Hank Marr

[Jim Alfredson]

Someone kindly posted this on my FB page. Nice to see Hank Marr in action. I spoke with him a few times on the phone back in 2002 or so. He was very gracious and kind to me. I never had a chance to see him live but I own many of his records.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Thanks Jim, that was great! I didn't know that was a CD - one more Marr I haven't got. Must remedy that.

I've never seen him in action, either.

I loved the Jimmy McGriff 'MG blues' interpolation he gave. 'City lights' is of course, a McGriff tunel

MG

[CJ Shearn]

Yeah, I noticed the "MG Blues" quote too, which is in turn from JOS' solo on "I Cover the Waterfront" I think.

[Jim Alfredson]

MG, Hank unfortunately passed away in 2004. I've got all the records he did for Doubletime. Absolutely horrendous cover art but great music.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

MG, Hank unfortunately passed away in 2004. I've got all the records he did for Doubletime. Absolutely horrendous cover art but great music.

Yes, so have I. Not horrendous covers, but just dull. I never heard of the one the video was taken from, before, though.

MG

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Yeah, I noticed the "MG Blues" quote too, which is in turn from JOS' solo on "I Cover the Waterfront" I think.

I haven't played vol 3 of Jimmy Smith's 'new sound, new star' albums nearly as much as the other volumes, so that solo on I water the front cover passed me by. But I just went back to it. He doesn't make nearly as much of it as McGriff (and Marr) did, but it's there all right. (Well, of course it is!) Thanks, CJ.

MG

[CJ Shearn]

Welcome! Yeah, that lick is sort of iconic in squabbling, I wonder how it got to that point? Thats not one of JOS' most famous tunes I don't think, and I've studied JOS as a fan inside and out.

[michel devos]

I had no idea Joey DeFrancesco was also playing guitar...

[johnlitweiler]

That's a delight. Thanks, Jim.

[DMP]

Hank Marr was the opening act at a Cannonball Adderley & Nancy Wilson concert in Cleveland  I went to back in the early ‘60’s. I never heard of the guy, knew nothing about him, I’m there for Cannonball (Charles Lloyd had just replaced Yusef Lateef). Anyway, turns out Marr is an organist, he had a quartet with Rusty Bryant and Wilber Longmire - they were the highlight of the show!  Marr apparently had a minor, regional “hit” - “Greasy Spoon” (it shows up now and then on compilations) - which a lot of the crowd was familiar with - they played that and maybe 4 or 5 more numbers, and made way for the main attraction. A tight group, wish they could have played more. Most of what I heard turned up on an LP called something like “Live at the Club 502,” on the King label, not exactly known for jazz. Marr’s group was easily the equal of the organ groups I heard back then, and, of course, Bryant and Longmire would make any group special.  Wish I could have caught them in a club.