I actually moved to LA in 1977 from Ft Worth and the first 7 years I went to Jimmy Smith's club on Victory Blvd where Dr Polk would play sometimes on nights when Jimmy wasn't there. His name stuck in my mind. I don't recall officially meeting him at that time, but toward the later years in LA I wanted to play more Hammond and there weren't a lot of places to play so I did a little tour of Texas in 2001 with help from Stephen Bruton and others and met Brannen Temple at that time. The next summer I came here and actually moved my spare Hammond here (while still living and working in LA) and in Nov sold the LA house and moved here. I played a place on 4th called Ludwig's with Ephraim Owens and first JJ Johnson and then Brannen Temple on drums. James came in on his breaks from Sullivans and I remembered he played organ. Asked him if he wanted to sit and for 6 weeks he declined saying he didn't play organ anymore. Then one week when I coaxed him a bit more, he came up and started playing. In 2007 I rented a room at Austin Music rooms and used it for my studio and put my Hammond in there and he did some recording with Brannen. Then Elias did the Church on Monday sessions and started up at the Gallery and when they needed an organ for shows, I'd bring mine. Now in the 8th year at the Gallery he plays that same organ every Monday night because I moved mine up to the Gallery permanently to replace the one that was up there a few months ago. That's a wide circle from Texas to LA back to Texas but I'm happy it happened. And consider Dr Polk one of my musical heroes for coming up and saying OK I'll play a tune or two. It's gone some very interesting places....
I am just curious to know what Dr. Polk thinks about some of the different types of jazz that many musicians have added to the jazz culture for example smooth jazz or Contemporary jazz.
I actually moved to LA in 1977 from Ft Worth and the first 7 years I went to Jimmy Smith's club on Victory Blvd where Dr Polk would play sometimes on nights when Jimmy wasn't there. His name stuck in my mind. I don't recall officially meeting him at that time, but toward the later years in LA I wanted to play more Hammond and there weren't a lot of places to play so I did a little tour of Texas in 2001 with help from Stephen Bruton and others and met Brannen Temple at that time. The next summer I came here and actually moved my spare Hammond here (while still living and working in LA) and in Nov sold the LA house and moved here. I played a place on 4th called Ludwig's with Ephraim Owens and first JJ Johnson and then Brannen Temple on drums. James came in on his breaks from Sullivans and I remembered he played organ. Asked him if he wanted to sit and for 6 weeks he declined saying he didn't play organ anymore. Then one week when I coaxed him a bit more, he came up and started playing. In 2007 I rented a room at Austin Music rooms and used it for my studio and put my Hammond in there and he did some recording with Brannen. Then Elias did the Church on Monday sessions and started up at the Gallery and when they needed an organ for shows, I'd bring mine. Now in the 8th year at the Gallery he plays that same organ every Monday night because I moved mine up to the Gallery permanently to replace the one that was up there a few months ago. That's a wide circle from Texas to LA back to Texas but I'm happy it happened. And consider Dr Polk one of my musical heroes for coming up and saying OK I'll play a tune or two. It's gone some very interesting places....
Thank you.
I am just curious to know what Dr. Polk thinks about some of the different types of jazz that many musicians have added to the jazz culture for example smooth jazz or Contemporary jazz.
Harold MRI Tech at SDMC in Austin ,TX.