Richard Holmes (jazz musician)

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Richard Arnold "Groove" Holmes (born May 2, 1931 in Camden , New Jersey , † June 29, 1991 in St. Louis , Missouri ) was an American jazz organist of hard bop and soul jazz . He is considered a pioneer of acid jazz .

Live and act

Richard Holmes appeared on the jazz scene in the early 1960s; he recorded his first album for the Pacific Jazz Records label with guest soloist Ben Webster in March 1961. He immediately prevailed with his inimitable style. A receptive, straightforward and warm player, he was locally successful around Philadelphia and southern New Jersey until he attracted attention across the United States with a contract with Pacific Jazz. Individual recordings, such as Erroll Garner's Misty, that were decoupled as a single turned out to be very successful.

Its sound was immediately recognizable in the upper registers, and also because of the inventive inventions of its bass lines, which were fast, accentuated and rhythmically pulsating. He changed style confidently from the roughest blues to soulful ballads, was "soulful" and "grooved".

He recorded several albums in trio with guest soloists such as Joe Pass or with big bands , and although he had a rather short period of time for recording, he is considered one of the stars among the notable jazz organists Jimmy Smith , Jimmy McGriff and Brother Jack McDuff . He recorded many albums for Pacific Jazz , Prestige Records , Groove Merchant and Muse Records .

He was particularly popular among the Afro-American population. He fought organ battles with the organist Jimmy McGriff and made successful single recordings as a duo. In the early 1970s he turned more to keyboards and more fusion-oriented music. The organ was again the focus of his recordings for Muse in the 1980s. He continued to deliver sophisticated soul jazz until his death in 1991, with Houston Person for Muse.

He gave one of his last concerts in 1991 at the Chicago Blues Festival with his friend, singer Jimmy Witherspoon , with whom he had worked for many years.

Pop culture influences

The Beastie Boys album Check Your Head (1992), in preparation at the time of Holmes' death, contains an instrumental title called Groove Holmes.

Choice discography

  • After Hours ( Pacific Jazz Records (1961)
  • Groovin 'With Jug (Pacific Jazz Records) (1961))
  • "Live at the Front Room" (Prestige Records)
  • Soul Message (Prestige) (1965)
  • Spicy (1966) (with Ivan "Boogaloo Joe" Jones )
  • Super Soul (1967)
  • That Healin 'Feelin' (1968)
  • Night Glider (1973)
  • New Groove (1974)
  • Broadway (1980)
  • Swedish Lullaby (1984)
  • Blues All Day Long (1988)
  • Hot Tat (1989)
  • Groove's Groove (1991)

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e f All Music Guide
  2. ↑ With this title (Prestige 401) Holmes reached number 44 on the Billboard Charts, see Joel Whitburn: Top Pop Singles 1955-1993. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Ltd., 1994, p. 279
  3. ^ Martin Kunzler , Jazzlexikon, Rowohlt 1991, ISBN 3-499-16316-0
personal data
SURNAME Holmes, Richard
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Holmes, Richard Arnold; Holmes, groove
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American jazz organist of hard bop and soul jazz
DATE OF BIRTH May 2, 1931
PLACE OF BIRTH Camden, New Jersey
DATE OF DEATH June 29, 1991
Place of death St. Louis