Theater Organist Everett Nourse at the Organ Grinder Restaurant in Portland, Oregon

[@garymahon1955]

This is about the very best organ music i ever have heard. and im 70.

[@Taoseno2007]

Ev was one of the best Theatre Organists of all time!! Thanks for all you did Ev!!! xoxo

[@dumar7013]

I like him so mach.because he nows to play the orgin like nobody else.every day i listing.thank you etc❤

[@larryboysen5911]

Everett was a true master of registrations! The flowing, yet not syrupy use of the strings and tibias, the tasteful up beat tempos really show his truly God Given talent! Reminds me of the 4/36 Wurlitzer in San Francisco's long gone Fox Theatre!

[@robertallen9796]

These recordings were made by Dennis Hedberg owner of the Portland Organ Grinder. Dennis recorded Mr Nourse in late 1976 during one of his visits to Portland Organ. Mr Nourse knew that George Wright helped Dennis to acheive the San Francisco Fox Wurlitzer sound. So MR Everett Nourse played the Organ Grinder Wurlitzer in his very special one of a kind style and Dennis recorded him and since the Organ Grinder dinning room was small and had a studio sound Mr Herdberg digitally added reverberation to the recording to simulate the sound of the SF FOX's large acoustics and these was the end result!! A perfect match of the unique sound of the SF FOX Wurlitzer!!

[@Taoseno2007]

What a great theatre organist!! Thanks Everett!

[@1953PE]

this is the first time ive heard this organist and im blown away, many thanks for posting

[@Echochamber79]

This is the first time I have heard Everett Nourse. I really love his style!

[@daviddiffenderfer3836]

I listened to Nourse and Wright in San Francisco before they tore down that magnificent theater in 1963.

[@Hope-Jones]

Everett always sounded so comfortable in his playing, creating a style that is so listenable. Thank you for sharing this!

[@mikeanderson6842]

Thank you so much for posting this. Everett was, in my opinion, one of the best organists ever.

[@paganisto]

BRAVO! What a fine homage from one great artist to another. Many thanks for sharing!

[@RobertMiller-gq4cc]

Everett Nourse left an indelible imprint on the sound of the Fox San Francisco Wurlitzer that is distinctive and polished. His technique is instantly recognizable and easy to listen to, even years after the recordings were made. All that is missing here is the resonance of the larger room.

[@marilyncooper7208]

Thank you very much

[@adrianmlridgewayarcmlramll1965]

Absolutely super delicious lovely!! Utterly listenable, musically so superior to so many other Organist’s, Especially the scrumptious registrations snd super intelligent use of the solo and chorus reeds. The Post Horn solo in the middle of the recording is super rhythmical and arresting…..As to which organ I’m not sure, it’s a big varied specification I’m sure so perhaps not a studio instrument?? SF Wurlitzer would be a wonder idea, but I don’t hear the acoustic in this recording??? What ever, an absolute treasure of a recording and God Bless you for posting!!! Adrian in Bermuda, theatre organ builder!!! (and complete organ nut!!!)

[@OrganMusicYT]

Of course, there is no post horn, as Wurlitzers never had them, they had English Horns. Pedantic much?

[@allegheny48]

The image above shows Everett at the SF Fox Wurlitzer console after the shell had been repainted gold. G. Wright, during his tenure, had the entire console painted white. The organ being played is not the Portland Organ Grinder and I don't believe it is the SF Fox Wurlitzer. It may have been the Howard Vollum studio Wurlitzer (also located in Portland, OR) since it seems to possess a more intimate sound quality rather than that of an empty 5,000 seat auditorium yet still has the original Wurlitzer sound. The listening room for the Vollum Wurlitzer was just a bit over 1600 sq. ft with a ceiling height of 24 feet. Wonderful playing none the less. No one played like Everett. Thanks so much for posting this.

[@wmcoale]

The Vollum studio was a small room, seating maybe 100 people at the most. This sounds like the Fox to me as well.

[@billthatcher4121]

Yes, I whole-heartedly agree, that this sounds unmistakably like the San Francisco Fox WurliTzer!!!

[@rexnewcombe8337]

Dennis Hedburg had done the recording for Everett, because you can hear him in the background. I'm just wondering if it was recorded at the Denver Organ Grinder since Dennis owned that one too.

[@unclelouie3828]

Love this.

[@stepheneggert7388]

These organist were true to there music..back then..u can tell the old timmers..who played theses organs to today younger ones.. i like them..all..but the ones who entertained the masses..were the true stars of there day in those movie houses..when an organ is transplanted from its hone to a new venue they sound dif..if not voiced to fit there new home..i hope the theatres that have there organ conceder this not to remove them..play them. Most folks enjoy the sound even befor a rock concert..ive seen prof myself..ask Ron onestie..oshows.com in chicago st.charals il.at the arcade theatre..u can play most ballads..the organ is getting a rebuild..and upgrade by c.a.t.o.e.

