Bobby Forrester - Jazz & Funk (Hammond)

Bobby Forrester was one of the greats of the Hammond Organ in Jazz and Rhythm and Blues. He worked for years with countless legends of Black music, from Lena Horne to Ruth Brown and everyone in between. Primarily known as the keyboardist and musical director for legendary R&B singer Ruth Brown for over 26 years, Bobby Forrester’s funky Hammond B3 organ sound has supported a variety of well known blues and jazz artists, including Irene Reid, Gloria Lynne, Stanley Turrentine, Ray Alexander, Frank Wess, and Lena Horne. Presented here is Forrester’s rare, often overlooked 1971 solo album, which should prove a boon to both lovers of the soul jazz idiom, and B3 fans the world over. Bobby Forrester (Hammond organ); Elijah Williams Jr. (guitar); Johnny Kirkwood (drums). All selections newly remastered.

1972 - Organist

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More Jazz & Funk

SOULIVE

Shirley Scott - Jazz Hammond (USA)

Shirley Scott - The Queen of the Organ (Jazz)

Brad Shepik - Jazz (USA)

Featuring Gary Versace (organ) and Mark Ferber (drums), the comfort and easy rapport is apparent as they groove their way through full tilt improvisation, funk, blues, swing, South American and Balkan rhythms in this update of the time honored organ trio.

Shepik writes about Top Down- "These compositions (except Gary Peacock's Major Major) were written in the late spring/early summer of 2015. Friday evokes a wide open elation I feel working in my studio in Brooklyn. Sweet Suzy, written just a few days before the recording recalls the Meter's and the blues and was a highlight of the recording for me. There's more than a hint of one of my favorite guitarists, John Scofield, on this tune. Coincidentally, on the morning of the day of this album's second recording session, I had the honor to record a song with him along with Peter Bernstein and Adam Rogers as part of an New York University Guitar Ensemble record. Vampa has South American feel though I didn't have a specific regional rhythm in mind. The tune's harmonic/rhythmic structure leaves a lot of room for melodic invention and suggested a conversation in the trading choruses. Hall is dedicated to Jim Hall, the giant of the guitar whose influence is felt on every generation of guitarists that have come along since the the late 1950's. Something in the wide melodic intervals and fluid rhythm suggested his artistry. Top in the Middle is a bluesy AABC form however the chords deviate and suggest a somewhat difficult climb to the goal. The title refers to the inevitable mix of sweet and bitter as life unfolds. Major Major has been a favorite tune from Gary Peacock's "Tales of Another" for many years, I had the privilege of playing a session with him when I was 19. Aeolia is a circular tune with a 7/8 Balkan rhythm that reminds me of a friend who lives on a windy island. I was playing with harmonic colors and phrasing on Stumma Cake. The tune's title could be a dessert but the final two chords reflect a mild discomfort experienced occasionally by the very young."

Top Down [2016]

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Pat Metheny - Jazz & Guitar

Music to enjoy and relax

Chris Hazelton's Boogaloo Seven - Hammond Jazz (USA)

Hammond organist Chris Hazelton and his large-group Boogaloo 7 pay homage to greats such as Lonnie Smith, Jimmy McGriff, Grant Green, and Lou Donaldson with their groove-centered brand of jazz, all the while pushing the genre forward with exciting new and original music.

Soul Jazz Fridays {2016}

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Brother Jack McDuff - Jazz (Hammond)

Good Juice (Hot Hammonds & Cool Organs Cocktail Served By Blue Note)

Lou Pomanti - Jazz (Canada)

Gemini award winner Lou Pomanti is one of Canada’s most accomplished composers, musicians, and musical directors. Lou’s original music and performances are featured on soundtracks and recordings heard all over the world. Lou studied music at Humber College in Toronto in the Jazz Program. He was the recipient of The Duke Ellington Scholarship Award for Arranging. In 1980 Lou received a call from David Clayton-Thomas to join the seminal jazz rock group Blood, Sweat and Tears and toured the world. It began a decades long assocation that culminated in 2010 with Lou producing DCT’s new CD “Soul Ballads” for Universal Records.

