Jack McDuff
Background information
Birth nameEugene McDuffy
Also known as
  • "Brother" Jack McDuff
  • "Captain" Jack McDuff
Born(1926-09-17)September 17, 1926
Champaign, Illinois, U.S.
DiedJanuary 23, 2001(2001-01-23) (aged 74)
Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
Genres
OccupationMusician
InstrumentOrgan
Years active1950s–2001
Labels

Eugene McDuffy (September 17, 1926 – January 23, 2001), known professionally as "Brother" Jack McDuff or "Captain" Jack McDuff, was an American jazz organist and organ trio bandleader. He was most prominent during the hard bop and soul jazz era of the 1960s, often performing with an organ trio. He is also credited with giving guitarist George Benson his first break.

Career

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Born Eugene McDuffy in Champaign, Illinois, McDuff began playing bass, appearing in Joe Farrell's group.[1] Encouraged by Willis Jackson in whose band he also played bass in the late 1950s, McDuff moved to the organ and began to attract the attention of Prestige while still with Jackson's group. McDuff soon became a bandleader, leading groups featuring a young George Benson on guitar,[2] Red Holloway on tenor saxophone and Joe Dukes on drums.[3]

McDuff recorded many classic albums on Prestige, including his debut solo Brother Jack in 1960; The Honeydripper (1961), with tenor saxophonist Jimmy Forrest and guitarist Grant Green; Brother Jack Meets The Boss (1962), featuring Gene Ammons; Screamin’ (1962), with alto saxophonist Leo Wright and guitarist Kenny Burrell; and Brother Jack McDuff Live! (1963),[4] featuring Holloway and Benson, which includes his biggest hit, "Rock Candy".

After his tenure at Prestige, McDuff joined the Atlantic label[1] for a brief period, and in the 1970s he recorded for Blue Note. To Seek a New Home (1970) was recorded in England with a line-up featuring blues shouter Jimmy Witherspoon and some of Britain's top jazz musicians of the day, including Terry Smith on guitar and Dick Morrissey on tenor saxophone.

Decreasing interest in jazz and blues during the late 1970s and 1980s meant that many jazz musicians went through a lean time.[5] But in 1988, with The Re-Entry, recorded for the Muse label, McDuff once again began a successful period of recordings, initially for Muse, then on the Concord Jazz label in 1991.[1] George Benson appeared on his 1992 Color Me Blue album.

Despite having health problems, McDuff continued working and recording throughout the 1980s and 1990s, and he toured Japan with Atsuko Hashimoto in 2000. "Capt'n" Jack McDuff, as he later became known, died of heart failure at the age of 74 in Minneapolis, Minneapolis.[2] His first wife, the former Dink Dixon, died in the early 1980s. McDuff was married to his second wife Kathy; Kathy had two children.[6]

Discography

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As leader

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Prestige Records
Atlantic Records
Cadet/GRT Records
Blue Note Records
Other labels
Concord Jazz Records

LP/CD compilations

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As sideman

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With Gene Ammons

With George Benson

With Joshua Breakstone

With Kenny Burrell

With Hank Crawford

With King Curtis

With Lou Donaldson

With Joe Dukes

With Grant Green

With Al Grey

With Roy Hargrove

With Gene Harris

With Willis Jackson

With Etta James and Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson

With Bill Jennings

With Roland Kirk

With Carmen McRae

With Mike Pachelli

With Houston Person

With Betty Roché

With Shakey Jake

With Dave Specter

With Sonny Stitt

With Winston Walls

With Joe Williams

With Jimmy Witherspoon

With Kankawa

References

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  1. ^ a b c Wynn, Ron; Porter, Bob. "Jack McDuff: Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved 2011-01-07.
  2. ^ a b Fordham, John (2001-01-27). "Obituary: Brother Jack McDuff". The Guardian. Retrieved 2011-01-07.
  3. ^ "Hammond Technique and Methods: Music Written for the Hammond Organ" by JR Whiteley - 2013. York University masters thesis
  4. ^ the late David H. Rosenthal (9 September 1993). Hard Bop: Jazz and Black Music 1955-1965. Oxford University Press. p. 67. ISBN 978-0-19-535899-5.
  5. ^ "Joey DeFrancesco: Comeback for jazz organ". Hanover Evening Sun, via Newspaper Archives. September 04, 1991 - Page 11. By CHARLES J. GANS
  6. ^ Janega, James (26 Jan 2001). "JACK MCDUFF, 74, LONGTIME JAZZ ORGANIST, BANDLEADER". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2022-08-10.
  7. ^ "McDuff For Tour Of Europe". Indianapolis Recorder, via Newspaper Archives. August 01, 1964 - Page 12
  8. ^ "CD Reviews: Dave Specter, featuring Lynwood Slim and Jack McDuff". Blues Access. review by Dave Ranney
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