Jack McDuff • Sophisticated Funk

 

Artist Biography by Ron Wynn
A marvelous bandleader and organist as well as capable arranger, "Brother" Jack McDuff has one of the funkiest, most soulful styles of all time on the Hammond B-3. His rock-solid basslines and blues-drenched solos are balanced by clever, almost pianistic melodies and interesting progressions and phrases. McDuff began as a bassist playing with Denny Zeitlin and Joe Farrell. He studied privately in Cincinnati and worked with Johnny Griffin in Chicago. He taught himself organ and piano in the mid-'50s, and began gaining attention working with Willis Jackson in the late '50s and early '60s, cutting high caliber soul-jazz dates for Prestige. McDuff made his recording debut as a leader for Prestige in 1960, playing in a studio pickup band with Jimmy Forrest. They made a pair of outstanding albums: Tough Duff and The Honeydripper. McDuff organized his own band the next year, featuring Harold Vick and drummer Joe Dukes. Things took off when McDuff hired a young guitarist named George Benson. They were among the most popular combos of the mid-'60s and made several excellent albums. McDuff's later groups at Atlantic and Cadet didn't equal the level of the Benson band, while later dates for Verve and Cadet were uneven, though generally good. McDuff experimented with electronic keyboards and fusion during the '70s, then in the '80s got back in the groove with the Muse session Cap'n Jack. While his health fluctuated throughout the '90s, McDuff released several discs on the Concord Jazz label before succumbing to heart failure on January 23, 2001, at the age of 74.

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Biografía del artista por Ron Wynn

El "Hermano" Jack McDuff es un maravilloso líder de orquesta y organista, además de un hábil arreglista, y tiene uno de los estilos más divertidos y conmovedores de todos los tiempos en el Hammond B-3. Sus líneas de bajo sólidas como la roca y sus solos llenos de blues están equilibrados por melodías inteligentes, casi pianísticas e interesantes progresiones y frases. McDuff comenzó como un bajista tocando con Denny Zeitlin y Joe Farrell. Estudió en privado en Cincinnati y trabajó con Johnny Griffin en Chicago. Se enseñó a sí mismo órgano y piano a mediados de los años 50, y comenzó a llamar la atención trabajando con Willis Jackson a finales de los 50 y principios de los 60, cortando fechas de soul-jazz de alto calibre para Prestige. McDuff hizo su debut en la grabación como líder de Prestige en 1960, tocando en una banda de estudio con Jimmy Forrest. Hicieron un par de álbumes sobresalientes: Tough Duff y The Honeydripper. McDuff organizó su propia banda el próximo año, con Harold Vick y el baterista Joe Dukes. Las cosas se dispararon cuando McDuff contrató a un joven guitarrista llamado George Benson. Estaban entre los combos más populares de mediados de los años 60 e hicieron varios álbumes excelentes. Los grupos posteriores de McDuff en Atlantic y Cadet no igualaron el nivel de la banda de Benson, mientras que las fechas posteriores de Verve y Cadet fueron desiguales, aunque en general fueron buenas. McDuff experimentó con los teclados electrónicos y la fusión durante los años 70, luego, en los 80, volvió al ritmo de la sesión de Muse Cap'n Jack. Si bien su salud fluctuó a lo largo de los años 90, McDuff lanzó varios discos en la etiqueta Concord Jazz antes de sucumbir a una insuficiencia cardíaca el 23 de enero de 2001, a la edad de 74 años.

Tracklist:
A1 - Dit Da Dit (6:00)
  Bass - Frank Prescod
  Congas - Craig Derry (2)
  Drums - Scott Schoer
  Guitar - Robert Banks , Walter Morris
  Saxophone, Flute - Joe Farrell
  Written-By - B. Jones* , J. McDuff*

A2 - Ju Ju (6:49)
  Bass - Frank Prescod
  Congas, Percussion - Craig Derry (2) , Scott Saunders
  Drums - Clarence Oliver
  Guitar, Percussion - Billy Jones
  Saxophone, Flute - Joe Farrell
  Written-By - Billy Jones

A3 - To Be Named Later (4:50)
  Bass - Frank Prescod
  Congas, Percussion - Craig Derry (2)
  Drums - Clarence Oliver
  Guitar - Billy Jones
  Saxophone, Flute - Joe Farrell
  Written-By - B. Jones* , J. McDuff*

A4 - Summer Dream (4:50)
  Backing Vocals - Billy Jones , Craig Derry (2)
  Bass - Frank Prescod
  Congas, Percussion - Craig Derry (2)
  Drums - Ted McKinsey
  Guitar - Billy Jones
  Saxophone, Flute - Joe Farrell
  Written-By - B. Jones* , J. McDuff*

B1 - Jack's Boogie (3:32)
  Bass - Frank Prescod
  Congas, Percussion - Craig Derry (2) , Scott Saunders
  Guitar - Billy Jones
  Piano - Brian Cuomo
  Written-By - B. Jones* , J. McDuff*

B2 - Mini Pads (5:50)
  Bass - Frank Prescod
  Congas, Percussion - Craig Derry (2)
  Drums - Arnold Ramsey
  Guitar - Billy Jones
  Written-By - B. Jones* , B. Cuomo*

B3 - Electric Surf Board (5:17)
  Bass - Frank Prescod
  Congas, Percussion - Craig Derry (2)
  Drums - Joe Corsello
  Guitar - Billy Jones
  Saxophone, Flute - Joe Farrell
  Written-By - Jack McDuff*

B4 - Mannix Theme (3:26)
  Bass - Frank Prescod
  Congas, Percussion - Craig Derry (2)
  Drums - Ted McKinsey
  Guitar - Robert Banks
  Written-By - Schisrin

Label: Chess
Catalog: ACH-19004
Released: 1976
Genre: Funk / Soul, Jazz
Style: Fusion, Jazz-Funk

 

 

 

 

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