in Jimmy Smith's the Organ Grinder's Swing
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45 lessons (3h 0m) · 1 free

    • 01. Walkdown in 'I'm a Man', Spencer Davis Group

      5:23

    • 02. Distorted hook in 'Gimme Some Lovin' ', Spencer Davis Group

      3:45

    • 03. Jimmy Smith's riffing in Organ Grinder's Swing

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      6:21

Lesson transcript

Music Lesson: The Organ Grinder's Swing by Jimmy Smith

So this tune is won by Jimmy Smith called "The Organ Grinder's Swing."

Overview:

  • A very well-known, recognizable tune.
  • Contains moments that are true "Hammond history."
  • Recorded in 1965, it stands out as one of his most famous pieces.

Key Elements:

  • The tune features:
    • A walk down that is prominent.
    • A blues riff section that also stands out.
  • While I've included a bass line, it's not what was originally on the record.

Focus Points:

  1. Concentrate on:

    • The rundown
    • The tone
    • The licks that make it distinct

  2. From the top, it's something like:

    • A little break follows.

Technical Breakdown:

  • Concentrate on the walk down from A flat:

    • Actually playing sixths, not in root position.
    • A flat (Ab) sixth; for example:
      • C, F, A flat at the top.

  • The recognizable blues riff at the beginning:

    • Recorded in 1965.
    • One of the moments in tunes associated with a Hammond.

Additional Notes:

  • The piece utilizes a lot of blues elements:

    • Slipping off the flat five.
    • Slipping off the minor third.

  • The underlying progression has a swinging bass line:

    • A traditional 12-bar blues structure.

Variations in Play:

  • One variation involves a dead stop, transitioning:

    • From Ab down to F, then A down to G (still with the sixth).

  • Following this, transitions into a guitar solo.

Exploration of Licks:

  • There are several variations of blues licks:
    • Notably featuring trills and the recurrence of slipping off the flat five.

Practice Tips:

  • Explore specific riffs that are frequently used and repeated:

    • It may seem fast, but the technique often involves simple slips off the flat five and the minor third.

  • Phrasing Suggestions:

    • Mix up your phrasing.
    • Pull back or push forward as needed.
    • Don't hesitate to hold and repeat phrases.

The rundowns are integral to the piece, embodying everyday blues organ language, but this is where it really originated.

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Joe Glossop

Joe Glossop

Joe Glossop is a keyboard player from Sheffield who has made his name on the Hammond organ. He currently holds the organ chair in Tom Jones's touring band, and has played with Van Morrison and James Hunter, as well as on piano and Rhodes. His courses get the real Hammond sound out of any keyboard - drawbar registration, the Leslie, the walking-bass left hand, and the comping and soloing vocabulary of the soul-jazz, blues and rock organ traditions, from Jimmy Smith to Booker T.

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