Greg Hatza
Greg Hatza is an American jazz organist born in 1948 in Reading, Pennsylvania.
Music
Hatza started on piano at age five, and switched to organ at age fifteen. He played professionally from age sixteen, working for four years at Lenny Moore's club. He recorded two full-length albums for Coral Records in the late 1960s with guitarist Eric Gale and drummer Grady Tate, then switched to electric keyboards in the 1970s as the organ's popularity waned. From 1974 to 1984, Greg studied tabla under Ustad Hamid Hossain. Greg later performed ragas on piano, in concert with Hamid, in the US, India, and Bangladesh. He returned to playing the organ in the 1990s after hearing Joey DeFrancesco play, and recorded again as a leader with his ensemble The Greg Hatza ORGANization. In 1996, Greg also started to study Chinese classical music on the erhu, a two stringed Chinese fiddle, under a Shanghai instructor, Liang Shan Tang.
Martial Arts
Greg Hatza is also an instructor of Ch'iang Shan Baguazhang (Pa Kua Chang),[1] Xingyi Chuan, and Tai Chi Chuan at the Chinese Boxing Academy in Catonsville, Maryland.[2] He has over 40 years of martial arts experience including Shotokan Karate, Shaolin Kung fu, Snow Tiger, Yang Style Tai Chi, Hsing-I, and Baguazhang (Pa Kua Chang). Greg began his study of Bagua (Pa Kua Chang) in 1985 under Sifu Ken Fish. In 1990, Greg met Sifu Pak Bok Nam and has continued his studies in Baguazhang (Pa Kua Chang) under his tutelage. In 1999, Greg became a lineage disciple and licensed instructor of the Ch'iang Shan Pa Kua Chang system. Greg also teaches Tai Chi. He has attended seminars with Yang Zhen Duo to continue his refinement of the Yang Tai Chi Long Form and Straight Sword.
Discography
The Greg Hatza ORGANization Recordings
- The Wizardry of Greg Hatza (Coral Records, 1967)
- Organized Jazz (Coral, 1968)
- The Greg Hatza ORGANization (Palmetto Records, 1993)
- In My Pocket (Palmetto, 1996)
- Snake Eyes (Palmetto, 1997)
- To a New Place (I-Ching, 2001)
Moon August Recordings
- Just Another Gig (Bushido Records, 1979)
- Feelin' Free (Bushido Records, 1983)
- Potion (Syntax Records, 1989)
- Hard Times (Aim Records, 1992)
- Best of Moon August, Special Edition (Ashley Records, 1999)
References
- ↑ Buckingham, Jeff. "Baguazhang". Chinese Boxing Academy.
- ↑ Buckingham, Jeff. "Baltimore Martial Arts Instructor". Pakua Chang.