Johnny Griffin - R.I.P.

John Arnold Griffin III 

(April 24, 1928 - July 25, 2008)

US jazz tenor saxophonist Johnny Griffin, who played alongside such luminaries as Lionel Hampton, Art Blakey and Thelonius Monk, died Friday in France, his agent Helene Manfredi said. He was 80.
Nicknamed the Little Giant, Griffin was due to perform Friday evening alongside US organist Rhoda Scott, French saxophonist Olivier Temime and drummer Julie Saury.
Griffin died at home in Mauprevoir, a village in the west-central La Vienne district, where he had spent the last 18 years of his life. The cause of death was not disclosed.
After studying music at the DuSable High School in his native Chicago, Griffin joined vibes star Hampton's orchestra in 1945 before leaving with trumpeter Joe Morris to join the latter's own band.
Throughout the 1950s, he played with a variety of combos, including Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers.
He also played alongside cornetist Nat Adderley and recorded with John Coltrane. The fruits of that collaboration produced the 1957 Blue Note album for which he is perhaps best remembered, "A Blowin' Session."
At the start of the 1960s, Griffin founded his own group along with another saxophone player, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, but in 1962 he decided to set up home in France.
A spell in the Netherlands followed in the 1970s, before his return to France, where he continued to record and tour right to the end.
Legendary London jazz club Ronnie Scott's described Griffin on its website as a "member of jazz's elite ... his burning solos and furiously nimble runs anchored by an amazingly well-informed and complete grasp of melody and harmony, marking him out as one of the greatest tenor sax players". (AFP)



Griff on Myspace
NY Times Article

Archie Shepp - Jazzmusician

Photograph by Juan Esteves

Archie Shepp started playing jazz in the early 60's and still tours around the world playing tenor saxophone and piano, accompanied by his soulful voice. Archie has worked with Cecil Taylor, John Coltrane and Yusef Lateef, as well as countless other jazz greats. To write about his musical qualities would take quite some time, so please check out more on his website:

He was the first Jazzmusician I really met and I was immediately captured by his absolutely amazing style and his cheeky grin. That day he wore a great dark hat, a very well tailored dark double breasted pin stripe suit and had a cane in his hand...very much like on the picture above. He was so incredibly cool and relaxed between all those busy people working at the festival office where he was...I was ravished by him!

 

www.archieshepp.com