When I was five years old I first heard a pipe organ. My parents had taken me to a concert with Bach music where they participated in the choir. I was allowed to stay right beside the pipe organ and was fascinated by the coordination of the organist and the sound of the organ. Later at the age of about nine, my parents came home with a huge dark instrument. They had bought it for my older brother. It was an old LOWRY (a good Hammond copy). My brother received lessons - and I received lessons from him. I couldn't perfectly reach the pedals and the upper manuals at the same time, so I first concentrated my exercises on the foot pedals. Playing the walking bass of "In The Mood" was one of the things that made me happy. Everytime I stepped on the seventh my heart got warm and it felt like jumping. That was the beginning of learning how to play the organ.
 
After I moved to Frankfurt/Main (at that time, I have been already involved in jazz), I met a sax player who had an enormous jazz record collection, where I participated from. I borrowed some records on which a Hammond organ was to be heard. That sound knocked me out, and I immediately knew, that this was the sound I needed. I was lucky. One day an old guy called me and asked me, "Are you looking for a Hammond ?" He had a wonderful Hammond B-3 stored in his garage and he didn't really know , what a worthy instrument he had got - good for me. Now, everything went perfectly. I got my Hammond!
 
I checked out the music of Milton Buckner, "Groove" Holmes, Larry Young, Don Patterson, Lonnie Smith, Jack McDuff, Wild Bill Davis, Jimmy Smith, Shirley Scott, Rhoda Scott, Trudy Pitts, Gloria Coleman, Billy Gardner, Eddy Louiss, Bill Doggett, Sonny Philipps, and others. I learned about the differences of the various styles in jazz and noted that most of the organists play a left hand bass. Actually, it makes sense to play the left hand bass on the manual. The sound of the manual is lighter than that of the pedal, which makes it easier to swing. There is no attack from an upright or electric bass. But for me, the foot pedals belong to the organ, and I have always loved its fat sound. I knew from the beginning that it would be hard to make the pedals swing.
 
Some years passed by, while I was teaching myself (I couild not find a teacher for the jazz organ) by listening to the records and playing along with. Soon, I found myself playing with local jazz groups. At the same time, I had lessons at the classical piano and the church organ. Later on, I received a scholarship at the New School of Music in New York where I enhanced my jazz studies and played or jammed in several clubsm, such as the "Showman's Café" or "La Famille" in Harlem. I had a great time there.
 
A German producer led me back to Germany. Although the cooperation did not work out financially, I got great results in music. I spent much time to write songs and tried several new techniques on the foot pedal.
 
My Hammond B-3, with its strong, warm and full sound, carries me over all difficulties and casualties of life.
 
Maggy Scott