I'm constantly going through different changes in my music and as I complete one project I move on to the next. Most of you probably have noticed the changes on this site alone. I've changed my artist name from Markku to Aimless Sessions simply because I create music for myself and it has no real purpose. I'm not looking to be discovered nor signed, I'm merely trying to preserve styles in jazz which seem to be disappearing. These styles are the ones I grew up with, loved creating and enjoy playing them. To me they are what jazz is all about.

My current project involves the Hammond B-3 organ which I recently acquired as I've been wanting one for years. Read my other blog which explains.

Back in the early 70's I used to play the Hammond C-3 organ with various jazz-rock type horn bands. In the late 70's I decided that I didn't want to just play jazz-rock as after listening to guys like Richard Holmes, Les McCann, "Brother" Jack McDuff, Jimmy McGriff and Jimmy Smith, I wanted to do some soul jazz on the organ and play like these guys. I formed a trio which at the time was called "Mark Hammond Trio", the last name taken from of course the Hammond organ. We played at several venues and became quite known on the circuit. But as time went on, moving the C-3 became heavier and heavier especially with the speaker. We ended calling it "Big Bertha".

I decided that it was time to downsize so I traded the C-3 and the Leslie speaker in for a Rhodes electric piano and a Farfisa "slalom 500" double keyboard draw bar organ with separate pedals. It had a similar sound. I also picked up a smaller Leslie speaker as they were all a lot easier to handle and much lighter than "Big Bertha". Since I no longer had the C-3 organ eventually we ended up changing our name as well to "Jazz Enigma" which stuck with us for many years.

For many years later, I regretted getting rid of "Big Bertha" as it pretty much became the trios signature. Not only that but playing the Farfisa wasn't quite the same as playing the monster C-3. It wasn't until about the late 90's that I got a gig playing in a local jazz/blues establishment. The instrument was non other than the Hammond B-3. I got together with a drummer and we did a duo together. The bass was created with the organ pedals so we didn't need a bass player. We did have guys sitting in playing sax or guitar from time to time, but what I enjoyed most was the sound of the B-3, guitar and drums. How cool was that. It brought back memories of Jimmy Smith with Kenny Burrell and Jimmy and Wes Montgomery. So for a long time I wanted to have my own B-3.

When the joint was sold recently, I had an opportunity to acquire the B-3 along with the speaker for a measly two hundred bucks. All I had to do was to get it out of the place that day. Well I now own a B-3 and its Leslie to say no more! The B-3 did need quite a bit of work which took me a year to get things working like it should. The Leslie is still being worked on as many of the components were shot. So for the time being I'm using a Roland KC-500 keyboard amp to run the sound through.

The style is actually soul jazz: Soul jazz was a development of hard bop which incorporated strong influences from blues, gospel and rhythm and blues in music for small groups, often the organ trio which featured the Hammond organ.