Freddie Roach (musician)

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Freddie Roach (* 11. May 1931 in Bronx , New York City ; † 3. October 1980 in California ) was an American soul-jazz - Organist ( Hammond B3 )

Freddie Roach began playing the organ at the age of eight while growing up with his aunt in White Plains, New York. In the next few years he learned to play the organ and piano by himself, eventually studying at the Newark Conservatory . His first job as a professional musician was in the band of Grachan Moncur II , the Strollers . At the age of twenty he did his military service in the navy and played in a band. After his release in 1953, Roach settled in Canada for a while and then returned to the New York area, playing piano and organ with Chris Columbus , Cootie Williams and Lou Donaldson .

In the late 1950s he concentrated more on organ playing; During this time he lived in Newark, New Jersey , where he worked with his own formation and as a soloist. There he performed jam sessions at Club 83 with musicians such as Kenny Dorham , Cannonball Adderley and Jackie McLean . The most important connection for his further career was the acquaintance with the saxophonist Ike Quebec , who brought Roach into his band. Roach then took part in the sessions that Quebec recorded for Blue Note Records , in which his albums Heavy Soul and It Might as Well Be Spring were created. His playing convinced Alfred Lion to offer Freddie Roach his own record deal in 1962. That year Roach recorded his debut album under his own name, Down to Earth , on which guitarist Kenny Burrell , tenor saxophonist Percy France and drummer Clarence Johnston contributed.

At that time he also played in Willis Jackson's band . From 1962 to 1964 he recorded a total of five albums under his own name for Blue Note and also worked on Donald Byrd's album I'm Trying to Get Home . His Blue Note LPs Mo Greens Please (1963) with Kenny Burrell , Good Move with Blue Mitchell and Hank Mobley (1963) and Brown Sugar , which was made in March 1964 and on which Joe Henderson contributed, received great attention . In October 1964 Roach recorded his last album for Blue Note, All That's Good , on which guitarist Calvin Newborn also participated; the album was a bizarre mix of his soul jazz with a choir.

1966/67 Roach played three more albums for Prestige Records , but they had a more commercial orientation than his Blue Note sessions before. Then he moved to France and disappeared from the jazz scene.
Roach is considered an organist influenced by Jimmy Smith .

Discographic notes

Albums under your own name

  • Good Move (Blue Note, 1963)
  • Mo 'Greens Please (Blue Note, 1963) with Conrad Lester (ts), Kenny Burrell (g), Clarence Johnson (dr)
  • Down to Earth (Blue Note)
  • All That's Good (Blue Note, 1964)
  • The Soul Book ; Mocha Motion , My People (Soul People) (Prestige, 1966/1967).

Albums as a sideman

  • Donald Byrd Orchestra with Brass & Voices: I'm Trying to Get Home (Blue Note, 1964)
  • Willis Jackson: Legends of Acid Jazz - Keep on Blowin ' (Prestige, 1959-62)
  • Ike Quebec: The Art of Ike Quebec (Blue Note, 1961/62); Heavy Soul (BN, 61)

swell

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Roach, Freddie
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American soul jazz organist (Hammond B3)
DATE OF BIRTH May 11, 1931
PLACE OF BIRTH Bronx , New York City
DATE OF DEATH 3rd October 1980
Place of death California