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aion-rsa · 5 years ago

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D.B. Cooper in Pop Culture: 15 Best Movie and TV Moments

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On November 24, 1971, a man calling himself Dan Cooper hijacked Northwest Orient Airlines flight 305 from Portland to Seattle (a trip known as a “milk run” due to the short distance involved). A few minutes into the voyage, he got the attention of a flight attendant and made it known that he had a bomb that he intended to use unless his demands were met. What did he want? $200,000 in unmarked bills and four parachutes.

After the plane was on the ground in Seattle, the passengers were let go, the plane was refueled, and Cooper was granted his money and chutes. He instructed the pilot to head towards Mexico City, making it clear that the wing flaps were to remain at 15 degrees and landing gear to stay deployed, the cabin remain depressurized, and that the craft was not to exceed an altitude of 10,000 feet.

Some time after the trip to Mexico City began, he strapped the cash to himself, put on a parachute, and exited the aircraft in flight via the aft staircase. He was never seen again.

It was a bold and brazen move that instantly captivated the world’s imagination. In the confused rush to get the story out there, the skyjacker was misidentified as D.B. Cooper, and the false name stuck. Suddenly everyone was transfixed by the Cooper story. Who was he? Did he survive the jump? Why did he do it? These unanswered questions only served to build up Cooper’s mystique and his legend grew exponentially.

To this day, no one really knows who D.B. Cooper was or what became of him. Other than some of the money being discovered by a kid who was building a campfire along the Columbia River in 1980, there have been no verifiable leads in the case. In 2016, the FBI closed the case. D.B. Cooper had committed the perfect crime, and gotten away with it.

And still, people continue to obsess about the enigmatic, and, by some accounts, charming skyjacker.

Because his crime didn’t harm anyone, D.B. Cooper became an instant folk hero. He was a living representation of the “sticking it to the man” ethos of the era. And before you knew it, a pop culture phenomenon – one that continues to this day – was born. Cooper has been the focus of countless books, a few movies (including the Seth Green comedy Without a Paddle), songs, and has impacted the general consciousness in unexpected ways. (David Lynch and Mark Frost were rumored to be inspired by the skyjacker when naming Agent Dale Bartholomew Cooper on Twin Peaks).

These are the most memorable ways he impacted pop culture. Let’s take a look.

The Mystery of D.B. Cooper

Almost 50 years on and we still have no idea who D.B. Cooper was and what his motives were. Or do we? HBO Max’s The Mystery of D.B. Cooper, an in-depth documentary that aims to be the definitive word on this true-crime saga.

You can read our review of The Mystery of D.B. Cooper here.

In Search Of…

One of the earliest, and still the greatest, examination of the Cooper case is a 1979 installment of Leonard Nimoy’s cheesy/sublime 1979 investigational series In Search Of…

Over the course of 22 odd minutes, a delightfully porn-stached Nimoy runs through the particulars of the case. Complete with ominous re-enactments and insights from FBI agent Ralph Himmelsbach (whose obsession with the solving the case would eventually reach Captain Ahab proportions), this episode is the perfect starting point for aspiring Cooperphiles.

The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper

Due to the strong intrigue surrounding the Cooper skyjacking, it was only a matter of time before Hollywood tried to profit off of the crime. Thus in 1981, The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper hit theaters. The film starred Treat Williams, a slumming Robert Duvall, and the late, great Paul Gleason.

Loosely inspired by J.D. Reed’s novel Free Fall, the popcorn flick aimed more at entertaining audiences than actually delving into the hardcore mystery surrounding the man and his confounding actions. As such, the finished project is an amiable adventure that owes more to The Dukes of Hazzard and Smokey and the Bandit-type diversions than actual history.

HA HA HA

In 1983, interest in all things D.B. Cooper had already waned. Yet despite this, Signum Books LTD. published this purported autobiography that suggests that Cooper is just as good at spinning a wild yarn as he is jumping out of airplanes and ripping off the government.

