Sure, soon the sound of one more holiday song will make your ears bleed, but it’s early in the season, which makes it a great time to enjoy some classic renditions. And what could be better for the songs of the season than the Hammond B-3: God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (Jimmy Smith) , Greensleeves (Jimmy Smith) , Baby Its Cold Outside (Jimmy Smith with Wes Montgomery) , Santa Clause is Coming to Town / White Christmas (Jimmy McGriff) , I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Clause (Jimmy McGriff) , Sleigh Ride / Jingle Bells (Al Caiola, Riz Ortolani & Jimmy McGriff) and my favorite Silent Night (Jimmy Smith)
posted by TheShadowKnows on Dec 3, 2010 - 26 comments

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.
posted by ornate insect on May 27, 2008 - 13 comments