The Cat (Jimmy Smith) - Short slower tempo version - Nord C1 Hammond B-3 Clonewheel Organ Clavia

This is my short version of 'The Cat'. I play the melody as I can hear Jimmy Smith play it in his original recording from 1964, where he was backed by a big band. I add a left hand walking bass line and two comp choruses, no solo choruses. I play in a slower tempo than the 'The Cat' record. I play at the same tempo as the song was performed in the soundtrack for 'Joy House'.

I have also uploaded a full-length uptempo version of The Cat.

The song was composed by Lalo Schifrin as part of a 1964 movie soundtrack for Joy House/Les Félins/The Love Cage. After about 65 min there is a 1 min scene with Jane Fonda where a big band is playing the song. Then Schifrin wrote a full song big band arrangement of The Cat for Jimmy Smith, and the released record got the same name. The Cat was a hit for Jimmy Smith, and he really let his hair hang down on that take!

----------
The organ is a Clavia Nord C1 - a Hammond B-3 clonewheel organ.

Nord C1 Registrations and Settings:
Upper 88 8000 000. Chorus C2. Percussion On, Soft, Fast, Third.
Lower 84 8000 000. No Chorus.
Bass lower manual 80.
Leslie simulator Stop position.
Equalizer Off.
Overdrive/Drive Off.
Reverb Hall, Soft, 50%.
Tonewheel mode Vintage 2 (high level of tonewheel crosstalk and cable leakage artefacts).

The sound is recorded line out from the organ. No additional external effects, external amplifiers or speakers are used.
----------
To be sure to watch this video with better picture and sound, please, choose the highest resolution available.
------------------

Category:

Music

Tags:

• The
• Cat
• Jimmy
• Smith
• Nord
• C1
• Hammond
• B-3
• Clonewheel
• Organ
• Clavia
• Lalo
• Schifrin
• Joy
• House
• Les
• Félins
• rounder2u

[wvmm94]

Hi Rounder!

I just started to play the hammond organ, so now I have two questions.

I'm playing on a Hammond L122, and unlike by your Nord C1, the upper keys sound a lot louder then the lower keys! Is that normal or is my hammond broken?

And the setting 'Chorus C2', is that something that can only be done on a Nord, or is there also a way to manage this on my Hammond?

Thanks a lot, and i really like your vids!

[rounder2u]

Hi wvmm

Thanks!

I suggest you get in touch with an old Hammond tech hand in your area to get 100% accurate answers, as I can't give you more than general answers here.

The Nord C1 (and C2) is modelled after the Hammond B-3/C-3 and it might well be the case that your L122 doesn't have all three Chorus settings like the B-3/C3 has.

The L122 also have fewer tonewheels than the B-3/C-3 which unfortunately gives it a bit 'weaker' sound. Still a great organ though!

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[jazz383841]

why dont use you thump on left hand?

[rounder2u]

Hi jazz

When I play this kind of bass line pattern, basically alternating between the root and the fifth (below) I find it

1) most natural and

2) with the least mental effort for me,

to use the index finger for the root and the little finger for the fifth.

(for other bass line patterns I use the thumb)

I won't stretch is as far as saying that a certain fingering is right and another fingering is wrong. It may be different for other players.

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[jymcaputo]

hey Rounder.....don't give a hoot about what Redbull has to say. Redbull's the kind of player who's all talk. If he had any balls, he'd come to Phx and I'd school his low life ass in how to swing. You keep working at your craft. And remember, there's always someone somewhere who can probably kick our asses. Redbull can't swing and he probably has a tiny weenie.

[rounder2u]

Hi jymcaputo

Well, I now my shortcomings - a humongous list, by the way :-)and are practicing, and hopefully improving that lovely but quite elusive thing called 'swing'. So you are right, I keep working :-)

And listening to those Masters: J.O.S, Joey DeFrancesco, Jimmy McGriff, Richard 'Groove' Holmes, and quite a few more.

Keep Phx swinging!

Rounder

[rounder2u]

Hi numanuma

My mini-answers :-)

1. No.

2. Not always, since like 2008. Fiddling with keyboards a bit. Keyboards/piano/organ is not my main/first instrument.

3. Not easy but sure possible! In jazz organ the left/right hand independence is extremely important, as you play the bass with your left. Also many specific jazz organ techniques (please, check out my 5 min version of 'The Cat' for a number of those).

PS. Rule No. 1. in jazz organ: The left hand is The Boss!

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[numanuma20]

I have some question for you. This is like a mini interview:

1. Do you use pedals when you play?

2. Have you always played the organ or

have/can you played other keyboard instruments as well (piano, synth, harpsichord, clavinet ect)

3. Is the organ easy to transfer from the piano? Do I have to learn a whole other instrument?

[rounder2u]

Hi redbull

The list of what I have to do and what I have to improve to be able to play like The Incredible, J.O.S - Jimmy Smith is to long to be covered even if I wrote a book about it :-)

I hope and believe though that these are the notes Jimmy Smith played during the melody in his truly great orginal 1964 recording with the Lalo Schifrin big band arrangement. If I have managed to reach that goal, and thereby might be helping others learn this song I'm happy with that.

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[redbull101991]

Dude, you play that in a way too stiff way. You need to relax to play like Jimmy :3 Your hands shoulda be swingin!