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.
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Album Review
- Soul Message by Samuel Chell
- On Basie's Bandstand by David Rickert
- On Basie's Bandstand by Russell Moon
- Spicy by AAJ Staff
- Spicy! by Douglas Payne
- Broadway by Jim Santella
- Groove's Groove by Jim Santella
May 02, 2020
Jazz Musician of the Day: Richard "Groove" Holmes
May 02, 2019
Jazz Musician of the Day: Richard "Groove" Holmes
July 10, 2018
May 02, 2018
Jazz Musician of the Day: Richard "Groove" Holmes
May 02, 2017
Jazz Musician of the Day: Richard "Groove" Holmes
May 02, 2016
Jazz Musician of the Day: Richard "Groove" Holmes
May 02, 2015
Jazz Musician of the Day: Richard "Groove" Holmes
May 02, 2014
Jazz Musician of the Day: Richard "Groove" Holmes
May 02, 2013
Jazz Musician of the Day: Richard "Groove" Holmes
May 02, 2012
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