Hank Marr

[paul secor]

I just read on another forum of his passing on March 16. Some of our organ enthusiasts should have a lot more to write about Hank Marr and his music than I can. He recorded some fine funky r&b sides for King Records, some of which are on a Charly reissue that I'm listening to as I write this. I believe that he may have been signed by King as an organist replacement for Bill Doggett when Doggett went to Warner Bros.

Rest in peace, Hank Marr, and thanks for the music.

[Harold_Z]

Sorry to hear about it. Hank played good greasy organ stuff!

[Guest ariceffron]

and anyone who has any of those abersold discs know he plays organ on the organ ones a lot. he moight play piano on tyhem every now and then too i dont remember. soulstation is a bitch

[Jim Alfredson]

  Quote

Henry "Hank" Marr

We have lost one of our musical sons. Hank Marr passed away Tuesday, March 16,

2004.

Columbus musical legend Hank Marr was recognized as one of the world's masters

of the Hammond B-3 organ. Along with Hank's celebrity status as a member of the

jazz elite, (he has played with the likes of Nancy Wilson, Della Reese, Sonny

Stitt, Gene Ammons, Lou Rawls, and many others) he was a dedicated and gifted

educator. Hank's 55-year career in music is a testament of his mastery of the

keyboard.

Hank Marr was born on January 30, 1927 in the Columbus neighborhood of Flytown

(present-day Thurber Village). At age 14, Hank would sneak to a neighbor's house

to play the piano. Self-taught, he plunked out melodies he had heard on the

radio show "The Early Worm."

In 1945, he graduated from East High School, and, in 1947, joined the Army. Hank

was transferred to special services where he played in the Army Combo Band.

After he got out of the service, he joined the band, Charlie Brantley and the

Honeydippers (which played on the fact that some people may have confused them

with another band, Joe Liggins and the Honey Drippers.) In 1951, he began his

first formal music instruction at the Ohio State University, majoring in music

theory. There was no jazz studies program at the time, so Hank studied classical

music. When asked by his instructors if he could play Beethoven or Chopin, Hank

joked, "Who?" He graduated in 1954.

In the early 1950's, Hank joined Rusty Bryant's band (with then-unknown Nancy

Wilson on vocals). They played in Atlantic City during the heavy tourist season,

where Hank first heard jazz organist Jimmy Smith. Inspired by Smith, Hank began

playing the Hammond B-3 organ in 1957. He formed his own group and toured the

United States, Canada, and Germany until 1969. From 1969 until 1978, he was

musical director for the impressionist George Kirby, performing at Caesar's

Palace, The Johnny Carson Show, The Mike Douglas Show and The Merv Griffin Show.

In 1981, Hank joined the CJO, and in that same year, he accepted a teaching

position at his alma mater, OSU. He retired from OSU in 2000, but returned to

teach part-time last fall. He currently performs with the CJO and his own groups

and is featured as an organ clinician at the annual Jamie Aebersold Jazz Camp in

Louisville, KY.

Hank was the father of four, with seven grandchildren and four

great-grandchildren. He was a sports enthusiast and enjoyed watching (forever a

Buckeye) OSU football and basketball. His favorite moments with the CJO revolved

around his beloved B-3. He especially loved being featured on the organ in 2003

at the CJO's performance in Canada at the International Association for Jazz

Education (IAJE) Annual Conference. Hank appreciated the music fans in Columbus

for all their support throughout the years.

[Uncle Skid]

Very sad to hear about this.

Hank played every day during lunch at the Aebersold camp last summer, and he always had this big happy grin on his face the whole time. I loved watching how much he really enjoyed playing with everyone, and how people responded to his creative playing.

The camp won't be the same without him.

[Dan Gould]

Very sad to hear this. His King LPs with Rusty Bryant are excellent and as Aric mentions, his Doubletime releases are great too. RIP