1983 saw the beginning of Lou’s session career as the #1 top call pianist/synthesist in Toronto. His playing and arranging has enhanced the recordings of Michael Buble, Gordon Lightfoot and Anne Murray; as well as Rock’s Kim Mitchell and Triumph. His record credits are a “Who’s Who’ of the Canadian recording industry.

The mid 90s saw his emergence as a prominent TV and Film composer, which continues to this day. The list of credits is too long to include here, with shows on CBC, CTV, Global, HBO,

Showtime, HGTV, and many more. The 90s also saw Lou’s emergence as one of the country’s top Musical Directors. Lou was the MD for the Canadian Songwriter’s Hall of Fame ( 6 times), The Gemini Awards ( 7 times ), the Genie Awards ( 5 times ) and the Junos. Lou has written and MD’ed music for James Taylor, Herbie Hancock, Leonard Cohen and Michael Buble to name a few. Lou received his Gemini award for arranging and conducting “Both Sides Now” for Joni Mitchell’s induction. Lou also MD’ed the CBC TV show “Hockey Night in Canada Anthem Challenge” with megaproducer Bob Rock which found a new hockey anthem for Canada. He also conducted the orchestra for the CBC’s “How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria” on live nationwide TV.

Most recently, Lou arranged the orchestra for Michael Buble’s smash hit “Haven’t Met You Yet”, which has sold over 7 million copies worldwide. He is currently at work on Michael Buble’s new CD due out later in 2013. Lou was proud to have composed the music for the 2011 Pan Am Games Handover Ceremony in Guadalajara, an 8-minute suite for multimedia. In 2012, the City of Toronto named a street after Lou to honour his accomplishments. 

Welcome to the Boogaloo Lounge [2011]

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Ivan "Boogaloo" Jones - Jazz & Funk (Guitar)

The Fantastic Boogaloo Kings - Blues (Germany)

Dramatic Funk Themes

Jimmy McGriff - Master of Hammond Jazz

This early-'70s title features a mixed program by the great soul-jazz organist Jimmy McGriff. McGriff not only digs into some Jimmy Smith-style, early '60s-era organ trio numbers like his original "Old Grad Dad" and Hoagy Carmichael's "Georgia on My Mind," but he also includes the kind of contemporary soul fare he had turned to by the late '60s; McGriff spares no expense, going for the heart of soul royalty with Al Green's "Let's Stay Together," Isaac Hayes' "Theme From Shaft," and Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On." Inspired by their attractive melody lines and challenging chord sequences, McGriff and band enliven these already great songs with fine horn arrangements and superb solos (Harold Bennett's passionate and assured flute solo on "What's Going On" especially stands out). McGriff registers some nasty, in-the-pocket solos himself and contributes one of the hottest tracks here, the chicken-shack cooker "Tiki." Let's Stay Together is a great set by one of the masters of the Hammond B-3 organ sound.

1972 - Let's Stay Together

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Jimmy McGriff - Jazz B-3 Organ

Jimmy McGriff - Jazz & Blues (Hammond)

Jimmy Mcgriff - Electric Funk

The Greg Hatza Organization - Jazz & Blues

A native of Reading, Pennsylvania, Greg Hatza’s musical instincts came to him as early and as naturally as the ability to walk, around age four he began formal lessons. The Hammond B-3 became his life’s obsession as a teenager. Because there were no jazz organ instructors at the time, Greg was largely self-taught, picking up most of his insider knowledge from the organ players at jam sessions at a local club called the Grand Hotel. It was the Grand that Baltimore Colts football great and jazz fan Lenny Moore asked the teenager to perform at a club he was opening in Baltimore. Moore became Greg’s manager and Baltimore became Greg’s home. The organist played at the club for four years and was something of a young jazz lion himself, recording two albums for MCA subsidiary label Coral Records, The Wizardry of Greg Hatza and Organized Jazz.

Diggin up My Roots  [2017]

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More Jazz on Hammond...

Hammond Funk

Jerry Wiggins - Jazz (Hammond)

N.O.O.T. (New Orleans Organ Trio) - Jazz Fusion (

Funky songs, Blues & Soul from New Orleans, Boogaloo and good vibes from the BIG EASY. Not only the kitchen from Louisiana is characterized by different ingredients and spices and the music !!

