(3 fold out insert)

The Organ. The pieces were played on a Hammond Super SX-2500 spinet plus a Leslie HL-822, kindly loaned for the project by Carl Spencer of Hammond UK. Historically, the patent for Hammond "electric" organs was granted in April 1934 and, according to the literature, the first tonebar-tonewheel Hammond Model 'A' was unveiled in 1935, an order immediately immediately bein being placed by Henry Ford and another shortly afterwards by George Gershwin. There are numerous landmarks in the subsequent development of these fine organs, one of the most significant being the introduction of the Concert 'E' in 1937 since this pipeless instrument immediately challenged the rich markets so completely dominated until then by pipe organs. And perhaps of even greater significance was the breakthrough in 1949 when the 'M', the first self-contained "spinet" organ arrived on the scene, its 13-note pedalboard and built-in speakers making it possible for people like ourselves to have an organ of our own in the home - and just look at the way the market has responded! The many features we now take for granted - percussion, reverberation, built-in Leslie, rhythm unit - all gradually followed over a period of some twenty years and set the stage for the tremendous high-tech advances now being made. The Super SX-2500 is the latest iinstrument from this famous stable and, since it has traditional drawbars, organists familiar with the legendary models can play it without needing to even glance at the handbook. But the pleasure is then greatly increased when use is made of the eight thumb pistons which, on their factory settings, invoke a splendid selection of the orchestral voicings and combinations built into the instrument. However, a study of the handbook enables the pistons to be set to give precisely the sounds needed for a particular piece, thus taking full advantage of the instrument's advanced technology. And, in the way so firmly established over the years, the musical experience acquires a new dimension when the organ is linked to a large Leslie cabinet, the use in this instance of the HL-822 producing pure magic!