Soul Stream Posted May 25, 2003 Report Posted May 25, 2003 (edited) Groove's legacy seems to be falling farther and farther away it seems to me. Why that is, I'm not sure. Perhaps his name itself scares off the timid. In this day and age where thoughtful and introspective play a growing role in jazz playing, Holmes the "groove merchant" doesn't seem to be faring that well. That said, he takes a backseat on my turntable as well most of the time. Although, when I do put him on I'm continually amazed. Not just by his obvious attributes, but others that are often overlooked. His early recordings on Pacific Jazz are some of the best organ playing ever done in my book. Also, his later Muse albums are MONSTERS! Let's not even talk about the Prestige stuff, that's bread and butter. Anyway, anybody care to give a "shout out" to Groove. Maybe hip us to one of your favorite albums. My special of the day is...."Broadway" on Muse.(Check out his funky version of "Moon River"!) Edited June 27, 2008 by Soul Stream Quote
Tom in RI Posted May 25, 2003 Report Posted May 25, 2003 I am partial to two on Pacific Jazz, Groove, with Ben Webster, and Groovin with Jug, with Gene Ammons, obviously. I could use recs on other dates with Holmes. Quote
vibes Posted May 25, 2003 Report Posted May 25, 2003 Groove Holmes plays on several tracks in the Gerald Wilson Pac Jazz Mosaic. After reading this thread, I went through some of those tracks again this morning. I've never heard any of his small group work, but the big band stuff was very good. If you like Holmes and don't have this set, I highly recommend it, and not just for the tracks he's on, either. Quote
Soul Stream Posted May 27, 2003 Author Report Posted May 27, 2003 just had to throw another one out there..."Groovin' For MR. G." is one that has really grown on me. At first I wasn't crazy about the stuff he did with electric bass. But now that I'm a little less of a snob, this is the STUFF! Quote
Jim Alfredson Posted May 27, 2003 Report Posted May 27, 2003 If you can find it on vinyl, I reccommend "Giants of the Organ In Concert" a double-LP on the Groove Merchant label. This is the record that turned me on to organ. It's got Groove with McGriff and it's FUNKY! The guitarists are out of their league, but both Jimmy and Groove play their assess off! Quote
Soul Stream Posted May 27, 2003 Author Report Posted May 27, 2003 funny you mention that one Jim, it was on my turntable already. I was just grooving to this and thinking what a monster it is. Too bad it's not on CD. Wish it were, some bad stuff.... Quote
Dan Gould Posted May 27, 2003 Report Posted May 27, 2003 (edited) Just saw this one online, is anyone familiar with it or is it on one of those Fantasy two-fers? I didn't know that Billy Higgins and Paul Chambers had done an album with Groove. Edited May 27, 2003 by Dan Gould Quote
White Lightning Posted May 27, 2003 Report Posted May 27, 2003 Groove gets realtively a lot of playing hours on my player. Like Tom, I'm partial to his 2 Pacific Jazz Albums with Jug and Ben. I also like his Prestige "Blue Groove" Twofer one session with Teddy Edwards, Pat Martino, PC and Billy Higgins. The other is with Blue Mitchell and Harold Vick. Strange as it may sound I hear Bill Evans' influences in Groove's playing on the Prestiges. Quote
White Lightning Posted May 27, 2003 Report Posted May 27, 2003 Just saw this one online, is anyone familiar with it or is it on one of those Fantasy two-fers? I didn't know that Billy Higgins and Paul Chambers had done an album with Groove. Dan, I believe "Get Up & Get it" is one of the 2 LPs on the "Blue Groove" CD that I just mentioned in my earlier post. Quote
mikeweil Posted May 27, 2003 Report Posted May 27, 2003 So far these two are my favourites, especially with the bonus material on the Pacific Jazz CDs. I have yet to check out his Prestige albums; Groove with Chambers and Higgins, sounds real interesting. Quote
Noj Posted May 27, 2003 Report Posted May 27, 2003 I have some of his Prestige and Blue Note stuff, I need to look for some Pacific stuff (good luck, right?). I definitely love what I've got. Quote
White Lightning Posted May 27, 2003 Report Posted May 27, 2003 (edited) I have some of his Prestige and Blue Note stuff, I need to look for some Pacific stuff (good luck, right?). I definitely love what I've got. Noj, If I'm not mistaken, the Blue Notes are in fact, Pacific Jazz LPs. Edited May 27, 2003 by White Lightning Quote
Soul Stream Posted May 28, 2003 Author Report Posted May 28, 2003 Also for good measure, pick up his couple of "Legends Of Acid Jazz" comps on Fastasy/Prestige. Great 2fers with some heavy "groove." Quote
Soul Stream Posted June 27, 2008 Author Report Posted June 27, 2008 I just wanted to bring the topic of Groove Holmes back up. I think listening to Giants Of The Organ in Concert so much this week has really sparked my love of Groove again. It's hard to quantify or talk about Groove 'cause he's just such a force of nature. The drummer in my trio, Barry "Frosty" Smith (he used to play with Lee Michaels if anyone remembers from back in the day)... has talked quite a bit about seeing Groove play live back in the 60's in Oakland and what a ridiculous experience it was to see a guy eat up the B3 like that. Anyway, wish there was some YouTube clips of Groove or something. He played well into the 80's and I'm surprised nothing has surfaced. Quote
kh1958 Posted June 27, 2008 Report Posted June 27, 2008 I liked the four Groove Holmes featured alternate and unissued tracks from the Onzy Matthews Blues with A Touch of Elegance sessions in the Mosaic Select. Quote
