Episode 49. Pete Whittaker (Organ) - 'Secret Love'

A Hammond organ isn’t just an instrument, it’s a moving machine, and you can hear it breathe the moment you sit next to it.Geoff heads to North London to meet the wonderful jazz organist Pete Whittaker in his “organ room” and get properly nerdy about what makes a Hammond C3 feel so alive under the fingers, from the whirr of the tone wheels to the choices that shape a great jazz organ sound.We dig into the details: how jazz organists actually use bass pedals, why a little foot “click” can make left-hand bass punch through, and how you can capture the Leslie rotating speaker magic even when there isn’t a real cabinet in the room. Pete breaks down drawbars in plain English, explains harmonics and “footage”, and shows how a single note can carry the colour of a chord. He treats us to the 1950s Sammy Fain standard ‘Secret Love’ (accompanied by the Quartet app of course), and talks through what changes when there is or isn’t a bass player on the gig.Pete shares the story behind his jazz education: classical training, a great ear, the pull of Jimmy Smith, the modal shock of Larry Young’s album ‘Unity’ (1965), and the very real learning curve of getting thrown into gigs. We end with honest chat about nerves, time feel, favourite venues like Ronnie Scott’s, plus a few quick-fire favourites that make the musician behind the instrument feel close.If you enjoy jazz standards, Hammond organ, organ trio playing, and practical insights you can take to the keyboard, subscribe, share the show with a mate, and leave us a review.Presenter: Geoff GascoyneSeries Producer: Paul SissonsProduction Manager: Martin SissonsThe Quartet Jazz Standards Podcast is a UK Music Apps production.