Eddie Landsberg

Who is Eddie Landsberg?

Eddie Landsberg is a Tokyo-based, Philadelphia-born jazz organist, best known for his endeavours into jazz education and his "jazz evangelism", which has involved establishing jazz bandstands and educational clinics around the world, including Eddie's Lounge, his home base and jazz organ bar located in downtown Tokyo.

He received his first lesson from the late Shirley Scott, then underwent mentoring from Big John Patton. Landsberg also acknowledges heavy influences from organists Freddie Roach and Wild Bill Davis.

Landsberg insists that the bandstand in his venue be placed in the center of the room instead of front stage, forcing all musicians to look directly at each other so they can make better eye contact and communication having created what he describes as the first method in jazz to describe the secrets of soulful playing. Landsberg has also summed up the rules of jazz harmony by breaking them down into seven simple rules of thumb which he calls The 7 Secrets of Jazz and Soul. He has also produced a video on Jazz and Gospel music instruction called the "7 Secrets Jazz Organ Workshop".

His first CD "Remembering Eddie Jefferson" was co-produced by Blue Note recording artist Ben Dixon and also featured bebop vocalist Giacomo Gates and James Spaulding, and made National Jazz charts across the United States. His follow-up CD "Man With A Groove" was produced and recorded in Sweden and featured a demo track for Clavia's Nord Electro 73 keyboard and also used as background music for a DVD produced by the Tokyo Weekender magazine celebrating the opening of the Roppongi Hills shopping complex as well as background music for a Yamaha exhibition video. A third CD "Them That Swingeth", featuring members of Jack McDuff's Heating Station as well as Jazz guitarist Royce Campbell was nominated as "recommended listening" on HMV's in-store listening stations in Japan.