The most interesting aspect of this novel is how it was also a contest. Readers could unravel clues hidden in the book to win $200,000 of their own. We have no idea if anyone ever made good of this offer, but this form of interactive fiction could be seen as a precursor to similiar and more mainstream literary experiments like J.J. Abrams and Doug Dorst’s S.

Prison Break

Before it broke our hearts by downfalling into mediocrity, Prison Break was one of the most engaging Fox shows of its time. One thing that bugs us though? Somehow we never pictured Cooper — portrayed in the series by character actor great Muse Watson — as a cat owner.

Skyjack

In 2012, CBS Films optioned the rights to journalist Geoffrey Gray’s Skyjack. Sadly, that project is currently residing in development hell, which is especially upsetting because Gray’s thoughtful analysis of the case and its obsessive, often damaged main players could be the next Argo. It’s a strange and joyous read.

Do Gray’s new leads result in finally identifying Cooper? That would be telling. Plus, as with many things in life, it’s not so much the destination as the strange odyssey that is undertaken along the way that is key.

NewsRadio

The fifth and final season of Newsradio obviously suffered from the creative energy that was lost following the senseless murder of Phil Hartman. However it began to gain some serious steam with a three-part story arc in which it was revealed that Jimmy James (the peerless Stephen Root) might actually be D.B. Cooper. As fun as this all was, nothing could prepare viewers for the joyous shock that came from the revelation that Cooper was, in fact, Adam West.

Journeyman

Journeyman, we still miss you so. NBC’s 2007 time-travel drama starred Kevin McKidd as a successful reporter, recovering gambling addict, and family man who began mysteriously travelling back in time. Because his adventures often resulted in him putting right what once went wrong, the Quantum Leap comparisons never stopped. But Journeyman was so much more than just an adventure of the week story. You see, when McKidd’s character went back in time, the present kept on going, meaning that he could return hours, days or weeks after he mysteriously vanished. This ramped up the domestic and career drama greatly in a way that Sam Beckett’s “oh boy”-worthy exploits could only dream of.

Five episodes in, the installment “The Legend of Dylan McCleen” was a quick exploration of the Cooper mythos, with the name changed to protect the guilty, apparently. As if we didn’t love it enough already, they had to go and bring Cooper into the mix. Why was this show cancelled again?

1971 CBS News Report

When word of Cooper’s skyjacking first hit the media, the news was so audacious that it became a national obsession (and still is, to be honest). Above you see CBS News’ original report about the Cooper case. Join Walter Cronkite and Bill Kurtis for their coverage of this history-making event.

Bigfoot vs. D.B. Cooper

Full disclosure: We’ve never seen this low-budget flick that looks like the next big SyFy sweeps event. But D.B. Cooper and Bigfoot? Together? That’s gotta be a recipe for entertainment, right?

cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530", }).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796"); });

Skyjacked

While based more on the rash of skyjackings that plagued American skies in the early 1970s than Cooper’s specifically, the 1972 proto-disaster film Skyjacked was clearly impacted by the folk hero’s actions. With stars like Charlton Heston, James Brolin, Rosie Grier, and TV’s Spider-Man, Nicholas Hammond, the film is a tense thriller about a skyjacker who seeks to divert a passenger plane to Alaska. As the terrorist is revealed to be a traumatized Vietnam War veteran, his actions lead to an international incident — resulting in a conclusion that remains gripping to this day.

Everything Is Fine, “Vapor Trails and Light”

In 2005, murky shoegazers Everything Is Fine released their album Ghosts Are Knocking on Walls, a guitar-drenched affair that featured two tracks inspired by Cooper’s antics.

While “D.B. Cooper” was a reverb-heavy instrumental imagining of what the skyjacker’s leap into history might have emotionally felt like, “Vapor Trails and Light” explored the mindset of the plane’s occupants. “You hijack the flight and disappear into the night,” sings vocalist Marc Manning in a delicate growl before adding “vapor trails and light, all we see tonight but it’s all right.”–-indicating that ultimately D.B.’s antics were the sort of victimless crime that resulted in his folk icon status. It’s a fantastic song that brings to mind the works of Slowdive and This Mortal Coil. In other words, essential listening for the 120 Minutes crowd.

