VA - Jazz Organists - Four Classic Albums (The Honey Dripper / Face to Face / Groovin’ with Jug / Down to Earth) (Digitally Remastered) (2018)

For our next release in this new series we have chosen a diverse range of jazz organists who released their albums from the late 1950s to the early 1960s. Jack McDuff, perhaps better known as Brother Jack McDuff, he began his career playing bass before moving on to the Hammond B3 organ and being signed to the Prestige record label where he made a number of fine albums in the hard bop/soul jazz style. Our selection “The Honeydripper” is perhaps the finest of his early recordings and features Jimmy Forrest (AMSC1096) on tenor and Grant Green (AMSC1065) on guitar. “Baby Face” Willette, spent his early musical career playing piano in gospel and r “n” b bands before switching to the organ. In 1960 he met Lou Donaldson and Grant Green with whom he played on some Blue Note sessions before being signed himself to Blue Note where he made his very impressive debut album “Face To Face” featuring Fred Jackson (AMSC1285 Classic Tenors) on tenor and Grant Green (AMSC1065) on guitar. Richard “Groove” Holmes - Hard bop meets soul jazz on our fine, mostly live selection where Holmes is in musical combat with famed tenor sax man Gene Ammons. This album takes no prisoners! Freddie Roach is perhaps not as well-known a name in the history of jazz as some of his organ playing contempories, but in the community of Hammond B3 organ fans he is just about one of the best, arguably a shade behind Jimmy Smith, but with a much smaller catalogue to explore. And that catalogue is becoming harder to find and more expensive to buy as each year passes. So we are proud to be able to include Freddie’s amazing debut album “Down To Earth” for your enjoyment. For his debut Freddie teamed up with Percy France on tenor, Kenny Burrell on guitar and Clarence Johnston on drums.