Jimmy McGriff (1936-2008)

Jimmy McGriff, hard-bopper and supreme Hammond B-3'er, has passed away. If you don't know him, press play on the video, then, over the jump for the background.

Born in PA, McGriff started playing piano at five and by his teens had also learned vibes, alto sax, drums and upright bass. To say he had a gift for music is something of an understatement. After serving in Korea, McGriff became the coolest named police officer in Philadelphia. However, the music kept drawing his eyes away from crime fighting and he swapped one beat for another.

His childhood friend, organist Jimmy Smith, had already been causing storms in jazz for his Blue Note records and McGriff became besotted by the B3 sound. Not only through Smith, but by Richard "Groove" Holmes, who just so happened to play at his sister's wedding. Holmes went on to became McGriff's teacher, friend and recording buddy.

Through the 60s, McGriff played it hot and fatback, with players like Charles Earland, Count Basie, Junior Parker, Don Gardner, Arthur Prysock, Candido, Buddy Rich and Carmen McRae. In '61, McGriff's (and his 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. It got a stupid amount of airplay and BLAM!, McGriff had a hit on his hands. McGriff recorded a series of popular albums (since sampled heavily) for the Sue label between '62 and '65, with the most popular being 'Blues for Mister Jimmy', as namechecked by Jagger on 'You Can't Always Get What You Want'. For me, his most important releases came with 'Electric Funk' and 'The Worm', which, in title alone, are advertisements enough.

Through the '70s, McGriff retired and then, like all great musicians, couldn't stay away. Sonny Lester's new record company, Groove Merchant, kept issuing McGriff records at a rate of three or four a year. By '73, McGriff was touring relentlessly and actively recording again. With disco hot on the heels of soul and jazz, McGriff embraced it and and produced what many regard as 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.

For all the praise heaped his way, McGriff refuted jazz claims. McGriff once said: "Jimmy Smith is the jazz king on the organ, but when it comes to blues, I can do things where he can't touch me." He died aged 72 in a New Jersey nursing home.

Comments

[David Walker]

Got to be honest, thought he was already dead - but a genune great nonetheless.