Dan Cooper Comics

In the 1950s, France’s Dan Cooper comics chronicled the exploits of the titular Royal Canadian Air Force pilot. Since the skyjacker identified himself to the flight crew as Dan Cooper, it has been speculated that he borrowed his false identity from these comics…something that seems more than plausible given the similarities between both Coopers. The only problem is that the Dan Cooper stories were unknown to Americans in 1971, adding another speculative wrinkle to an already fascinating case.

The Far Side

Gary Larson’s seminal comic strip The Far Side once speculated on Cooper’s final fate. It may not be pretty for him, but it sure is funny.

Todd Snider, “D.B. Cooper”

Folk-twinged alt-country singer/songwriter Todd Snider paid a musical tribute to Cooper on his 2000 album Happy to Be Here, which speculates that D.B. did in fact survive his leap, and celebrated with a champagne toast. “I hope they never see D.B. Cooper again,” Snider croons, echoing the sentiments of those who yearn for this case never to be solved. After all, history needs its mysteries…

What’s your favorite D.B. Cooper pop culture moment? Let us know in the comments! And be sure to check out our D.B. Cooper Spotify playlist!

The post D.B. Cooper in Pop Culture: 15 Best Movie and TV Moments appeared first on Den of Geek.

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hammondcast · 8 years ago

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Part 4 of 4 Conversations with main man Harold Channer - starts out telling the story about Teddy Venus in the Combat Zone - enjoy! Jon Hammond

#WATCHMOVIE HERE: Part 4 of 4 Conversations with main man Harold Channer - starts out telling the story about Teddy Venus in the Combat Zone - enjoy! Jon Hammond Part 4 of 4 Conversations with main man Harold Channer - starts out telling the story about Teddy Venus in the Combat Zone - enjoy! Jon Hammond Jon's archive https://archive.org/details/JonHammondConversationsWithHaroldChannerPt4JonHammondInterview Harold Hudson Channer and Jon Hammond in conversation Conversations With Harold Channer Pt 4 Jon Hammond Interview Music News Brought To You By Jon Hammond on CONVERSATIONS WITH HAROLD HUDSON CHANNER on MNNTV Intelligent Relevant Television Talk Harold Channer is a talk-show host on public access television network Manhattan Neighborhood Network, or MNN. He is the longest-running producer for the network, having done over 2,200 interviews over 40 years. Speaking here with Jon Hammond of KYOU Radio, Music News Brought To you by Jon Hammond on Conversations, Pt 4 of one hour program

