Jimmy McGriff

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Jimmy McGriff (2004)

James Harrell McGriff (born April 3, 1936 in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania; † May 24, 2008 ibid) was an American blues, soul and jazz organist ( Hammond organ ), but also at times rhythm and blues , disco, funk and other styles.

biography

McGriff comes from a musical family, both parents played the piano (and Benny Golson is a cousin of his). From the age of 5 he learned piano and then alto saxophone and bass (as well as drums and vibraphone), which he also played in a piano trio as a teenager (including accompanying the singer Big Maybelle ). He then worked for some time as a military policeman in Korea and, on his return, first started working for the police in Philadelphia. The success of his childhood friend, the organist Jimmy Smith, as well as the influence of Richard "Groove" Holmes (whom he heard at his sister's wedding), his teacher and later friend, brought him closer to music again.

He studied organ at the Combe College of Music in Philadelphia, at the New York Juilliard School of Music , with Milt Buckner and with the classical organist Sonny Gatewood. In 1960 he became a professional musician who appeared in the Philadelphia area with his own combo and accompanied traveling musicians such as Carmen McRae . In 1961 his trio made their first own recordings (hit with I've Got a Woman by Ray Charles ), followed by an album in 1962 on the Sue label with his hit All About My Girl . After the album Blues for Mr. Jimmy (1965, with Larry Frazier ) he moved to Solid State Records , where producer Sonny Lester brought him out as one of the main musicians of the label ( The Worm 1968). McGriff moved to Newark , New Jersey , where he also opened his own club. From 1969 he played regularly with the big band of Buddy Rich , with whom he also toured for two years in the mid-1970s ( The Last Blues Album Vol. 1 , 1974).

In 1972 he temporarily retired from the music business to pursue horse breeding in Connecticut, but returned a year later. He recorded for Groove Merchant (the label was also from Lester). In the 1980s, his music made a comeback in the sampler scene. From 1986 he played frequently with Hank Crawford ( Soul Survivors , 1987; Road Tested , 1997) and toured with his own quartet.

Smith calls himself "more of a blues musician" (rather than a jazz musician). In addition to the labels mentioned, he also recorded for Milestone (producer Bob Porter) from the 1980s and occasionally for Blue Note Records from 1969 ("Electric Funk") . In total, there are more than 50 records under their own name. He performed with George Benson , Kenny Burrell , Frank Foster , David "Fathead" Newman , JJ Johnson , with Richard "Groove" Holmes (in the organ duo) and with the organist Dr. Lonnie Smith ("McGriff's House Party" 2000). He played u. a. with Count Basie , Wynton Marsalis , Lou Donaldson and Dizzy Gillespie .

McGriff was unable to recur due to multiple sclerosis and lived in a nursing home in Voorhees Township .

Web links

Obituaries
Audio sample

Single receipts

  1. Jimmy McGriff on Blue Note Records - Recording period between 1969-1971 .
  2. ^ Obituary in The New York Times
  3. It has not been discussed by Down Beat in the field of jazz since 1967