BROTHER JACK MCDUFF Gene Ammons '72 Mellow Gravy LP

JACK MCDUFF WITH GENE AMMONS BROTHER JACK MEETS THE BOSS / MELLOW GRAVY LPCategory / Style / Moods: Jazz Jazz-Funk Soul-Jazz Hard Bop9.17 / 2008-01-24 A asocc1972 PRESTIGE US 7228 LPTITLE: BROTHER JACK MEETS THE BOSSARTIST: JACK MCDUFF WITH GENE AMMONSCONDITIONCOVER: VGVINYL: PLAYS STRONG VG TO NEAR VG+Click here for info on grading and abbreviationsSCARCE '62 SETClick the pix for a better view TRACKS: Disc: 1 1.Watch OutMcDuff 5:082.Strollin'Silver 6:143.Mellow GravyMcDuff 5:004.Christopher ColumbusBerry, Razaf 6:225.Buzzin' RoundEdwards, McDuff 6:126.Mr. CleanVinson 7:57Review by Scott Yanow It is not too surprising that this is a very successful soul-jazz/hard bop outing, for it teams organist Brother Jack McDuff with the great tenor Gene Ammons. The quintet (which also includes the notable Harold Vick on second tenor, guitarist Eddie Diehl and drummer Joe Dukes) performs three basic McDuff tunes, Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson's "Mr. Clean," Horace Silver's "Strollin'," and the still-viable swing standard "Christopher Columbus." Ammons, whose every note was always full of passion, fits in perfectly with McDuff's group Biography by Ron Wynn and Bob Porter A marvelous bandleader and organist as well as capable arranger, "Brother" Jack McDuff has one of the funkiest, most soulful styles of all time on the Hammond B-3. His rock-solid bass lines and blues-drenched solos are balanced by clever, almost pianistic melodies and interesting progressions and phrases. McDuff began as a bassist playing with Denny Zeitlin and Joe Farrell. He studied privately in Cinncinnati and worked with Johnny Griffin in Chicago. He taught himself organ and piano in the mid-'50s, and began gaining attention working with Willis Jackson in the late '50s and early '60s, cutting high caliber soul-jazz dates for Prestige. McDuff made his recording debut as a leader for Prestige in 1960, playing in a studio pickup band with Jimmy Forrest. They made a pair of outstanding albums: Tough Duff and The Honeydripper. McDuff organized his own band the next year, featuring Harold Vick and drummer Joe Dukes. Things took off when McDuff hired a young guitarist named George Benson. They were among the most popular combos of the mid-'60s and made several excellent albums. McDuff's later groups at Atlantic and Cadet didn't equal the level of the Benson band, while later dates for Verve and Cadet were uneven, though generally good. McDuff experimented with electronic keyboards and fusion during the '70s, then in the '80s got back in the groove with the Muse session Cap'n Jack. While his health fluctuated throughout the '90s, McDuff released several discs on the Concord Jazz label before succumbing to heart failure on January 23, 2001, at the age of 74. This exquisite piece of retro music history is a vinyl sound recording (not a CD). Please visit the A Sound Deal store for similar items and information on grading and shipping. Add me to your favorites for red hot sales bulletins and sneak previews of upcoming products. Combine Items to Save $$$! Click here to check the store for more!©A Sound Deal