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Jack McDuff

Brother Jack McDuff, was one of the handful of leading exponents of the soul jazz style created on Hammond organ by Jimmy Smith in the late 1950s. The instrument at the heart of the soul jazz style was the Hammond B-3 organ, usually in the company of electric guitar, drums, and often tenor saxophone. The emergence of Jimmy Smith as a major star on the instrument sparked its widespread use in jazz and pop music in the early 1960s, and McDuff was among its most successful practitioners. Its initial popularity in both jazz and rock had peaked by the end of the decade, and it was later largely superseded for a time by more contemporary developments in keyboard technology, but it retained serious cult status among its devotees, and those musicians who still preferred the challenge of actually having to play everything themselves. The instrument has enjoyed an ongoing revival.

Jack McDuff was born Eugene McDuffy, and taught himself to play piano and organ, but later studied for a time at college in Cincinnati. He began playing professionally as a bass player with pianist Denny Zeitlin and reeds player Joe Farrell, then led his own group as a pianist in the Midwest in the early 1950s. He was active in Chicago in the late 1950s, where he played with Johnny Griffin and Max Roach, among others, and was in a group led by tenor saxophonist Willis ‘Gator’ Jackson in 1957-8.

Encouraged by Jackson, he began to concentrate on Hammond organ, and made his recording debut as leader with Brother Jack for Prestige in 1960, the first in a string of classic soul jazz releases for that label. Highlights of that association included “The Honeydripper,” (1961), in which he was joined by tenor saxophonist Jimmy Forrest and guitarist Grant Green (the latter was making his recording debut), and “Brother Jack Meets The Boss,” (1962), in which he was joined by the great Gene Ammons, and “Screamin,” (1962).

His dexterous, blues-rooted style and solid, grooving bass lines were heard to advantage on his recordings from the early 1960s, which also featured musicians like saxophonists Harold Vick and Red Holloway and guitarist Kenny Burrell. Most famously, McDuff also hired a young guitarist named George Benson, who added class and fire to several of McDuff’s albums, while the organist also set up Benson’s first recording as a leader, using the organist’s group for the date.

McDuff and his band, which he called The Heatin’ System, were established as a major force in the organ world. He signed to Atlantic Records in 1966, where he continued to record regularly, although without quite replicating the sparkle and group empathy of his Prestige albums.

McDuff recorded for Blue Note in the late 1960s, but the rise of soul and funk music had pushed soul jazz off the juke boxes by that time, while fusion took root in jazz itself. The 1970s and 1980s proved a leaner time for the music. McDuff experimented with the fashionable electric keyboards of the era, and dabbled in a jazz-funk fusion for a time, with forgettable results.

The revival of interest in the Hammond in the mid-1980s also provided the spark to relaunch McDuff’s career. His “comeback” album, “The Re-Entry,” recorded for the Muse label in 1988, began a successful run of recordings, initially for Muse, then for the Concord Jazz label from 1991 (George Benson, by now an international star, contributed to his old mentor’s “Colour Me Blue” album in 1992).

McDuff was always less reliant on raw power than many of his contemporaries, preferring a more soulful, thoughtful approach to the instrument’s manifold possibilities. His improvisations were deft and pleasingly lucid, and he made considerable use of the Hammond’s capacity for a wide ranging dynamic and textural variation, but never neglected the crucial groove in the process.

McDuff was also a notable arranger, composer and band leader, and recorded over 60 albums under his own name. Among the other eminent musicians who passed through his bands were saxophonist Joe Henderson and guitarist Pat Martino, and he collaborated with blues great Jimmy Witherspoon, saxophonist Sonny Stitt, and multi- instrumentalist Rahsaan Roland Kirk, among others.

The organist continued to tour with contemporary versions of The Heatin’ System, and released a “Brotherly Love,”(2001) as his final recording session, featuring Red Holloway and Pat Martino, whom were members of his popular '60s group. McDuff pulls out all the stops with phenomenal Hammond B-3 artistry. Joey DeFrancesco, appears on two tracks as a final tribute to his mentor, together they display their amazing techniques. This is a fitting farewell from one of the true monsters of “The Beast,” as the B-3 is referred to. Source: James Nadal

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Brother Jack McDuff: Ain't No Sunshine

Read "Ain't No Sunshine" reviewed by Pierre Giroux

by Pierre Giroux
April 18, 2024

At The Gallery, Seattle Washington 1972, Brother Jack McDuff, master of the Hammond B-3 organ, showcased his unparalleled talent, backed by a tight-knit ensemble of seasoned musicians. The result is a never-before-released live recording in a deluxe limited-edition hand-numbered 180-gram 2-LP set, produced by record executive and tenor saxophonist Cory Weeds. The amazing sounding group that complemented McDuff's playing was comprised of Leo Johnson, tenor saxophone, flute and clarinet, Dave Young, tenor and soprano saxophones, Vinnie ...

The Big Question

Jazz in a Snow Globe

by Joseph Vella
November 24, 2022

One of the greatest gifts of listening to jazz is to simply get lost inside of a track and have it transport you to a state of bliss. These special pieces of music often discovered over time through countless of hours of listening. Like the diamonds of the music, no matter the era or style, they just shine. I like to call these magical gems “Snow Globe Jazz"—these tracks do everything you need for them to do. They're ...