*WATCH VIDEO: Conversations With Harold Channer Part 4 Jon Hammond Interview http://www.archive.org/details/JonHammondConversationsWithHaroldChannerPt4JonHammondInterview Hear Jon Hammond telling Harold Hudson Channer about his days playing Hammond organ nightly in the strip tease clubs in Boston Combat Zone in the mafia clubs as house organist at World Famous 2 O'Clock Club run by mobsters like Teddy Venus and Louie Venus the Venus Brothers. Just back from performing and presenting a Key Note Presentation in Melbourne Australia Ringwood Victoria at Bernies Music Land. Jon brought back a classic Akubra Australian Hat and recorded an album with drummer Michael Jordan LIVE AT BERNIES http://www.amazon.com/Live-At-Bernies-Jon-Hammond/dp/B003K7TMWM and a segment of Jon Hammond Band live in Jazzkeller Frankfurt with introduction by club owner Eugen Hahn featuring Jon's lineup of Joe Berger guitar, Kevin James Mauder tenor saxophone, Heinz Lichius drums and Jon Hammond at the organ Jon Hammond with Akubra Hat from Australia Eugen Hahn introducing Jon Hammond Band at Jazzkeller Frankfurt Harold Hudson Channer and Jon Hammond in conversation Jon Hammond new touring rig with Hammond Sk1 organ, EXP-50 Expression Pedal, Italian keyboard stand by Bespeco, Flight Case by Gator cases, Kart-A-Bag Super 600 wheels Jon and Harold looking at the in-studio monitor in studios of MNN TV on W. 59th St. in New York City Conversations Pt 4 Harold Channer and Jon Hammond Jon Hammond Band onstage at Jazzkeller Frankfurt with Kevin James Mauder tenor sax, Heinz Lichius drums, Joe Berger guitar, Jon Hammond at XB-2 Hammond organ Looking good on the TV Neil Portnow! #ASCAPPOP Great to see NARAS Grammy Award main man Neil Portnow at the reception this evening for ASCAP Pop Music Awards - we spoke about George Greif and Joe Cocker at the 1982 I attended, looking good Neil! Grammy Awards 2017 Live Online - Jon Hammond London, United Kingdom & Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex, United Kingdom - from the Bus Big Ben...thanks to the fine folks at Highland Express Airways for their hospitality aboard Highland 747-123 and accommodations at The Old Bell - which dates back to 1485! - Jon Hammond traveling with Joe Berger in United Kingdom Thanks to the fine folks at Highland Express Airways for their hospitality aboard Highland 747-123 and accommodations at The Old Bell - which dates back to 1485! - Jon Hammond — at London Stansted Airport. Glasgow Prestwick Airport / PIK - Thanks to the fine folks at Highland Express Airways for their hospitality aboard Highland 747-123 and accommodations at The Old Bell - which dates back to 1485! - / Tracie Diamond in the lounge! - Jon Hammond — at London Stansted Airport. Special Delivery! - Pine Hill Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex, United Kingdom The Old Bell landing pad - Thanks to the fine folks at Highland Express Airways for their hospitality aboard Highland 747-123 and accommodations at The Old Bell - which dates back to 1485! - Jon Hammond — at London Stansted Airport. R.I.P. Al Jarreau Feb. 12, 2017 - Photos ©Jon Hammond International a Musikmesse 2016 with hr-bigband #hrbigband #aljarreau #tonylakatos Tony Lakatos tenor with Jörg Achim Keller conducting *Note: I first saw Al Jarreau in 1977 at a special Warner Brothers showcase at Alan Pepper's Bottom Line club in Greenwich Village NYC along with George Benson and Earl Klugh - he was great! Very successful show, he then stopped his job as a teacher and went full time in to music. Then I had the good fortune to see him again last year on the night of the final day of 2016 musikmesse together with the hr-Bigband - Frankfurt Radio Big Band *see my photos at the Congress Center Messe Frankfurt - and also Al did several shows with my friends in the NDR Bigband as well - JH https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Jarreau Birth name Alwin Lopez Jarreau Born March 12, 1940 Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States Died February 12, 2017 (aged 76) Los Angeles, California, United States Genres Jazz, R&B, soul Occupation(s) Singer Instruments Vocals Vocal percussion Years active 1967–2017 Alwin Lopez "Al" Jarreau (March 12, 1940 – February 12, 2017) was an American jazz singer.[1] He won seven Grammy Awards and was nominated for over a dozen more. He was best known for his 1981 album Breakin' Away and for singing the theme song of the late-1980s television series Moonlighting. Jarreau was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the fifth of six children. His website refers to Reservoir Avenue, the name of the street where he lived. His father was a Seventh-day Adventist Church minister and singer, and his mother was a church pianist. He and his family sang together in church concerts and in benefits, and he and his mother performed at PTA meetings.