James Harrell McGriff (April 3, 1936 -- May 24, 2008) was a hard bop and soul-jazz organist and organ trio bandleader who developed a distinctive style of playing the Hammond B-3 organ. Events 1043 - Edward the Confessor is crowned King of England. Year 1936 ( MCMXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1218 - The Fifth Crusade leaves Acre for Egypt. 1276 - Magnus Ladulås is crowned 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Hard bop is a style of Jazz that is an extension of Bebop (or "bop" music Soul jazz was a development of Hard bop which incorporated strong influences from Blues, Gospel and Rhythm and blues in music for small An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or Orchestra, or accompany An organ trio, in a Jazz context is a group of three jazz musicians typically consisting of a Hammond organ player a Drummer, and either a Jazz A bandleader is the leader of a band of Musicians The term is most commonly though not exclusively used with a group that plays Popular music as The Hammond organ is an electric organ which was invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company
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Career
Early years
Born in Germantown, Pennsylvania, McGriff started playing piano at the age of five and by his teens, also learned to play vibes, alto sax, drums and upright bass. Germantown is a neighborhood in the Northwest Philadelphia section of the city of Philadelphia, about six miles northwest from the center of the city The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ( often colloquially referred to as PA (its abbreviation by natives and Northeasterners is a state located in the Northeastern The piano is a Musical instrument played by means of a keyboard that produces sound by striking steel strings with Felt covered hammers Vibes is a Comedy film released in 1988 starring pop icon and Singer Cyndi Lauper, Actor Jeff Goldblum, The alto saxophone is a member of the Saxophone a family of Woodwind instruments invented by Adolphe Sax. A drum kit (also drum set or trap set) is a collection of Drums Cymbals and sometimes other Percussion instruments such as cowbells The double bass is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed String instrument used in the modern symphony orchestra. His first group was a piano trio, which found him playing bass in the band. When he joined the Army, McGriff served as an MP during the Korean War and he later became a police officer in Philadelphia for two years. Military police ( MPs) are normally the Police of a Military Organization. The Korean War refers to a period of military conflict between North Korean and South Korean regimes with major hostilities lasting from June 25 1950 until the
Music kept drawing McGriff's attention away from the police force. His childhood friend, organist Jimmy Smith, had begun earning a substantial reputation in jazz for his Blue Note records (the two played together once in 1967) and McGriff became entranced by the organ sound while Richard "Groove" Holmes played at his sister's wedding. Jimmy Smith ( December 8, 1925 year is disputed and is often given as 1928 – February 8, 2005) was a Jazz musician whose performances Richard Arnold "Groove" Holmes ( Camden, New Jersey, 2 May 1931 &ndash St Holmes went on to became McGriff's teacher, friend and they recorded together on two occasions in 1973 for two Groove Merchant records.
