Hamilton College hosted an electrifying jazz performance in Wellin Hall featuring the FCC Organ Trio — drummer Tim Carman, guitarist Pat Faherty and organist Ken Clark. Fresh from an international tour, Carman and Faherty teamed up with “long time friend” Clark to deliver an evening of soul jazz and blues, playing original songs and old time jazz scores like “Shot in the Dark,” a classic from

The Pink Panther

soundtrack.

Set against soft blue lighting, most of the performance unfolded as improvisation. Typically, two of the three trio members would establish the song’s head, or melody, while the third broke into a solo. The group was in constant musical conversation, drawing on years of familiar, spontaneous jamming.

Tim Carman served as the trio’s rhythmic heartbeat. He graduated from Hamilton in 2011 as a history major before attending Berklee College of Music. Carman engaged in many aspects of campus life: he was a member of the Chi Psi fraternity, Phi Beta Kappa Honors Society and performed impromptu concerts at the Little Pub, Babbitt Pavilion and the Annex. On Saturday, he guided each song’s direction, signaling solos and building some impressive improvisation moments himself. Ken Clark on the organ was a full body musician. With each note struck, his whole body shook. Pat Faherty, meanwhile, brought a subtle and sharp edge on guitar. Halfway through the concert, a surprise guest — a saxophonist — joined the trio, bringing a warm timbre to the ensemble.

Ross Eagle ’26, a musician well-versed in singing, piano, bass guitar and ukulele recalled, “I thoroughly enjoyed the concert Saturday night. I was really surprised by how full the sound of the band was with only three instruments. Of course, the organ made up for the lower ranges.” Some moments were especially thrilling — at one point Carman smiled and nodded to Clark, who then walked around the organ, reaching over to perform a dramatic solo. Eagle continued, “I’m not super familiar with the organ, and the sound definitely stood out during each piece. I was honestly struck with awe as I saw him play upside down, solo with just his feet, and move up and down the keys with such fluidity.” The organist played energetically and stole the performance with peculiar genius.

An organ-centered ensemble is unusual for today’s jazz genre, but as Carman explains, it is a revival of an era he admires. The organ was far more common in jazz trios of the ’60s and ’70s, popularized by artists like Jimmy Smith, Big John Patton and Jack McDuff ,who looked for a versatile instrument to cover melodies and baselines. Carman loves this era of jazz. Jazz today, he argued, can sometimes sound “too academic.” “It’s all about how many notes you can play and how fast you can play,” Carman remarked, “but the stuff in the ’60s was really hard music and it was for people to dance to, it was being played in clubs. Modern jazz, personally, it’s not my favorite thing to listen to.” Although Carman can play some viciously fast beats, his drumming was always driven by a passion rooted in enjoyment and jamming out.

For Spencer Lee ’25, a drummer beginning his trek into the music world, the concert was an inspiration. He reflected, “the biggest takeaway I got was to stay true to what you are interested in and pursue whatever number of things that you want to do.” Spencer currently takes on-campus lessons, a valuable tool for students of all skill levels to advance their talents.

On-campus performances consistently draw a diverse crowd: Hamilton students — some on behalf of music classes and others simply for enjoyment — professors and local residents, as these events are promoted in the surrounding community. Upcoming Wellin Hall events, such as the Windborne unique vocal harmony group (Nov. 15) and Hamilton’s own jazz ensemble (Dec. 6) are generating excitement across campus. Charles Hawthorne ’25, a pianist, is counting down the days until Windborne, heavily intrigued by the bridging of old music and present day.

Carman and Faherty plan to release their first single as part of their duo group Canyon Lights on Dec. 7. Carman also plans to tour Europe next year with Parlor Greens, bouncing around jazz clubs and venues across the continent.