[2] He was student council president and Badger Boys State delegate for Lincoln High School. At Boys State, Jarreau, was elected governor.[3] He went on to attend Ripon College, where he also sang with a group called the Indigos. Jarreau graduated in 1962 with a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology.[1] He went on to earn a master's degree in vocational rehabilitation from the University of Iowa, worked as a rehabilitation counselor in San Francisco, and moonlighted with a jazz trio headed by George Duke. In 1967, he joined forces with acoustic guitarist Julio Martinez.[1] The duo became the star attraction at a small Sausalito night club called Gatsby's. This success contributed to Jarreau's decision to make professional singing his life and full-time career. Going full-time[edit] Al Jarreau in Wrocław, Poland; June 25, 2006 Al Jarreau headlining "Jazz in Kiev 2008" festival In 1968, Jarreau made jazz his primary occupation. In 1969, Jarreau and Martinez headed south, where Jarreau appeared in such Los Angeles hot spots as Dino's, The Troubadour, and Bitter End West. Television exposure came from Johnny Carson, Mike Douglas, Merv Griffin, Dinah Shore, and David Frost. He expanded his nightclub appearances performing at The Improv between the acts of such rising-star comics as Bette Midler, Jimmie Walker, and John Belushi. During this period, he became involved with the United Church of Religious Science and the Church of Scientology, but he later dissociated from Scientology. Also, roughly at the same time, he began writing his own lyrics, finding that his Christian spirituality began to influence his work. In 1975, Jarreau was working with pianist Tom Canning when he was spotted by Warner Bros. Records. On Valentine's Day 1976 he sang on the 13th episode of NBC's new Saturday Night Live hosted, that week, by Peter Boyle (Young Frankenstein, Everybody Loves Raymond). Soon thereafter he released his critically acclaimed debut album, We Got By, which catapulted him to international fame and garnered him a German Grammy Award. A second German Grammy would follow with the release of his second album, Glow. One of Jarreau's most commercially successful albums is Breakin' Away (1981), which includes the hit song "We're in This Love Together". In 1984, his single "After All" reached 69 on the US Hot 100 chart and number 26 on the R&B chart. It was especially popular in the Philippines. His last big hit was the Grammy-nominated theme to the 1980s American television show Moonlighting, for which he wrote the lyrics. Among other things, he was well known for his extensive use of scat singing, and vocal percussion. He was also a featured vocalist on USA for Africa's "We Are the World" in which he sang the line, "...and so we all must lend a helping hand." Another charitable media event, HBO's Comic Relief, featured Al in a duet with Natalie Cole singing the song "Mr. President", written by Joe Sterling, Mike Loveless and Ray Reach. Jarreau took an extended break from recording in the 1990s. As he explained in an interview with Jazz Review: "I was still touring, in fact, I toured more than I ever had in the past, so I kept in touch with my audience. I got my symphony program under way, which included my music and that of other people too, and I performed on the Broadway production of Grease. I was busier than ever! For the most part, I was doing what I have always done … perform live. I was shopping for a record deal and was letting people know that there is a new album coming. I was just waiting for the right label (Verve), but I toured more than ever."[4] In 2003, Jarreau and conductor Larry Baird collaborated on symphony shows around the United States, with Baird arranging additional orchestral material for Jarreau's shows. He toured and performed with Joe Sample, Chick Corea, Kathleen Battle, Miles Davis, David Sanborn,[5] Rick Braun, and George Benson. He also performed the role of the Teen Angel in a 1996 Broadway production of Grease. On March 6, 2001, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, at 7083 Hollywood Boulevard on the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and La Brea Avenue. In 2006, Al Jarreau appeared in a duet with American Idol finalist Paris Bennett during the Season 5 finale and on Celebrity Duets singing with actor Cheech Marin. In 2010, Al Jarreau was a guest on the new Eumir Deodato album, with the song "Double Face" written by Nicolosi/Deodato/Al Jarreau. The song was produced by the Italian company Nicolosi Productions. On February 16, 2012, he was invited to the famous Italian Festival di Sanremo to sing with the Italian group Matia Bazar. On February 8, 2017, after being hospitalized for exhaustion, he cancelled his remaining 2017 tour dates and retired from touring.