There’s no denying that I like an organ’s thick juicy sound. My love started with that Farfisa bounce in 60s garage rock – i.e. 96 Tears. It expanded with Vanilla Fudge, ELP. I think on of my fruit jazz organ lps with Jimmy Smith’s Monster (more about him when I get to ’S’].
Back in the day when I flipped though bins of 2nd hand cds I came upon Brother Jack McDuff (1926-2001) lp: Gettin’ Our Thing Together (1968) which had one of the most hideous covers I’d ever seen, so I bought it for fifty-cents. He’s a funkier version of Jimmy Smith. On this mp3 collection I have Do It Now (1967)/Gettin’ Our Thing Together (1968)/Moon Rappin’ (1969), Sophisticated Funk (1976). All great fun & worth checking out.
Also on this mp3 cd is Booker T & The MGs: Time Is Tight: This is a three cd set that covers all their studio lps up to & including ‘Melting Pot.’ Now this is funky is a more soulful way, more pop than jazz. All the hits are here: Green Onions, Hip Hug-Her as well as endless tasty cover versions of the Beatles, movie themes (Hang’Em High) & original songs. The group was also the house band for a couple of labels i.e. Stax, Atlantic & played on hundreds of number one singles by a list of stars too long to include here.
Booker T was also highly influential on many British groups: Procol Harum owes them a debit of gratitude, as does Pink Floyd whose long dreamy passages could be by Booker T. At one time I had the lp Melting Pot as well as a cassette of ‘Greatest Hits.’ Melting Pop is a masterpiece that transcends genre & if you don’t have it – get it.
Next on the shelf is the stand-alone of Jimmy McGriff’s (1936-2008) – Tribute to Basie (1966). Another fine jazz organist this is a, as you might guess, more of a big band work out with organ instead of saxes taking the lead. Another cd I picked up flipping through bins at a 2nd hand music store. Now I flip though iTunes for obscure old school disco.
TOpoet 