Jimmy McGriff -

Jimmy McGriff (April 3, 1936 — May 24, 2008) was an American soul-jazz/funk organist who helped define the Hammond B-3 sound.

He broke through in 1961 with his hit “I’ve Got a Woman” and followed with Sue Records albums including All About My Girl and Blues for Mister Jimmy. At Solid State and Groove Merchant, he spanned big-band tributes (The Big Band), funk classics (Electric Funk, Stump Juice), and chart singles like “The Worm.”

From the 1980s onward, he recorded extensively for Milestone, partnered with Hank Crawford and David “Fathead” Newman, and led “The Dream Team,” cementing his role as a key organ trio innovator.

Background

James Harrell McGriff was born in Philadelphia in 1936. He began on piano at age five and soon added vibes, alto saxophone, drums, and upright bass to his skill set. As a teenager, he played bass in a local piano trio and built a broad foundation in harmony and rhythm. After a two-year stint as a Philadelphia police officer, McGriff chose to pursue music full time.

In 1956, McGriff purchased his first Hammond B-3 organ after hearing childhood friend Jimmy Smith and fellow Philadelphian Richard “Groove” Holmes. Holmes became both mentor and collaborator, guiding McGriff through the instrument’s technical demands. McGriff studied formally at New York’s Juilliard School and took private lessons with organ masters Milt Buckner, Jimmy Smith, and Sonny Gatewood. Within six months, he had developed a personal voice on the B-3.

Soul Jazz Years

McGriff assembled his first combo in Philadelphia, often working with saxophonist Charles Earland. He gained further experience backing touring performers such as Don Gardner, Arthur Prysock, and Carmen McRae at local clubs. In 1961, McGriff’s trio recorded an instrumental version of Ray Charles’ “I’ve Got a Woman,” which became a regional hit and opened the door to wider recognition.

Sue Records signed McGriff in 1962 and issued his debut album, which featured the single “I’ve Got a Woman” alongside his own “All About My Girl,” another hit. Over the next three years, he cut a string of successful albums for Sue, highlighted by Blues for Mister Jimmy. These recordings showcased a fiery, blues-grounded style that drew from gospel, soul, and swinging groove traditions, establishing McGriff as one of the leading new jazz organists.

In 1966, McGriff joined Sonny Lester’s Solid State label, which offered him broad opportunities to record in varied settings. He paid tribute to Count Basie on The Big Band and embraced funk-driven material on Electric Funk. Singles such as “The Worm” and “Step One” demonstrated his ear for catchy, groove-based themes. During this period, he performed regularly in clubs and concert halls in the United States and abroad.

Jazz-Funk Years

McGriff briefly retired in 1972 to operate a horse farm in Connecticut, but Lester’s Groove Merchant label kept releasing his material. By 1973, McGriff returned to active performance and recording, producing some of his most enduring jazz-funk titles, including Stump Juice (1975), The Mean Machine (1976), Red Beans (1976), and Outside Looking In (1978). These records fused his blues sensibility with contemporary funk rhythms and horn arrangements.

In the 1980s, McGriff signed with Milestone Records and began a long stretch of collaborations with fellow saxophonists Rusty Bryant, Red Holloway, and David “Fathead” Newman. His most fruitful partnership came with altoist Hank Crawford, with whom he co-led multiple albums such as Soul Survivors (1986) and Road Tested (1997). Their ensemble work became a staple of his later career, bridging hard bop and modern soul-jazz.

McGriff remained active into the 1990s and 2000s. He assembled “The Dream Team,” a group with Newman and drummer Bernard Purdie, which recorded The Dream Team (1997) and McGriff’s House Party (2000). He continued to tour and record until his final years, leaving behind a legacy as a master of the Hammond B-3 and a key figure in shaping the organ trio tradition. He passed away in 2008.

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