GA Russell Posted June 27, 2008 Report Posted June 27, 2008 I'm very fond of Groove. Soul Message was my first hard core jazz album (my third overall after a Ramsey Lewis and a Ray Bryant), and Living Soul may have been my second. When he died, I was surprised that his name was not listed in the obits column of Cadence Magazine. I was on the phone with them placing an order, and mentioned it, and the fellow said that he hadn't heard. So in the next issue he listed Groove's name, and listed me as the source of the news. So even then Groove was not receiving the attention he deserved. Quote
chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez Posted June 30, 2008 Report Posted June 30, 2008 WHAT SOUL STREAM?!?!?!!? FROSTY THE DRUMMER IN YOUR JAZZ TRIO?!?!?!? WHY HAS THIS NEVER COME UP BEFORE!?!?!? TELL US ALL ABOUT THAT--- WHATS LEE MICHAELS UP TO THESE DAYS, IS HE EVEN STILL AROUND? WHEN DID FROSTY STOP PLAYING WITH HIM? DID HE TELL U CRAZY STORIES ABOUT THAT EXPIERENCE, LIKE PLAYING THE FILLMORE OR SOMETHIN COOL LIKE THAT? WHY HASNT THIS COME UP B4?!?!? Quote
chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez Posted June 30, 2008 Report Posted June 30, 2008 oh, and regarding groove: groove is one of the best b3 players for evolving beyond the stagnant sounds of 50s hard bop B3. in the 70s and 80s he played on newer hammonds and even had a special bass synth built for him for his bass lines. i love his 70s stuff, dont have his 80s stuff...is that stuff more throwback like mcgriffs 80s stuff was or is it different than that Quote
Soul Stream Posted June 30, 2008 Author Report Posted June 30, 2008 WHAT SOUL STREAM?!?!?!!? FROSTY THE DRUMMER IN YOUR JAZZ TRIO?!?!?!? WHY HAS THIS NEVER COME UP BEFORE!?!?!? TELL US ALL ABOUT THAT--- WHATS LEE MICHAELS UP TO THESE DAYS, IS HE EVEN STILL AROUND? WHEN DID FROSTY STOP PLAYING WITH HIM? DID HE TELL U CRAZY STORIES ABOUT THAT EXPIERENCE, LIKE PLAYING THE FILLMORE OR SOMETHIN COOL LIKE THAT? WHY HASNT THIS COME UP B4?!?!? All I can say is Frosty is a bad MF. He's got lots of stories, but has to be hard-pressed to tell them. Believe me, when Frosty is in your organ trio....it's a true trio. I'm not a huge fan of the drum solo, but when Frosty's involved, I can't give him enough solo time on the bandstand. Quote
The Magnificent Goldberg Posted June 30, 2008 Report Posted June 30, 2008 oh, and regarding groove: groove is one of the best b3 players for evolving beyond the stagnant sounds of 50s hard bop B3. in the 70s and 80s he played on newer hammonds and even had a special bass synth built for him for his bass lines. i love his 70s stuff, dont have his 80s stuff...is that stuff more throwback like mcgriffs 80s stuff was or is it different than that Groove's recordings in the eighties were: Willis Jackson - In Chateauneuf-du-Pape - Black & Blue (Jan 1980) (issued in US as "Y'understand me" - Muse) Broadway - Muse (Dec 1980) Swedish lullaby - Sison Music (Aug 1984) Blues all day long - Muse (Feb 1988) Hot tat - Muse (Sep 1989) Can't believe you didn't buy the last two for their covers, Chewy ) Yes, they're all back to the straight ahead Soul Jazz style, not unlike like McGriff's albums for JAM & Milestone. But they BURN!!!!!! MG Quote
chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez Posted July 1, 2008 Report Posted July 1, 2008 soul stream: tell me, how did u meet his aquaintence originally, how did u guys meet up n shit, dude lee michaels band is so awesome, i cant belive u play with that guy--- do u have lee's most famous album, "5th"? its a must have organ record. im gonna put it on the track and listen to it in your honor tonight Quote
Soul Stream Posted July 1, 2008 Author Report Posted July 1, 2008 (edited) soul stream: tell me, how did u meet his aquaintence originally, how did u guys meet up n shit, dude lee michaels band is so awesome, i cant belive u play with that guy--- do u have lee's most famous album, "5th"? its a must have organ record. im gonna put it on the track and listen to it in your honor tonight Frosty has lived in Austin for many years and has been the 'first call' studio drummer in town for as long as I can remember. I've played gigs with him over the years, but it hasn't been until the last year or so that we've played full time together. Anyway, like I said he's a bad MF and I'm lucky to have him. Oddly enough I don't have any Lee Michaels records, although there is a killer clip of him and frosty on some t.v. show on youtube. Edited July 1, 2008 by Soul Stream Quote
Jazz Vinyl Posted April 11, 2009 Report Posted April 11, 2009 (edited) Here's a neat collection of original pressing Richard Groove Holmes records. This link takes you directly to the collection...20+ Groove records with album cover pictures, take a peek: http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?s...o%3D2&fgtp= Edited April 11, 2009 by Jazz Vinyl Quote
Stereojack Posted April 11, 2009 Report Posted April 11, 2009 Nobody has mentioned the album that turned me on to Groove some 40+ years ago: "Somethin' Special" (Pacific Jazz) Clifford Scott (tenor sax), Groove Holmes (organ), Les McCann (piano), Joe Pass (guitar), Ron Jefferson (drums) Tkis album burns from start to finish! The tenor player was listed as "Joe Splink" on the original LP. Clifford Scott is mostly remembered for his classic tenor solo on Bill Doggett's "Honky Tonk." Quote
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