All three are by no means squeamish in dealing with their instrument and so one of the most spectacular organ trios in Europe was born. Already the cast is extremely rare, most of the organ trios play with drums and guitar, but never with saxophone and singing drummer. In January 2006, the first album Organ Transplant appeared on stormy-monday-records. (Https://www.jazzdepartment.com/)

Musicans:

Raphael Wressnig - Hammond B3 organ, backing voc, wurl-piano (8), piano (11)

Paul Griesbach - sax, backing voc

Matthias Peuker - drums, lead & backing voc, congas+percussion (1+3+6+7+9+10)

Guests:

Norbert Schneider - guitar (4+5+7)

Mark Dennewitz - guitar (11+12+13)

Ronny Noack - bass (11+12+13)

Mark Hartmann - trombone (11+12+13), sousaphone (3)

Christian Patzer - baritone sax (11+12+13)

Jens Burger - tenor sax (11+12+13)

Recorded in November 2005

Organ Transplant (2006)

Jimmy McGriff - Jazz & Blues (Hammond)

Blues for Mr. Jimmy was the last album Hammond B-3 ace Jimmy McGriff recorded for Sue Records before moving on to Solid State Records in 1965, and in some ways it is the archetypal McGriff record. Working in a trio format with drummer Jimmie Smith and guitarist Larry Frazier, McGriff is in fine form, bringing his patented blues- and gospel-inflected soul jazz to the edge of funk on a group of mostly original pieces ("The Party's Over" is the only cover). Highlights of this amazingly cohesive set are the two upbeat opening tracks, "Discotheque U.S.A." and "Cash Box," the undeniably funky "The Dog (You Dog)," and the gorgeous and heavily atmospheric ballad "Turn Blue." Collectables reissued the same set in the same running order in 1990 as Blues for Mister Jimmy, but this version from Stateside Records appears to have slightly better sound.

(1963) Blues For Mister Jimmy

Musicians:

Jimmy McGriff - Hammond organ;

Larry Frazier - guitar;

Jimmie Smith - drums. 

1969 - Eletricfunk

Alternative Link 1

Alternative Link 2

Musicians:

Jimmy McGriff – electronic organ

Blue Mitchell – trumpet

Stanley Turrentine – tenor saxophone

Horace Ott – electric piano, arranger

Unknown – guitar

Chuck Rainey – electric bass

Bernard Purdie – drums

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Brother Jack McDuff - Jazz (Hammond)

Eugene McDuff (September 17, 1926 – January 23, 2001), known professionally as "Brother" Jack McDuff or "Captain" Jack McDuff, was an American jazz organist and organ trio bandleader who was most prominent during the hard bop and soul jazz era of the 1960s, often performing with an organ trio. He is also credited with giving guitarist George Benson his first break.

The Natural Thing

Hammond B-3 groovemeister "Brother" Jack McDuff carried on with his timeless patented boogaloo jazz on The Natural Thing from 1968, but is unfortunately drowned out by the overpowering punchy crunching horn charts of arranger Richard Evans. For that reason, this isn't one of McDuff's strongest dates, but it does contain enjoyable moments sans horns (especially "Funky Guru") guaranteed to please collectors of soulful funky organ. Originally recorded in Chicago for the Cadet label, this session is currently available only as a Japanese MCA import.

Shirley Scott - Jazz Hammond (USA)

An excellent album that mixes Latin grooves with heavy Hammond organ -- one of the most unique albums ever recorded by the great Shirley Scott! The session features Shirley's organ backed up by the Latin Jazz Quintet of Juan Amalbert-- a very hip combo that blends together piano, vibes, and percussion -- all with a highly rhythmic approach that really drives the album! The blend of organ and Latin modes was quite unique for the time -- and still sounds pretty darn great today -- and titles include "Mucho Mucho", "Muy Azul", "Tell Me", "The Lady Is A Tramp", and a nice long Latin version of "Walkin". [Dusty Groove]

Shirley Scott with the Latin Jazz Quintet, Prestige Records Mono LP 7182, @ 1960.

Bass – Bill Ellington

Congas – Juan Amalbert

Organ – Shirley Scott

Piano – Gene Casey

Recorded By – Rudy Van Gelder

Timbales – Manny Ramos

Vibraphone – Phil Diaz

Mucho, Mucho