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Richard "Groove" Holmes
Richard Arnold "Groove" Holmes, Born Richard Arnold Jackson (Camden, New Jersey) was a jazz organist who performed in the hard bop and soul jazz genre. He is best known for his 1965 recording of "Misty," and is considered a precursor of acid jazz.
Holmes burst onto the music scene in the early 1960s (his first album, on Pacific Jazz with guest Ben Webster was recorded in March 1961). An African-American, literally a heavyweight (approximately 300 pounds) and physically rotund in stature, he gained immediate respect with an inimitable style of his own. His sound was immediately recognizable in the upper register, but even more so because of his virtuosity in creating, undoubtedly, the most rapid, punctuating, and pulsating basslines of all the jazz organists. His Prestige recording of "Live at the Front Room" recorded in Newark, New Jersey is one of the great jazz performances on the Hammond-B3. He (Holmes) seemed to make fire jump from the Hammond organ the night of that live recording. Though his recording years were relatively brief, as he died at the less than advanced age of 60, he established a recognition that is stellar within the community of notable jazz organ giants, i.e. Jimmy Smith (The Sermon), Brother Jack McDuff (A Real Good 'Un), Jimmy McGriff (I've Got a Woman). His style whether ballad, standard, or uptempo straight ahead, was always soulful, as his nicknamed implied, he was a "Groove."
He recorded many albums for Pacific Jazz, Prestige Records, Groove Merchant and Muse Records.
Holmes died after a long struggle with prostate cancer, having performed his last concerts on a wheelchair. One of his last gigs was at the 1991 Chicago Blues Festival with his longtime friend, singer Read more
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Richard "Groove" Holmes: Soul Message
by Samuel Chell
The Hammond B-3 organ, even more than the Fender Rhodes electric piano, simply refuses to surrender to the proponents of digital synthesis, be they manufacturers of keyboards or aging keyboardists looking for less strenuous gigs. The instrument continues to exert a universal appeal, offering a soul-stirring Sunday-morning message at a time and place that suits Saturday-night sinners. All the more reason this RVG edition of Soul Message, a popular recording by one of the instrument's more effective evangelists, is likely ...
Continue ReadingRichard "Groove" Holmes: On Basie's Bandstand
by David Rickert
Soul jazz was never in short supply during the mid to late sixties, occupying slots in juke boxes next to Aretha Franklin and James Brown and filling clubs such as Count Basie’s lounge in Harlem. On many a night these small and noisy joints were excellent places to catch master organists such as Richard “Groove” Holmes burn through a set of meaty jam sessions.
On Basie’s Bandstand features seven unreleased tunes from a 1966 live set and is about as ...
Continue ReadingRichard "Groove" Holmes: On Basie's Bandstand
by Russell Moon
The years 1965 to 1968, during which which Richard “Groove" Holmes recorded for Prestige, comprised his career's best period, and thus a previously unreleased Prestige recording is very welcome.
Groove Holmes joined the label in August 1965 with one of the jazz organ's finest albums, Soul Message. The following April, Prestige recorded Holmes at Count Basie's nightclub in Harlem. Five songs were taken from the gig and released in time for Christmas as Living Soul. During the summer of 1966 ...
Continue ReadingRichard "Groove" Holmes: Spicy
by AAJ Staff
Two sides, one groove. There’s a torrid live set, a bare-bones trio that keeps the crowd going. It’s a basic sound, loose (in the good sense) and very satisfying. Then they go to the studio, with percussion and a second guitar (Boogaloo Joe Jones, in his first session for Prestige.) This is more polished, with varied timbres and a bit of pop. You get wicked movers, and the gentle cool found in his hit “Misty”. Tension ebbs and flows with ...
Continue ReadingRichard "Groove" Holmes: Spicy!
by Douglas Payne
Organist Richard “Groove" Homes (1931-91) recorded prolifically over three decades for Pacific Jazz, Loma, Blue Note, Groove Merchant, Flying Dutchman, Versatile and Muse. But it was the dozen records he made for Prestige between 1965 and 1968 that scored him the biggest hits of his career ("Misty") and some of his most memorable music. On this collection, his second in the “Legends of Acid Jazz" series, two of his 1966 sessions are paired up: his third Prestige LP ( Living ...
Continue ReadingRichard "Groove" Holmes: Broadway
by Jim Santella
Orginally released by Muse in 1980, this reissue features organist Groove Holmes, saxophonist Houston Person, guitarist Gerald Smith, percussionist Ralph Dorsey, and drummer Bobby Ward. No bassist is required because the leader provides stellar bass lines himself from the organ.
The title track, “Broadway," starts off this album with a blazing tempo and a natural flair for the melody. Person’s tenor saxophone tone is light and airy, and his technique is tempered with a sense of confidence that seems to ...
Continue ReadingRichard "Groove" Holmes: Groove's Groove
by Jim Santella
Based in the blues and gaining popularity early in his career with a 1965 version of “Misty," Groove Holmes was one of the premier artists to employ the Hammond B3 organ. Starting out as a bassist and teaching himself organ as he went along, Holmes found that he could produce a solid bass line with his foot while creating new and interesting sounds at the keyboard. These days, when a trip to your local record store may reveal items in ...
Continue ReadingJazz Musician of the Day: Richard "Groove" Holmes
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating Richard “Groove" Holmes' birthday today!
Richard Arnold “Groove" Holmes, Born Richard Arnold Jackson (Camden, New Jersey) was a jazz organist who performed in the hard bop and soul jazz genre. He is best known for his 1965 recording of “Misty," and is considered a precursor of acid jazz. Holmes burst onto the music scene in the early 1960s (his first album, on Pacific Jazz with guest Ben Webster was recorded in March 1961). An African-American, ...
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Jazz Musician of the Day: Richard "Groove" Holmes
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating Richard “Groove" Holmes' birthday today!
Richard Arnold “Groove" Holmes, Born Richard Arnold Jackson (Camden, New Jersey) was a jazz organist who performed in the hard bop and soul jazz genre. He is best known for his 1965 recording of “Misty," and is considered a precursor of acid jazz. Holmes burst onto the music scene in the early 1960s (his first album, on Pacific Jazz with guest Ben Webster was recorded in March 1961). An African-American, ...
read more
Jazz Musician of the Day: Richard "Groove" Holmes
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating Richard “Groove" Holmes' birthday today!
Richard Arnold “Groove" Holmes, Born Richard Arnold Jackson (Camden, New Jersey) was a jazz organist who performed in the hard bop and soul jazz genre. He is best known for his 1965 recording of “Misty," and is considered a precursor of acid jazz. Holmes burst onto the music scene in the early 1960s (his first album, on Pacific Jazz with guest Ben Webster was recorded in March 1961). An African-American, ...
read more
Jazz Musician of the Day: Richard "Groove" Holmes
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating Richard “Groove" Holmes' birthday today!
Richard Arnold “Groove" Holmes, Born Richard Arnold Jackson (Camden, New Jersey) was a jazz organist who performed in the hard bop and soul jazz genre. He is best known for his 1965 recording of “Misty," and is considered a precursor of acid jazz. Holmes burst onto the music scene in the early 1960s (his first album, on Pacific Jazz with guest Ben Webster was recorded in March 1961). An African-American, ...
read more
Jazz Musician of the Day: Richard "Groove" Holmes
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating Richard “Groove" Holmes' birthday today!
Richard Arnold “Groove" Holmes, Born Richard Arnold Jackson (Camden, New Jersey) was a jazz organist who performed in the hard bop and soul jazz genre. He is best known for his 1965 recording of “Misty," and is considered a precursor of acid jazz. Holmes burst onto the music scene in the early 1960s (his first album, on Pacific Jazz with guest Ben Webster was recorded in March 1961). An African-American... ...
read more
"Groove" Holmes in Popsville
Source:
JazzWax by Marc Myers
A good number of jazz organists of the early and mid-1960s were put in a box. Many of their albums from this period were larded with tedious original blues and a handful of ancient Songbook standards. This mind-numbing approach allowed labels to avoid steep copyright bills, but the strategy also resulted in countless dull cookie-cutter recordings that don't hold up today. Not until the late 1960s did younger producers start to encourage organists to record hip covers of the latest ...
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Jazz Musician of the Day: Richard "Groove" Holmes
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating Richard “Groove" Holmes' birthday today!
Richard Arnold “Groove" Holmes, Born Richard Arnold Jackson (Camden, New Jersey) was a jazz organist who performed in the hard bop and soul jazz genre. He is best known for his 1965 recording of “Misty," and is considered a precursor of acid jazz. Holmes burst onto the music scene in the early 1960s (his first album, on Pacific Jazz with guest Ben Webster was recorded in March 1961). An African-American... ...
read more
Jazz Musician of the Day: Richard "Groove" Holmes
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating Richard “Groove" Holmes' birthday today!
Richard Arnold “Groove" Holmes, Born Richard Arnold Jackson (Camden, New Jersey) was a jazz organist who performed in the hard bop and soul jazz genre. He is best known for his 1965 recording of “Misty," and is considered a precursor of acid jazz. Holmes burst onto the music scene in the early 1960s (his first album, on Pacific Jazz with guest Ben Webster was recorded in March 1961). An African-American... ...
read more
Jazz Musician of the Day: Richard "Groove" Holmes
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating Richard “Groove" Holmes' birthday today!
Richard Arnold “Groove" Holmes, Born Richard Arnold Jackson (Camden, New Jersey) was a jazz organist who performed in the hard bop and soul jazz genre. He is best known for his 1965 recording of “Misty," and is considered a precursor of acid jazz. Holmes burst onto the music scene in the early 1960s (his first album, on Pacific Jazz with guest Ben Webster was recorded in March 1961). An African-American... ...
read more
Jazz Musician of the Day: Richard "Groove" Holmes
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating Richard “Groove" Holmes' birthday today! Richard Arnold “Groove" Holmes, Born Richard Arnold Jackson (Camden, New Jersey) was a jazz organist who performed in the hard bop and soul jazz genre. He is best known for his 1965 recording of “Misty," and is considered a precursor of acid jazz. Holmes burst onto the music scene in the early 1960s (his first album, on Pacific Jazz with guest Ben Webster was recorded in March 1961). An African-American... ...
read more
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Richard "Groove" Holmes
Instrument: Organ, Hammond B3
Born: May 2, 1931
Died: June 29, 1991
