Hammond Bond: Ingfried Hoffmann Plays Jazz For Secret Agents Jazz Club

1 Thunderball 2:462 Yeah, Dr. No 4:023 Goldfinger 2:334 007 Bond Street 2:315 James Only Lives Twice 4:256 Midnight Bossa Nova 3:177 From Russia With Love 2:408 Sharp Sharks 3:159 Tv-Swing 4:1510 Playgirl 2:4911 Phantom's Walk 2:5712 Vabanque At Casino Royale 5:0413 Soul Twist 6:1014 Let Live And Die 4:05Ingfried Hoffmann: Hammond organFeat. Pierre Cavalli, Helmut Kandlberger, Volker Kriegel,Rafi Lüderitz, René Thomas, Peter Trunk & Klaus WeissOriginal recordings, 1963 - 1966Digitally remastered

I heard Ingfried Hoffmann on the album ‘the in kraut’ playing the tune stroke it, so decided to delve a little further and found this gem! 2/3 of the album tracks are brill, with my favourite being from russia with love and thunderball.There are a few album fillers, which were probably best suited to a live jam at a bar at the time.Overall, I do love this album and enjoy a listen every now and again!

In his day, German organist Ingfried Hoffmann was said to be Europe's finest player on the Hammond B-3 - the same instrument played by Jimmy Smith who not only revolutionized the way it could be played but influenced everyone else who ever played it. 'Hammond Bond' collects the 10 track 007 inspired, 1966 release 'From Twen With Love' (aka 'Soul Bond') and adds 4 bonus cuts. All but one of the tracks were played by a 4 piece - the father of Jazz rock guitar Volker Kriegel was amongst the players on 'From Twen With Love' - his contribution to the wonderful 'Vananque At Casino Royale' is particuarly potent. The 10 Hoffmann originals range in style from the mini skirt pleasing mod grooves of 'Soul Sharks' & 'Phantom Walk' to the jazz/blues of 'Yeah Dr. No' & 'James Only Lives Twice'. The Bond covers receive a snappy jazz make over, fun, but over cheesy for my taste. Of interest for Peter Thomas fans is the inclusion of his theme 'Playgirl' from the 1966 soundtrack 'Playgirl - Berlin Ist Eine Sünde Wert'.

German keyboard player Ingfried Hoffmann is best known for his collaborations with saxman,composer and arranger Klaus Doldinger. This CD release should have omitted the 3 tracks from 1963's 'Hoffmann's Hammond Tales'. (Tracks 6, 9 and 13) They don't suit the Bond concept adapted for the 1966 'From Twen with love'-album. (Twen being a german youth magazine). Furthermore, the original running order of the LP tracks has been badly compromized. Try programming your player like below mentioned, and you'll discover a fair 60's organ album - though not quite on par with what the american Jimmies, Jacks and Grooves were up to at the time. 1. Thunderball 2. James only lives twice 3. Sharp Sharks 4. Goldfinger 5. Yeah, Dr. No 6. Let live and die 7. Vabanque at Casino Royale 8. 007 Bond Street 9. From Russia with love10.Phantom's walk

I'm still trying to make my mind up about this album. Some of the tracks are excellent but others come across as an exercise in self-indulgent musical masturbation and just left me thinking "wtf"There's not enough cool stuff on the album go make up for the less than good stuff. Very little seems to relate to Bond either, and some of the titles are quite misleading but a couple do stand up in their own right but some just don't

This is a great album and a great asset to Ingfried Hoffman, was is an amazing jazzman. Love the Jazzy take on Bond.