When Anne McCue invited me to Germany last February to play a festival with the Cubists, I said YES!!! And when she mentioned she’d like me to play the Hammond B3 organ that would be there, I said, OK! Despite playing the piano and keyboards since I was 6 years old, I’d never cracked the code on the organ before. I’d faked my way though with my Nord Electro and had some fun in studio sessions being directed for a part, but I’d never been unleashed on a full on Hammond with a leslie cabinet situation. To say the least, I was definitely a bit nervous. Especially since we were playing a JAZZ FESTIVAL - bound to be some heavy cats playing that thing.

As I’ve taken this approach with the organ in particular, I realize there are some gaps in what I’ve learned, gleaned, and improvised. As I lean in and truly practice scales for real, and think about the numbers system and keys to play in and those patterns, something amazing is showing itself to me!

Standing nervously backstage waiting to go on, I felt the mix of excitement to do my thing as well as the nervous energy in me. Will I totally suck, do I even know how to play music? It is always right there. Always.