Comments on: McGriff's Groove

McGriff's Groove

ornate insect — Tue, 27 May 2008 20:50:29 -0800

Soulful, funky and blues-inflected jazz organist Jimmy McGriff passed away over the weekend. McGriff (wiki) belonged (along with Jimmy Smith, Charles Earland, Lonnie Smith, Melvin Rhyne, John Patton, and others) to that select group of Hammond B-3 players who defined that instrument for jazz and related music--he played in small soul jazz combos that owed their greasy, riff-based sound as much to R&B as to bebop. Here's a small taste of McGriff's music.

By: Bookhouse

Bookhouse — Tue, 27 May 2008 21:12:47 -0800

This one is a mix-tape staple for me. Sorry to hear he passed.

By: flapjax at midnite

flapjax at midnite — Tue, 27 May 2008 21:15:33 -0800

By: hesby

hesby — Tue, 27 May 2008 21:16:05 -0800

I first found out about Jimmy McGriff about twelve years ago on a Blue Note compilation of rare grooves. The album featured "The Bird Wave", which was originally released on McGriff's "Electric Funk" album from 1969. When you hear that song, you'll notice its tremendous punch and power, something that could only be delivered by an entire orchestra of funk ninjas. This was well before the 70s kitsch of wokka-wokka wah pedals and violins, so it never got old, unlike so much funk that followed it. How bizarre and intimidating to hear such an orchestra of monstrous players, only to see them described on the original album notes as "unknown orchestra". Holy crap, these guys were laying down "The Bird Wave" -a song with enough funk and bump to knock you over - and they weren't considered noteworthy enough to mention by name.

By: Wolof

Wolof — Tue, 27 May 2008 21:44:12 -0800

By: rdone

rdone — Tue, 27 May 2008 21:57:42 -0800

Damn. Another man done gone. .

By: twsf

twsf — Tue, 27 May 2008 22:26:03 -0800

"funk ninjas" - definitely the phrase of the week... thanks, hesby.

By: scody

scody — Tue, 27 May 2008 22:33:40 -0800

Oh man. Man. This one hurts. Loved, loved, loved Jimmy McGriff. .

By: space2k

space2k — Wed, 28 May 2008 07:21:27 -0800

. he was great.

By: Floydd

Floydd — Wed, 28 May 2008 07:40:19 -0800

I already miss him. .

By: mike3k

mike3k — Wed, 28 May 2008 08:32:30 -0800

By: Pollomacho

Pollomacho — Wed, 28 May 2008 08:53:35 -0800

I pride myself on scouring the universe looking for late 60's/early 70's jazz/funk/fusion. I've proudly come upon tons of fine funk in my day, but somehow Jimmy McGriff had eluded me (don't ask me where my brain was). One day, I found Electric Funk missorted (or placed there by the funk gods) into the Jimmy Smith section. I took a chance on it and bought it. I was kicked in the crotch by that one, I tell you what. I felt like I was such a baby in the funk world that I'd never found this before.

By: doctorschlock

doctorschlock — Wed, 28 May 2008 09:58:40 -0800

Please let there be a blues Heaven.

By: ob

ob — Wed, 28 May 2008 13:38:27 -0800