McGriff bought his first Hammond B-3 organ in 1956, spent six months learning the instrument, then studied at New York's Juilliard School of Music. The Hammond organ is an electric organ which was invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company The Juilliard School, located in New York City, is a world renowned Performing arts conservatory. He also studied privately with Milt Buckner, Jimmy Smith, and Sonny Gatewood. Milt Buckner ( 10 July 1915 &ndash 27 July 1977) was an American Jazz pianist and Organist, originally Jimmy Smith ( December 8, 1925 year is disputed and is often given as 1928 – February 8, 2005) was a Jazz musician whose performances He was influenced by the energy and dynamics of organist Milt Buckner and the diplomatic aplomb of Count Basie, and by local pianists such as Sonny Gatewood, Howard Whaley and Austin Mitchell. Milt Buckner ( 10 July 1915 &ndash 27 July 1977) was an American Jazz pianist and Organist, originally William "Count" Basie ( August 21, 1904 &ndash April 26, 1984) was an American jazz pianist, Organist
1960s: First combos
McGriff formed a combo that played around Philadelphia and often featured tenor sax player, Charles Earland (who soon switched permanently to organ, and became one of the instrument's renowned performers). Charles Earland ( 24 May 1941 &ndash 11 December 1999) was an American Jazz Composer, Organist, and During this time, McGriff also accompanied such artists as Don Gardner, Arthur Prysock, Candido and Carmen McRae who came through town for local club dates. Don Gardner is an Americanloser Rhythm and blues Drummer and vocalist. Arthur Prysock ( 2 January 1929 — 7 June 1997) was an American Jazz Singer best known for his live shows and Candido may refer to Antonio Candido (born 1918 writer professor and literary critic Candido Amantini (1914-1992 Italian Roman Carmen Mercedes McRae ( April 8, 1920 &ndash November 10, 1994) was an American Jazz Singer, Composer
In 1961, McGriff's trio was offered the chance to record an instrumental version of Ray Charles' hit "I've Got a Woman" by Joe Lederman's Jell Records, a small independent label. Ray Charles Robinson ( September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) known by his Stage name Ray Charles, was an American " I Got a Woman " was a career-defining song for American R&B musician Ray Charles when released as a single in December of 1954. When the record received substantial local airplay, Juggy Murray's Sue label picked it up and recorded a full album of McGriff's trio, released in 1962. Sue Records was founded in 1957 by Henry 'Juggy' Murray in New York City. The album also turned out another huge hit in McGriff's "All About My Girl", establishing McGriff's credentials as a fiery blues-based organist, well-versed in gospel soul and fatback groove.
McGriff recorded a series of popular albums for the Sue label between 1962 and 1965, ending with what still stands as one of his finest examples of blues-based jazz, Blues for Mister Jimmy. When producer Sonny Lester started his Solid State record label in 1966, he recruited McGriff to be his star attraction. Lester framed McGriff in many different groups, performing a wide variety of styles and giving the organist nearly unlimited opportunities to record. McGriff was heard everywhere from an all-star tribute to Count Basie (The Big Band), a series of "Organ and Blues Band" records (such as A Thing to Come By (1969), pop hits ("Cherry", "The Way You Look Tonight") and funk classics (Electric Funk and singles such as "The Worm" and "Step 1").
During this time, McGriff performed at clubs and concert halls worldwide. He settled in Newark, New Jersey, and eventually opened his own supper club, the Golden Slipper - where he recorded Black Pearl and a live album with Junior Parker in 1971. Junior Parker, also known as Little Junior Parker or "Mr Blues" ( May 27, 1932 &ndash November 18, 1971) was Beginning in 1969, he also performed regularly with Buddy Rich's band, though the two were only recorded once together in 1974 on The Last Blues Album Volume 1). Bernard "Buddy" Rich ( September 30 1917 &ndash April 2 1987) was an American jazz drummer and Bandleader
1970s-1980s
McGriff "retired" from the music industry in 1972 to start a horse farm in Connecticut. Connecticut ( is a state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. But Sonny Lester's new record company, Groove Merchant, kept issuing McGriff records at a rate of three or four a year. By 1973, McGriff was touring relentlessly and actively recording again. Around this time, disco was gaining a hold in jazz music and McGriff's flexibility proved infallible. Disco is a Genre of dance-oriented music whose origins are hard to define He produced some of his best music during this period: Stump Juice (1975), Red Beans (1976) and Outside Looking In (1978). These records, re-issued on CD, still stand out today as excellent documents of McGriff's organ playing.