Radio & Podcasts

50th Anniversary Blue Notes for December, Including The Rare Jazz Wave on Tour

by Marc Cohn
December 18, 2019

50th anniversary Blue Notes from December 1969 this week from Jack McDuff (Moon Rappin') and Reuben Wilson (the seriously greasy Blue Mode) and part of a Donald Byrd session (Kofi) only released 25 years after the fact! Then, there's this one: Jazz Wave Ltd. on Tour, Volume 1. It's a double LP (it's in my lap as I write this), never reissued in any form and if it's streaming somewhere, I haven't found it. Recorded live in Germany, it features ...

Radio & Podcasts

Listeners' Favorites

by Marc Cohn
August 9, 2019

The number of the day is 5 (as in Show 385), which means it's time for listeners' favorites—the tunes that moved you from Gifts & Messages (Shows 371-380). Some old, some more recent. Enjoy the ride (it's granulated), and thanks for your comments and your ears.Thanks to our most active listeners of the week in: Kiev (Ukraine), Chicago & Baton Rouge (US), and Nerima (Japan)!Playlist Jack McDuff “Down Home Style" from Down Home Style (Blue Note) ...

Radio & Podcasts

June 50th Anniversary Blue Notes

by Marc Cohn
June 7, 2019

50th anniversaries of Blue Note recording sessions from June 1969 this week: (1) Stanley Turrentine with McCoy Tyner & Billy Cobham; (2) pianist Jack Wilson's trio; (3) John Patton; (4) Andrew Hill with a string quartet; (5) Brother Jack McDuff's 'Down Home Style'; (6) Donald Byrd's 'Fancy Free.' Sessions (1) & (3) were never released in their entirety as actual LPs, but as melds with other recording dates on LP/CD many years after the recording dates & session (4) was ...

255

Album Review

Brother Jack McDuff: Who Knows What Tomorrow's Gonna Bring?

Read "Who Knows What Tomorrow's Gonna Bring?" reviewed by Germein Linares

by Germein Linares
July 7, 2005

Though originally released by Blue Note, Brother Jack McDuff's '71 album Who Knows What Tomorrow's Gonna Bring? came after the venerable jazz label's glory days in hard bop and post bop. An album with far more funk and soul than swing and bop, this excellent first-time CD reissue by San Francisco-based Water finds McDuff's organ paired nicely with guitarist Joe Beck, trumpeters Randy Brecker and Olu Dara, trombonists Dick Griffin and John Pierson, vibraphonist Mike Mainieri, pianist Paul Griffin, bassists ...

137

Album Review

Brother Jack McDuff: Prelude

Read "Prelude" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey

by C. Michael Bailey
October 21, 2003

If you, the gentle listener, were to ever tire of Jimmy Smith following an overdose of the master’s Blue Note catalog, I would direct you to anything by Brother Jack McDuff. A native of Champaign, IL, McDuff cut his teeth with Willis Jackson and Jimmy Forrest and helped a young George Benson get started. McDuff supported Gene Ammons, Grant Green, Kenny Burrell, and Hank Crawford with his rock-steady time and spot-on bass-pedaling. Prelude is the re-release of McDuff’s 1964 big ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Jack McDuff

Source: Michael Ricci
September 17, 2022

All About Jazz is celebrating Jack McDuff's birthday today!

Recording

Jack McDuff: Live at Parnell's, 1982

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
September 12, 2022

In June 1982, Brother Jack McDuff was in Seattle to play a week-long run at Parnell's, the city's major jazz club. Joining the organist was Danny Wollinski on tenor saxophone, Henry Johnson on guitar and Garrick King on drums. McDuff even brought along his own Hammond B3 organ for the date. Fortunately, the club's resident sound engineer, Scott Hawthorn, who was friends with McDuff, recorded the quartet. Now we can hear what this monster combo sounded like with the release ...
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Video / DVD

Backgrounder: Brother Jack's 'Heatin' System"

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
July 5, 2022

Between 1968 and 1974, organist Brother Jack McDuff recorded seven albums for Chicago's Cadet label. One of the most interesting of the bunch was The Heatin' System. What made the 1972 double album special was its hip Chicago soul-jazz flavor and the band behind him: Bobby Alston (tp), Don Myrick and David Young (ts,fl), Brother Jack McDuff (org,p,melodica), Marty Roberts (g), Phil Upchurch and Sam Jones (b) on different tracks, Greg Williams (d) and Frederick “Derf" Walker (cga). Rather than ...
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Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Jack McDuff

Source: Michael Ricci
September 17, 2021

All About Jazz is celebrating Jack McDuff's birthday today!

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Jack McDuff

Source: Michael Ricci
September 17, 2020

All About Jazz is celebrating Jack McDuff's birthday today!

Video / DVD

Jack McDuff: Moon Rappin'

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
November 21, 2019

As years go, 1969 was a doozy. The country had just come off of two horrible assassinations in 1968 along with news of the Mai Lai Massacre. The following year began with President Nixon's inauguration in January. Any hope that Teddy Kennedy would replace his slain brother in Shakespearean fashion was dashed with the Chappaquiddick incident in July. The Manson “Family" slaughtered seven people in August in L.A. Woodstock was held later that month in New York, followed by Altamont ...
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