[6] Personal life Jarreau was married twice. His first marriage, to Phyllis Hall, lasted from 1964 to 1968. His second wife was model Susan Elaine Player, whom he married in 1977. Jarreau and Player had one son together, Ryan. It was reported on July 23, 2010 that Jarreau was critically ill at a hospital in France, while in the area to perform a concert at nearby Barcelonnette, and was being treated for respiratory problems and cardiac arrhythmias.[7] He was taken to the intensive-care unit at Gap late on July 22, 2010.[8] Jarreau was conscious, in a stable condition and in the cardiology unit of La Timone hospital in Marseille, the Marseille Hospital Authority said. He was expected to remain there for about a week for tests.[9] In June 2012, Jarreau was diagnosed with pneumonia, which caused him to cancel several concerts in France.[10] Jarreau made a full recovery and continued to tour extensively until February 2017.[11][12] In 2009 children's author Carmen Rubin published the story Ashti Meets Birdman Al, inspired by the music of Al Jarreau. He wrote the foreword for the book and read from it across the world. Al and Carmen worked together to promote literacy and the importance of keeping music alive in children. Death[edit] Al Jarreau suffered pneumonia and some effective seizures and was hospitalized. He died on February 12, 2017 at the age of 76. El Cerrito High School Jazz Festival: University of the Pacific Jazz Ensemble was sounding real good yesterday conducted by Patrick Langham folks! from the Brubeck Institute - Jon Hammond Oakland, California -- Outrageous colors last night's sunset - seen from Oakland Hills - Jon Hammond Early bird gets the worm...2nd mouse gets the paradiddle! 8AM Alan Hall Drum Master Class El Cerrito High School Bands Jazz Festival - Jon Hammond http://echsbands.com/festival/ "The Third Annual El Cerrito Jazz Festival is taking place on Saturday, February 11, 2017 in the ECHS Performing Arts Center" First bands up Albany High School Instrumental Music HS Jazz Lab and Northgate Instrumental Music Boosters - NIMB Jazz Band II 4 minutes ago Times Square, New York City is the most famous and oft-visited place in the world - always exciting and non-stop action here in 'The City That Never Sleeps'! Always well lit and with giant interactive TV screens - the ultimate tourist location and for locals alike. In the days before LED lights and screens, the very first large outdoor TV screen was the Mitsubishi USA Diamond Vision Screen - and then followed by the Sony Jumbotron. I personally produced clips that were shown on the Diamond Vision Screen at 47th & Broadway (across from TKTS, at the time it was on top of Bowery Savings Bank branch) - the clips were shown 80 times daily for 3.5 minutes, and we did the psychedelic countdown to the New Year on New Years Eve twice, seen by millions live and on ABC's Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve - c u there folks! - Jon Hammond — Times Square, New York Hammond organ concert to benefit family of Gregg Gronowski - from Chicago Tribune Kathy Cichon Elgin Courier News in Land O' Lincoln folks! - I'll be playing with Joe Berger and 2 local cats: Sam Jewell drums and Steve Eisen tenor sax for 'Gregg' Gregory Gronowski Feb. 22nd in St. Charles IL Arcada Theatre *thanks Ron Onesti - Hammond Organ USA http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/naperville-sun/ct-ecn-hammond-organ-st-0217-20170210-story.html : Feb. 10, 2017 10:31 AM "The Hammond organ seems to inspire not just loyalty amongst the musicians who play it, but also a spirit of camaraderie. "It's not joining the Elks or the Moose Lodge or something, but it is a fraternity/sorority... People helping and coming together. A lot of this was formed by Gregg. If you needed help, Gregg was there to help," said Scott May, organist for the Ides of March and project manager/artist liaison for Hammond USA. "That selflessness and brotherhood became the order of the day, and it's been wonderful to have that with so many artists and so many big names. It started with Gregg, and now we perpetuate. More than 20 Hammond artists will come to together Wednesday, Feb. 22 at the Arcada Theatre in St. Charles for the sixth annual Hammond Sound Soul Summit. The concert, which begins at 7:30 p.m., features musicians