[@mainaccount131]

Super excellent

[@safdasd6805]

Thank you for sharing! Does anyone know the name of the first song?

[@craigmorrison7520]

It is called "Cry Me A River."

[@JUNIATABURGH]

If I remember correctly the San Francisco Fox had a 5 manual console.

[@LarcR]

All 5 Fox Specials Wurlitzer made had 4 manuals. The SF opus is now installed in the El Capitan Theatre in LA. The console is a replacement, but it is patterned after the original and also has 4 manuals.

[@wmcoale]

That console is the original. The only replacement Fox console is in Wichita, controlling the former NY Paramount Times Square Wurlitzer. The console was consumed by fire after being moved west and a new replica constructed by Balcom and Vaughn.

[@billthatcher4121]

Wrong!!! ALL of the Fox "Special" WurliTzers were 4 manuals/ 37 ranks. Refer to Ben Hall's book, "The Best Remaining Seats". He researched all of the Fox organ's specifications.

[@wmcoale]

@@billthatcher4121 They all had 36 ranks; the Brooklyn Paramount's 37th rank was confirmed to be a hoax.

[@billthatcher4121]

@@wmcoale Thanks, William. I stand corrected. I thought that I had made a mistake once, but I was wrong!!!! Tee hee.

[@gotfood7]

This is awesome! Everett Nourse's recordings were an inspiration for me getting started in playing theater organ. Where did you find the recording?

[@zfruhling]

Everett Nourse lived in my hometown of Vacaville, California and was good friends with my grandmother Velma Fruhling. I've been digitizing some of her old tapes, some of which no one has ever heard before, especially the piano/organ duets she did with Everett Nourse at the Trinity Baptist Church in Vacaville. See the "Uploads" section my KZbin channel for more recordings of Everett Nourse from my grandmother's tapes. I remember Everett Nourse very well. He and my grandmother would compose and practice their duets, and he would often come by my grandmother's house to visit. My KZbin Channel: kzbin.info/door/gFSynpcj9_BpHUm0f3NiCw

[@wmcoale]

@@zfruhling Are you sure this isn't the San Francisco Fox organ? That's the console that is pictured with this video, and it certainly sounds like it could be the Fox, where he was resident organist for so long. I know that transcription disks exist(ed) of him playing in his prime.

[@matts.3761]

@@wmcoale In the description of the video Zachary says, "Note: Photo is of Everett Nourse at the Fox Theater in San Francisco (photo by Geoff Hansen), not at the Organ Grinder."

[@9fq6z]

@@wmcoale I think this is the Fox organ, those tibias are very recognisable ......!!!

[@williamdecker6015]

I have the LP with Everett and Tiny. His playing here to me is far superior than on the LP.

[@markhall7646]

Help me, folks- #1 Cry Me A River #2 ? #3 ? #4 ? #5 ? #6 Begin The Beguine #7 That's The Story Of Love # ? #9 ?

[@SP6GK]

I'm not certain of some titles but most should be correct. 5 10:50-13:20 Tangerine 10 19:42-21:44 Nevertheless (I'm in Love with You) 11 22:13-23:40 Serenade of the Bells 12 23:40-24:53 You Made Me Love You 13 25:16-27:48 Pennies From Heaven 14 27:50-31:19 Say It (Over and over Again) Song at 6:00 (#3?)sounds kinda like "Call me sweetheart call me darling", maybe improvisation based on its refrain?

[@allegheny48]

Here are the selections Everett played. 1. Cry Me A River 2. I'll Take Manhattan 3. A Little On The Lonely Side 4. Coquette 5. Tangerine 6. Ramona 7. Begin The Beguine 8. The Story of Love 9. Medley: Never The Less, Serenade of the Bells and You Made Me Love You. 10. Pennies From Heaven 11. Time Was. Another reason I don't think this was played on the SF Fox Wurlitzer is the cymbal heard at the end of Cry Me A River. The sound was upfront and very bright. Had it been recorded in the Fox that cymbal sound would have been pretty much distant and far away since the chamber it was located in was pretty high up on one side of the proscenium. When the medley (no. 9) ends the sounds cuts out and then comes back on again (25:02) you can hear someone in the background saying something but it is unintelligible. Everett might have been making a recording on this organ. The Howard Vollum Wurlitzer was close in size and scale as the Fox Wurlitzer and was featured in the 1973 ATOS National Convention in Portland, OR.