In 1979, when I was sixteen, I was studying only classical music. Then a friend showed me a Deep Purple LP. That opened my eyes to the "...other side...".
After a while someone asked me to swap it for the ELP first album...mmmmh, the cover was strange, no way to understand what kind of music could it be. I accepted and that was like an illumination, man! I fell in love with the music of Keith Emerson and the incredible sound of his Hammond organ.
 
I had to wait till eighteen to get from my parents my first organ: a sparkling-red-two-keyboard EKO TIGER DUO...I was on the road! After some years I got my first Hammond organ: the X-5 with an amazing Mini Moog (still alive and kicking). My dream was about to come true, I could be the new Emerson (Oh don't take me wrong, that was just one of those ego-trips the boys have when in their teens).
 
After some years, though I was playing rock and fusion, I started studying jazz piano (for me the organ was only a rock instrument then), but a friend musician told me about a certain Jimmy Smith, so I bought my first jazz organ CD: "House Party", another illumination! I couldn't believe my ears. Who is the bass player?... he's not there?...and who plays the bass lines then?...the organ player?!?...unbelievable to me!
 
That was the way I started getting into the feeling for the jazz organ. And here I am, with my ever reliable portable C3 (with a pedal board) that keeps my company wherever I play. I mainly play jazz today, but I think I could not be defined a jazz organist as I'm so much influenced by various styles, I like to be contaminated! But you can believe me if I say that I still vividly recall the day this instrument came into my life and I immediately knew it was to stay until the twelfth of never!
 
Bruno Erminero
 
Bruno has also produced an audio file speaking about his way to the Hammond organ. Click the PLAY button to listen to Bruno !