from across the genres including rock, jazz, pop, Gospel and more. During this year's Summit - the first time the event is held in the Chicago area - they will celebrate the life of Gregg Gronowski, Hammond USA's director of sales and marketing. Gronowski, who is credited with helping to create the family-like relationship among the Hammond musicians that's affectionately dubbed "HamFam," died in August 2016 following a massive stroke. All proceeds from the concert will benefit Gronowski's family. "He was a great guy, a special guy. He's brought together this Hammond family," said Robby Robinson, longtime music director for Frankie Valli. "He was kind of the Papa Bear of the HamFam. All of this Hammond organ people have this affinity and brotherhood so to speak, that it really is kind of a family. It's really special, and I'm so blessed to be a part of it." The night of music features what May calls "an unprecedented lineup" of Hammond musicians across a variety of musical genres. "You don't get to see these artists together in one place. You'll never see Mark Stein from Vanilla Fudge and Dr. Lonnie Smith together in the same show," May said. "You'll never see some of the Gospel artists and some of the rock artists together in the same show. It demonstrates the depth of Hammond family and the camaraderie we have." Among those performing are jazz legend Dr. Lonnie Smith, Mark Stein of Vanilla Fudge, Emiko, Rev. Jimmie Smith, Red Young of Eric Burdon's The Animals, Kevin McKendree of the Brian Setzer and Delbert McClinton bands, Yates McKendree, former Tower of Power musician Ellis Hall, Kim Tibbs, Jon Hammond, Jim Afredson, Tommy Leershen, Justin Dillard, Anthony Williams of the Bobby Jones Gospel TV show, Marine LaCoste of Uncle Kracker, Gary Swan from Etta James' band, Steven Eaklor, Peter Gallinari of Leslie West's and Richie Scarlett's bands and Jim Kozak. Also performing is May with the Ides of March featuring Jim Peterik, as well as Robinson with members of the Jersey Boys cast. "We're going to do a medley of Frankie Valli songs," Robinson said. "I've been living those songs for ever and ever. " During the Summit, musical equipment donated by Addison-based Hammond – including an organ – will be raffled, with those proceeds also going to Gronowski's family. "Gregg was very, very special to the company. He wasn't a keyboard player, he was a bass player by trade," May said. "He learned a lot about the instrument and did a lot to bring the company up to a modern level." Robinson said Gronowski was a genuinely warm person who connected with everyone, and that he had a real passion for music and the Hammond organ. That passion for Hammond is something Robinson shares. "I've been playing Hammond since the 60s. I own eight Hammond organs," said Robinson, who is also a composer and producer. What is it about the instrument that inspires such devotion? "There is no other organ in pop music or rock music or Gospel music that has become the standard bearer for the instrument in any of those genres. It just doesn't happen," Robinson said. "It's a one of a kind instrument. It's hard to quantify exactly … but there's no doubt that anybody who is Hammond organ player has a love affair with the instrument. "I love to play piano but when I sit down at the Hammond organ, it's the most fun thing I do in music," he said. "There's a special connection that I cannot articulate what it is, because it's such an emotional experience that it's hard to define it. But it is consistent and it is real." And during the Sound Soul Summit, audience members will have a chance to share that experience when the artists perform. "Guitarists get all the press. Everybody loves guitar players. They get all the press and all the action. The keyboard players kind of sit back," May said. "Now this is time for the keyboard players to step to the front of the stage and shine." Kathy Cichon is a freelance reporter for the Elgin Courier-News. Hammond Organ Sound Soul Summit When: Feb. 22 Where: Arcada Theatre, 105E. Main St., St. Charles Tickets: $25-$100 Information: 630-962-7000 or www.arcadalive.com Copyright © 2017, The Naperville Sun Hammond heaven -- playing my mostly stock 1965 Hammond B3 + 122 Leslie speaker - I opened it up so you can see a few mods by the late great master Bill Beer / Keyboard Products of Los Angeles - I bought this organ rig at the age of 18, not too long ago folks! - Jon Hammond http://www.jonhammondband.com/news.html Part 4, Conversations, Harold Channer, MNN TV, Gregg Gronowski, Arcada Theatre, Chicago Tribune, #HammondOrgan #B3 #Arcada #Chicago

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