Jimmy McGriff: The Dream Team

For that good ol’ blues-drenched, Hammond B-3-style-jazz, you can’t do much better than this. The recording boasts some of the masters of the genre and they live up to expectations. Although organist McGriff says he’s a blues player rather than a jazzman, he’s really both, in the mold of Jimmy Smith. David “Fathead” Newman has been playing wonderful soul-infused Texas tenor since his early days with Ray Charles and his saxophonist partner here, Red Holloway, once brought a similar sensibility to Brother Jack McDuff’s band. Guitarist Mel Brown is of like mind and James Brown (and Dizzy Gillespie) alumnus Bernard Purdie is the drummer of choice for numerous earthy sessions of this kind. The group offers simple, ear-catching arrangements and inspired blowing on four blues tunes, a pop standard, a funky montuna, and a churchy version of Willie Nelson’s “Ain’t It Funny How the Time Slips Away.” Infectious music you’ll want to come back to.

Originally Published November 1, 1998