B3

B3, led by veteran keyboardist Andreas Hommelsheim, is a Berlin-based jazz-rock and fusion ensemble centered on the Hammond B3 organ. While the name is shared by several disparate entities (including a US boyband and a Slovak pop group), this specific German quartet represents a sophisticated continuation of the soul-jazz and fusion traditions.

Hommelsheim, known for his work in film scoring and high-end studio production, utilizes B3 as a vehicle for organic, performance-driven music that eschews digital sterility. The band's sound identity is defined by the mechanical warmth of the Hammond organ, Ron Spielman's blues-inflected vocals and guitar work, and a rhythm section that favors deep, syncopated grooves. Their career arc is marked by a commitment to the live experience, often recording in iconic venues like Berlin's A-Trane. Critically, they are regarded as torchbearers for an analog-centric sound, blending the improvisational freedom of jazz with the structural accessibility of blues and rock. They occupy a specific niche in the European jazz scene, appealing to audiophiles and fans of the 1970s fusion era.