By 1980, McGriff broke away from Sonny Lester and began working actively with producer (and former funk lord) Bob Porter (and recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder). Robert Harold Porter (born 14 August 1933 in Medicine Hat Alberta) was a Progressive Conservative party member of the Canadian House of Rudy Van Gelder (born November 2, 1924, in Jersey City New Jersey) is a recording engineer specializing in Jazz. McGriff began a long relationship with Fantasy's Milestone label, collaborating with Rusty Bryant, Al Grey, Red Holloway, David "Fathead" Newman, Frank Wess and Eric Alexander. Royal G "Rusty" Bryant (November 25 1929 Huntington West Virginia - March 25 1991 Columbus Ohio) was an American Jazz tenor and alto saxophonist Al Grey ( June 6, 1925 - March 24, 2000) was a Jazz Trombonist who is most remembered for his association with the Red Holloway (James W Holloway born in Helena Arkansas on May 31 1927 is a well-known blues and jazz Saxophonist. David "Fathead" Newman (born February 24, 1933 in Corsicana, Texas) is an American Saxophonist. Frank Wess (born January 4 1922 in Kansas City) is an American Jazz musician who has played Saxophone (both alto and tenor and The name Eric Alexander may refer to Eric Alexander (jazz saxophonist, a musician Eric Alexander (football player, an American football
In 1986, McGriff started a popular partnership with alto sax player Hank Crawford. Hank Crawford (born Bennie Ross Crawford Jr December 21, 1934 in Memphis Tennessee) is an American R&B, Hard bop Their partnership has yielded a few interesting moments (1987's Soul Survivors and 1997's Road Tested). But it was only during their brief period at Telarc in the mid 1990s that McGriff's name headlined the popular club and cruise ship attraction. Telarc International Corporation is an Independent record label, based in Cleveland Ohio, United States, and founded in 1977 by two classically
1990s-2000s
Between 1994 and 1998, McGriff also experimented with the Hammond XB-3, a sort of synthesized organ that increased the organ's capabilities with MIDI enhancements. MIDI ( Musical Instrument Digital Interface, ˈmɪdi is an industry-standard protocol that enables Electronic musical instruments Computers This gave McGriff an unnatural synthesized sound, which probably explains his retreat from the instrument on late recordings such as 2000's McGriff's House Party (featuring fellow organist Lonnie Smith). Lonnie Smith may refer to Lonnie Smith (born 1955 Major League Baseball player 1978–1994 Lonnie Smith (Texas politician, Texas state House party did included the use of the XB-3, however he did not use the MIDI functions.
However, it should be noted that Jimmy was one of the first B3 players to add MIDI to the upper keyboard his personal B3 to add and extend "his sound" beyond just the drawbar sound of the B3. He incorporated synthesizers in his live performances as he liked Vibes, Piano, String, Brass and other sounds that could only be created by a synthesizer as the classic B3 can not. Jimmy purchased the XB-3 as he had more control over the MIDI functions and the XB-3 weighs about half of the classic B3 which made it easier to move.
Jimmy, as well as Groove Holmes, spent a great deal of time experimenting and modifying their B3's and Leslie Speakers over the years. Some of these modifications made there way into products manufactured by both Hammond and Leslie, which they didn't always get credit for.
Along with the soul-jazz sound, McGriff experienced renewed popularity in the mid-1990s, forming The Dream Team group, which featured David "Fathead" Newman (a longtime sax player with Ray Charles) and drummer Bernard Purdie, and recording the Straight Up (1998), McGriff's House Party (2000), Feelin' It (2001), and McGriff Avenue (2002) albums. Soul jazz was a development of Hard bop which incorporated strong influences from Blues, Gospel and Rhythm and blues in music for small The 1990s collectively refers to the years between and including 1990 and 1999 David "Fathead" Newman (born February 24, 1933 in Corsicana, Texas) is an American Saxophonist. Ray Charles Robinson ( September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) known by his Stage name Ray Charles, was an American Bernard "Pretty" Purdie (born June 11, 1939) is an American Drummer and Session musician from Elkton Maryland who has worked
Jimmy McGriff died on Saturday May 24, 2008 of multiple sclerosis. Multiple sclerosis (abbreviated MS also known as disseminated sclerosis or encephalomyelitis disseminata) is an autoimmune condition in which the
External links
- Jimmy McGriff at Allmusic
- The New York Times Obituary
- Washington Post Obituary
- Illustrated Discography
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