Greg Hatza Organ Trio at The Mainstay June 14

The Greg Hatza Organ Trio brings the blues, R&B and gospel influenced sounds of jazz on the mighty Hammond B3 organ to the Mainstay in Rock Hall, MD on Saturday June 14 at 8:00. Admission is $20.

Greg Hatza is one of the great, unsung heroes of the Hammond B3 organ, a soulful instrument full of emotion and feeling, bearing traditions ranging from gospel to blues. An acknowledged master, Hatza coaxes his own brand of rootsy, blues-based jazz from the legendary organ, creating a funky, soulful, sinuous sound that satisfies a listener’s inner groove junkie. Joining Hatza will be Brian Kooken on guitar and Robert Shahied on drums.

The Hammond B-3 became Hatza’s life-obsession as a teen in his native Reading, PA when a friend turned him on to records by Jimmy Smith, Jimmy McGriff, Ray Charles, and Johnny Hammond Smith. His first professional gig on the instrument came when he was 16, with the Frankie Scott Trio, when he played around small towns in central Pennsylvania.

Because there were no jazz organ instructors at the time, Hatza was largely self-taught , picking up most of his insider knowledge from the organ players at jam sessions at a local club called the Grand Hotel, which was host to groups from Philadelphia and Delaware. It was at the Grand that Baltimore Colts football great and jazz fan Lenny Moore asked the teenager to perform at a club he was opening in Baltimore.

In the late Sixties, Baltimore was an “organ town” and had its share of great players, many of who mentored the young Hatza. Lenny Moore’s club was a great stopping point for a lot of the national jazz artists who came to Baltimore to perform. It was there that Hatza met his mentor Jimmy Smith. Jimmy and Greg closed down the club one night, playing ’til three in the morning.

Since then Hatza has become a fixture on the Baltimore jazz scene. From the 70s through the 90s he explored world music starting on the tabla, then moving to the sitar and erhu (Chinese fiddle) before coming back to the organ in the mid-90s.

Hatza received a degree in composition from the Peabody Conservatory, and a Master’s from Baltimore’s Towson State University, where he taught jazz, piano composition, improvisation and music theory for many years turning students on to the wonders of the Hammond B-3.

The Mainstay (Home of Musical Magic) is the friendly informal storefront performing arts center on Rock Hall’s old time Main Street. For information and reservations call 410-639-9133. Information is also available at the Mainstay’s website https://www.mainstayrockhall.org.