Johnny Griffin
Language available : englishOne of the all-time great tenor saxophonists, Johnny Griffin will go down in the annals of jazz as a performer easily able to negotiate the tricky harmonic changes and swift tempos of modern music. He'll also be remembered as a player who could masterfully interpret tender ballads, rivaling Ben Webster in that regard. Born John Arnold Griffin III in Chicago, Illinois, on April 24, 1928, he resided on the South Side of the Second City with his mother, who was a singer, and father, who played cornet. An adolescent Griffin heard Gene Ammons play in the big band of King Kolax. Two years later he picked up an alto saxophone, and soon thereafter was working with bluesman T-Bone Walker. A student at DuSable High School, he was tutored by the legendary band director Captain Walter Dyett. Upon graduation, he toured with Lionel Hampton's big band, switched to the tenor sax, and moved to New York City. The late '40s saw Griffin honking his share of R&B with Joe Morris up to 1950, alongside the band of Jo Jones in 1950, and with Arnett Cobb in 1951. He enlisted in the armed services stationed in Hawaii, and played in an Army band. After his military commitment, he returned to Chicago and was in the company of Thelonious Monk's various ensembles up to the mid-'60s. Griffin cut his Blue Note album Introducing Johnny Griffin in 1958, and that year formed a sextet with Detroiters Pepper Adams and Donald Byrd. He collaborated with pianists Bud Powell and Elmo Hope, was enlisted by Art Blakey briefly as a member of the Jazz Messengers, energized his solo recording career for the Riverside label, and obtained his nickname, The Little Giant, with that eponymously titled LP in 1959. His most famous and popular teaming was with fellow saxophonist Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis. Griffin also recorded the legendary A Blowin' Session for the Blue Note label with John Coltrane and Hank Mobley. But Griffin grew weary of the U.S. and its apathy regarding jazz, so he became an expatriate. He was living in Paris, France, by 1963, and did many albums with European rhythm sections for the Storyville, Black Lion, and Steeplechase labels. He was also a charter member and chief soloist for many years in the Kenny Clarke-Francy Boland Big Band alongside American and Continental standouts. The year 1975 was an important one for Griffin, who was featured with the bands of Dizzy Gillespie and Count Basie as documented in recordings of their sets at the Montreux Jazz Festival. He also collaborated with German saxophonist Klaus Doldinger and his fusion band Passport. In the late '70s, Griffin returned to the States to record for the Galaxy label, and toured with fellow expatriate tenor saxophonist Dexter Gordon. He left Paris for the countryside of the Netherlands to live on a farm, then headed to the Côte d'Azur in 1980, and in 1984 to rural Availles-Limouzine. In 1986 he was a member of the Paris Reunion Band with Woody Shaw, Dizzy Reece, Slide Hampton, and Kenny Drew, making one album for the Sonet label. During his time in France, Griffin recorded for the Antilles and Verve labels, including The Cat in 1991 and Chicago, New York, Paris in 1994. On the weeks of his birthday, Griffin made regular appearances at the Jazz Showcase back home in Chicago. In his later years he collaborated with pianist Martial Solal and saxophonist Steve Grossman. Griffin passed away at age 80 on July 25, 2008, at his home in Availles-Limouzine.
© Michael G. Nastos /TiVo Read more
One of the all-time great tenor saxophonists, Johnny Griffin will go down in the annals of jazz as a performer easily able to negotiate the tricky harmonic changes and swift tempos of modern music. He'll also be remembered as a player who could masterfully interpret tender ballads, rivaling Ben Webster in that regard.
Born John Arnold Griffin III in Chicago, Illinois, on April 24, 1928, he resided on the South Side of the Second City with his mother, who was a singer, and father, who played cornet. An adolescent Griffin heard Gene Ammons play in the big band of King Kolax. Two years later he picked up an alto saxophone, and soon thereafter was working with bluesman T-Bone Walker. A student at DuSable High School, he was tutored by the legendary band director Captain Walter Dyett. Upon graduation, he toured with Lionel Hampton's big band, switched to the tenor sax, and moved to New York City. The late '40s saw Griffin honking his share of R&B with Joe Morris up to 1950, alongside the band of Jo Jones in 1950, and with Arnett Cobb in 1951. He enlisted in the armed services stationed in Hawaii, and played in an Army band.
