Diversi Musical Products, Inc was a manufacturer of electric organs. It specializes in making clones of the Hammond organ and became popular when jazz organists "Papa" John and Joey DeFrancesco "defected" from Hammond to using their organs instead.
 | |
| Company type | Privately held company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Electric organ sound modules |
| Founded | 2003[1] |
| Founder | Tom Tuson, Dave Amels |
| Headquarters | USA |
Area served | United States and Canada |
| Products | Diversi Drawbar Organs, KeyboardPartner HX3 Products |
| Divisions | DrawbarCity the Vintage Hammond Organ Service and Retail division |
| Website | https://www.diversi.us |
History
editThe company was formed by former Hammond-Suzuki Northeast Regional Sales Representative and Marketing Services Manager Tom Tuson,[2] who had been impressed by a drawbar MIDI module manufactured by Voce, which used physical modelling instead of samples. He became friends with Voce's Dave Amels, and the two decided to collaborate on a project to create their own organ.[3] They came up with the Diversi DV, which earned immediate critical acclaim for its accuracy. In an interview with Keyboard magazine, Don Bosco said the DV "feels to me exactly how a vintage Hammond would have when it was new."[4]
The company received a major boost when Joey DeFrancesco, self-described as "the finest jazz organist on the planet", publicly announced he had "defected from Hammond" and was now actively endorsing Diversi and owning a stake in the business.[5][2] His 2008 album Joey D! was recorded entirely on a Diversi, with sleeve note author Michael G Nastos declaring that "the instrument DeFrancesco plays acts and sounds like an organ, if possible with a richer, deeper tone, especially in the bass foot pedals.”[6] His father, Papa John DeFrancesco also used the Diversi to record Big Shot.[2]
Tom Tuson had made a specific point in interviews, that Diversi could offer a more affordable drawbar organ with a better sound engine alternative than Hammond Suzuki's "New B3," while being at a lower price and including a built-in Leslie speaker simulator. Though he once, like many organists, thought the Hammond and Leslie were inseparable, he now thinks the simulation on the Diversi is so good that "I don't care if I ever see another Leslie in my life".[7]
Diversi sponsored the Bobby Jones Gospel on the B.E.T. Network and had provided equipment for the show since 2003.[8]
Joey and John DeFrancesco died in 2022 and 2024, respectively.[9] In 2024 Diversi announced that it was no long selling products.[10]
References
edit- ^ Faragher 2011, p. 151.
- ^ a b c Faragher 2011, p. 148.
- ^ Faragher 2011, p. 149.
- ^ Fortner, Stephen (November 2004). "Clonewheel Heaven". Keyboard. Archived from the original on January 22, 2008. Retrieved 5 August 2013.
- ^ Cordova, Randy (1 March 2009). "First family of jazz For Valley's Joey DeFrancesco, musical heritage 'goes way back'". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved 7 August 2013.
- ^ Ruhlmann, William (December 2008). "Joey DeFrancesco : Joey D!". Jazz Times. Retrieved 5 August 2008.
- ^ Faragher 2011, p. 150.
- ^ "New Sound and New Products from Diversi". Guitar Player. 30 Apr 2007. Retrieved 5 August 2013.
- ^ "In Memory Of "Papa" John DeFrancesco/In Memory of Joey DeFrancesco". Diversi Music Products. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
- ^ "Diversi Musical Products thanks everyone for their business over the last 20 Plus years. We are no longer selling any products". Diversi Music Products. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
- Books
- Faragher, Scott (2011). The Hammond Organ: An introduction to the instrument and the players who made it famous. Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 978-1-4584-0287-5.