Jimmy McGriff, one of the masters of the Hammond B3 Organ, has passed away it has been announced.
Born in Germantown, Pennsylvania McGriff was steeped in musical heritage yet came late to performing. After a stint in the Army serving as an MP in the Korean War the organ hero became a policeman before the lure of the Hammond became too strong.
After gaining initial lessons from organ masters Jimmy Smith and Richard “Groove” Holmes, McGriff formed his own trio and began working nightclubs around Philidelphia. It is here that he came to the attention of Juggy Murray, owner of the New York based Sue label. His debut recording of Ray Charles’ “I’ve Got A Woman” was a smash hit, and was followed by a series of titanic organ based 45s.
McGriff found semi-fame on the other side of the Atlantic after his singles were issued on the similarly named Sue Records (this time run by Guy Stevens). The organ player became a hero to Mods across the ages, and to the last his gigs had a faithful contingent of sharp suited hep cats.
The Hammond player moved with the times, recording a series of funky sides for the Solid State label. Hits such as “The Worm” resonated through the generations, becoming an in-demand spin for the Acid Jazz crowd in the late 80s and early 90s.
Productive to the last, Jimmy McGriff recorded over 100 albums. He died on May 24th 2008, as a result of complications due to multiple sclerosis.