After his military commitment, he returned to Chicago and was in the company of Thelonious Monk's various ensembles up to the mid-'60s. Griffin cut his Blue Note album Introducing Johnny Griffin in 1958, and that year formed a sextet with Detroiters Pepper Adams and Donald Byrd. He collaborated with pianists Bud Powell and Elmo Hope, was enlisted by Art Blakey briefly as a member of the Jazz Messengers, energized his solo recording career for the Riverside label, and obtained his nickname, The Little Giant, with that eponymously titled LP in 1959. His most famous and popular teaming was with fellow saxophonist Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis. Griffin also recorded the legendary A Blowin' Session for the Blue Note label with John Coltrane and Hank Mobley.
But Griffin grew weary of the U.S. and its apathy regarding jazz, so he became an expatriate. He was living in Paris, France, by 1963, and did many albums with European rhythm sections for the Storyville, Black Lion, and Steeplechase labels. He was also a charter member and chief soloist for many years in the Kenny Clarke-Francy Boland Big Band alongside American and Continental standouts. The year 1975 was an important one for Griffin, who was featured with the bands of Dizzy Gillespie and Count Basie as documented in recordings of their sets at the Montreux Jazz Festival. He also collaborated with German saxophonist Klaus Doldinger and his fusion band Passport. In the late '70s, Griffin returned to the States to record for the Galaxy label, and toured with fellow expatriate tenor saxophonist Dexter Gordon.
He left Paris for the countryside of the Netherlands to live on a farm, then headed to the Côte d'Azur in 1980, and in 1984 to rural Availles-Limouzine. In 1986 he was a member of the Paris Reunion Band with Woody Shaw, Dizzy Reece, Slide Hampton, and Kenny Drew, making one album for the Sonet label. During his time in France, Griffin recorded for the Antilles and Verve labels, including The Cat in 1991 and Chicago, New York, Paris in 1994. On the weeks of his birthday, Griffin made regular appearances at the Jazz Showcase back home in Chicago. In his later years he collaborated with pianist Martial Solal and saxophonist Steve Grossman. Griffin passed away at age 80 on July 25, 2008, at his home in Availles-Limouzine.
© Michael G. Nastos /TiVo
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A Blowing Session
Jazz - Released by Blue Note Records on 1 feb. 1957
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Polish Jazz Radio Archives, Vol. 11
Jazz - Released by Polskie Radio S.A. on 24 mrt. 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Live at Ronnie Scott's
Johnny Griffin, Roy Hargrove, Billy Cobham
Jazz - Released by IN+OUT Records on 26 sep. 2008
Johnny Griffin spent several decades living and working in Europe prior to his death, though he made occasional trips to the U.S. These live tracks co ...
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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The Little Giant - Change of Pace
Jazz - Released by Fresh Sound Records on 3 apr. 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Complete Recordings: 1956-1960
Jazz - Released by Playtime on 17 mrt. 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Introducing Johnny Griffin (Rudy Van Gelder Edition / Remastered)
Jazz - Released by Blue Note Records on 17 apr. 1956
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Johnny Griffin Sextet (Instrumental)
Jazz - Released by Fantasy Records on 25 feb. 1958
The great tenor Johnny Griffin made his debut on Riverside with this sextet set which has been reissued on CD in the OJC series. Griffin is teamed wit ...
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Chicago Sound
Jazz - Released by Fresh Sound Records on 11 nov. 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Live in Tokyo (Live)
Jazz - Released by West Wind on 23 apr. 1976
The great tenor Johnny Griffin really gets a chance to stretch out on this two-LP set. Joined by pianist Horace Parland, bassist Mads Vinding and drum ...
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Jazz Side Story (A Timeless Jazz Recordings)
Jazz - Released by Jazz Side Story on 7 mei 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Stix' Trix (Mono Version)
Jazz - Released by BnF Collection on 1 jan. 1961
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
The Riverside Collection
Bebop - Released by Enlightenment on 19 jun. 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Johnny Griffin: Live in London
Jazz - Released by Blue Velvet on 4 jan. 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
At Onkel Pö's Carnegie Hall, Hamburg 1975 (Live)
Johnny Griffin, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis Quintet
Jazz - Released by Jazzline on 3 nov. 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Close Your Eyes
Johnny Griffin & Horace Parlan
Jazz - Released by MINOR MUSIC on 3 feb. 2000
Chicago has long been famous for big-toned tenor men, and when jazz enthusiasts are discussing hard bop tenor giants who have lived in the Windy City, ...
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
A Blowin' Session (Album of 1957)
Pop - Released by Jazz Classics on 30 aug. 2007
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Black Is the Color of My True Love's Hair
Jazz - Released by Meron on 13 jun. 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Take My Hand (Live)
Jazz - Released by Good Time Records on 4 mei 1988
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo