A Taste of the Classic Jack McDuff Quartet

A Taste of the Classic Jack McDuff Quartet

Though he does not have the notoriety of Jimmy Smith in the pantheon of jazz organists, Brother Jack McDuff (1926-2001), as he was known throughout most of his career, is one of the undisputed giants of the Hammond B-3 organ in jazz. Originally a bassist before switching to piano and finally the organ, McDuff is one of the great stylists and bandleaders of soul jazz. McDuff recorded and released over 30 records in the 1960s alone, primarily on Prestige Records, but he also had releases on Atlantic, Cadet and Blue Note and continued gigging and recording right up until his passing eighteen years ago this week on January 23, 2001.

Bands employing the organ trio/quartet format consisting of organ-guitar-drums with added horns, usually tenor sax, were ubiquitous on the urban club circuit in African American neighborhoods from the mid-50s through the early 70s. The organist would cover the bass line with a combination of foot pedals and left hand and McDuff was an incomparable groover when he would “bring the hot sauce” as he instructs the band to do on a 1963 live recording from Newark, New Jersey’s legendary Front Room. Sets consisted of a heavy dose of blues, some standards, a few latin grooves, pop and soul hits as well as bossa novas. In the process, these bands helped develop the African American boogaloo, with its unmistakable combination of jazz, blues, soul and latin grooves.

The all-important guitar chair in McDuff's groups was occupied at different times in the 60s by many of the greats, some better known than others. Kenny Burrell, Grant Green, Eddie Diehl, Pat Martino, Melvin Sparks, Jerry Byrd, Phil Upchurch and, of course, a then unknown young man from Pittsburgh named George Benson (b. 1943) all gigged and recorded with McDuff during the decade. Benson got his start in McDuff’s group in late 1963 and was with the band until early 1966 when his own career began to take off and he signed with Columbia Records.

The Classic Quartet

McDuff’s classic quartet came together in late 1963 and lasted a little over two years through the beginning of 1966. The drummer was the phenomenal, under-appreciated groover Joe Dukes (b. 1937). Dukes’ power, soul, swing and taste would likely have garnered more attention had he not been recorded almost exclusively within the usually neglected organ genre. On tenor sax, he had Red Holloway (1927-2012), a veteran of the same Chicago scene where McDuff got his start, and who was one of the great blues stylists on the tenor sax but also had the chops and ideas to be a great bebopper. His imagination, drive and soul all shine on other material as well. Holloway kept fast company in Chicago, working and playing with a who’s who of Windy City legends, including saxophonist Sonny Stitt, as well as appearing on many blues and r&b recordings. George Benson was on guitar and this was the beginning of a long and illustrious career. One story goes that Benson could play the blues and little else but was a very fast learner. His extraordinary talent is already evident even in the earliest recordings with the group, elevating the level of the group from the very beginning. McDuff himself, beyond being a remarkable player, developed his composing and arranging skills during this era, writing arrangements, themes and segue ways that give the small combo the flavor of a big band at times, using all the colors of the organ, complex unison themes, shifting grooves and tempos. The synergy, virtuosity and soul of this group are undeniable, hence my own labeling of them as classic.

The band’s recorded output is spread out unevenly amongst almost a dozen records on Prestige, with some tracks sharing space on LPs with others from other sessions and not being released until several years after the band was no more. The same is true of the CD reissues of the material and there is no complete recordings collection of this band.

What we have here is taken from a number of LPs from the Prestige era and all recorded between late 1963 and late 1965, though they were released at different times: Hot Barbeque, Live!, Silk and Soul, I Got A Woman, and Steppin’ Out. Our first track is the title track to the 1965 recording Hot Barbeque and is a jocular boogaloo that highlights the leader’s approach and vernacular—an encyclopedia of funky soul jazz organ playing distilled into a short two chorus solo that gives way to Holloway at his funky, gutbucket best. “Scufflin’” from Silk and Soul starts to show Benson coming into his own as a soloist, his facile fluidity weaving long lines smoothly throughout the whole range of the instrument. “Hippy Dip” brings us back to Hot Barbeque and features the intricate unison lines, shifting grooves and a laid back confidence while navigating through some decidedly non-blues changes. “Twelve Inches Wide,” recorded in 1965, but not released until 1969, is a tour de force showing the band at the top of their game, launching into a relentless double-time swing that turns the intensity all the way up taking a breath only when returning to the opening theme as a segueway between solos. The virtuosity of each member of the group is undeniable here. The next two tracks come from the same live session recorded at Newark’s Front Room in late 1963. Composed by tenor saxophonist Harold Vick, who was in McDuff’s band before Holloway joined, “Our Miss Brooks” was an oft-recorded mid-tempo blues in the early and mid 60s, with versions by Grant Green (Reaching Out,1961), a studio version with Vick in McDuff’s group (Crash!, 1963), a studio version by Vick on his Blue Note release as a leader (Steppin’ Out, also 1963) and on organist Lonnie Smith’s debut (Finger Lickin’ Good, 1967). The story goes that it is dedicated to one Ellen Brooks who was at one time married to organist John Patton and later to Vick, though the truth to this story is yet to be verified. It was included on a compilation of sessions released in 1969 as the studio version had been recorded just before, so it did not make it onto the Live! LP. McDuff’s own blues “A Real Good’un” (not included here) which he did both in the studio and live follows a similar template. This rendition features an exceptional opening solo from Benson—an early example of the fleet, flowing, soulful ideas that would define his playing through the 60s and establish him as one of the premier guitarists of the era. Both Holloway and McDuff dig deep, displaying a profound feeling for the blues that exudes pure authenticity. The last track included here is also from the Live! session and is the band’s arrangement of “Undecided,” originally recorded by Ella Fitzgerald with the Chick Webb Orchestra in 1939. McDuff takes the basic arrangement and ramps up the tempo with the group, once more showing its considerable virtuosity and tight ensemble playing. 

The classic McDuff quartet is another example of the amazing wealth of musical talent that blossomed in African American communities throughout the 20^th Century and exemplify a jazz full of soul and without pretense, but still wanting show how much game they had. Did they ever.

jg

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A Taste of the Classic Jack McDuff Quartet

Jack McDuff- organ
Red Holloway- tenor sax
George Benson- guitar
Joe Dukes- drums

All tracks composed by Jack McDuff unless otherwise noted.

Studio tracks recorded in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 1964-65.
Live tracks recorded live at the Front Room, Newark, New Jersey, fall 1963.
All tracks originally released on Prestige Records and written by Jack McDuff unless otherwise noted.

1) Hot Barbeque

2) Scufflin’

3) Hippy Dip

4) Twelve Inches Wide

5) Our Miss Brooks (Harold Vick)

6) Undecided (Shavers-Robin)