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Take Five With Hammond B3 organist and pianist Darren Heinrich
Meet Darren Heinrich:
Darren Heinrich Trio is a classic Hammond Organ combo-organ/guitar/drums. The music's emphasis is groove, with equal parts tradition and innovation. Original music by Darren forms a significant part of the bands repertoire in addition to standards and blues.Darren Heinrich: organ
Steve Brien: guitar
Andrew Dickeson: drums
Darren Heinrich is a versatile Sydney-based pianist and organist, who holds First Class Honors degree in jazz from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, where he studied with Judy Bailey and Kevin Hunt. His influences incorporate the entire spectrum of the jazz idiom, from its earliest ragtime roots to modern jazz. He regularly gigs with his own trio and freelances with a wide variety of acts both locally and abroad.
During the last several years his focus has been jazz organ music. He travelled to the US to study with Hammond master
Tony Monaco
organ, Hammond B3b.1959
Jimmy Smith
organ, Hammond B31925 - 2005
Larry Young
organ, Hammond B31940 - 1978
Instruments:
Hammond B3 and piano.Teachers and/or influences?
Larry Goldings
organ, Hammond B3b.1968
Wynton Kelly
piano1931 - 1971
Bill Evans
piano1929 - 1980
Dr. Lonnie Smith
organ, Hammond B31942 - 2021
I knew I wanted to be a musician when...
I first heard blues piano.Your sound and approach to music:
Keep it melodic and grooving, with a dash of avant-garde.Your teaching approach:
Learn the language and speak with your own voice.Your dream band:
Peter Bernstein
guitarb.1967
Jimmy Cobb
drums1929 - 2020
Anecdote from the road:
Audience member to me: "Hi, I'm a big jazz fan!"
Me: "Great—do you have any requests?"
Audience member: "Yeah, 'Black Magic Woman' by Santana!"
Favorite venue:
The Sound Lounge Sydney or the Lennox Lounge in Harlem.Your favorite recording in your discography and why?
New Vintage Tunes for the Hammond Organ because I wrote all the tunes and I'm very proud of it.What do you think is the most important thing you are contributing musically?
Writing original music for the Hammond Trio.Did you know...
I'm really into parrots of all kinds?How do you use the internet to help your career?
I have a website and email list and visit Yahoo groups for Hammond a lot.CDs you are listening to now:
Dr. Lonnie Smith, Rise Up (Palmetto)
Hank Jones
piano1918 - 2010
Sean Wayland
keyboardsDesert Island picks:
Jimmy Smith, Crazy Baby! (Blue Note)
Miles Davis
trumpet1926 - 1991
John Coltrane
saxophone1926 - 1967
Larry Goldings, As One (Palmetto)
Bill Evans, On Green Dolphin Street (Riverside)
How would you describe the state of jazz today?
Very healthy and a broad range of music, but unfortunately without the audience it deserves.What are some of the essential requirements to keep jazz alive and growing?
Incorporating tradition and innovation, I think.What is in the near future?
Promoting my new disc and writing more tunes!By Day:
I teach part-time at Australian Institute of Music.Tags
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