Richard Holmes (organist)

Richard Arnold "Groove" Holmes (Camden, New Jersey, May 2, 1931 – St. Louis, Missouri, June 29, 1991) was an American jazz organist who performed in the hard bop and soul jazz genre. He is best known for his 1965 recording of "Misty",^[1] and is considered a precursor of acid jazz.

Holmes' first album, on Pacific Jazz with guest Ben Webster, was recorded in March 1961.

His sound was immediately recognizable in the upper register, but even more so because of his virtuosity in creating, undoubtedly, the most rapid, punctuating, and pulsating basslines of all the jazz organists.

Though he died at the age of 60, he established a recognition within the community of jazz organ giants of Jimmy Smith (The Sermon!), Brother Jack McDuff (A Real Good 'Un), Jimmy McGriff (I've Got a Woman).

He recorded many albums for Pacific Jazz, Prestige Records, Groove Merchant and Muse Records, many of which featured Houston Person.^[1]

Holmes died after a long struggle with prostate cancer, having performed his last concerts in a wheelchair. One of his last gigs was at the 1991 Chicago Blues Festival with his longtime friend, singer Jimmy Witherspoon. A year after his death, the Beastie Boys honoured Holmes by adding an organ-based instrumental track, Groove Holmes to their album Check Your Head.

Discography

Albums

• Groove (1961) (Pacific Jazz) (also released as "That Healin' Feelin'") (with Les McCann)
• After Hours (1961) (Pacific Jazz)
• Groovin' with Jug (1961) (Pacific Jazz)
• Tell It Like It Is (1961) (Pacific Jazz) (with Les McCann)
• Somethin' Special (1962) (Pacific Jazz) (with Les McCann)
• Book of the Blues Vol. 1 (1964) (Warner Bros)
• Soul Message (1965) (Prestige Records)
• Misty (1965) (Prestige)
• Spicy (1966) (with Ivan "Boogaloo Joe" Jones)
• Living Soul (1966) (Prestige)
• Soul Mist! (1966) (Prestige) (Released 1970)
• On Basie's Bandstand (1966) (Prestige) (Released 2000)
• A Bowl of Soul (1967) (Loma)
• Get Up and Get It! (1967) (Prestige)
• Super Soul (1967) (Prestige)
• Soul Power (1967) (Prestige)
• That Healin' Feelin' (1968) (Prestige)
• The Groover! (1968) (Prestige)
• Welcome Home (1969) (World Pacific Jazz)
• Workin' on a Groovy Thing (1969) (World Pacific Jazz)
• Come Together (1970) (World Pacific Jazz) (with Ernie Watts)
• X-77 Recorded Live at the Lighthouse (1970) (World Pacific Jazz)
• Comin' on Home (1971) (Blue Note)
• American Pie (1972) (Groove Merchant)
• Night Glider (1973) (Groove Merchant)
• New Groove (1974) (Groove Merchant)
• Giants Of The Organ Come Together (1974) (Groove Merchant) (with Jimmy McGriff)
• Giants Of The Organ In Concert (1974) (Groove Merchant) (with Jimmy McGriff)
• Onsaya Joy (1974) (Live) (Flying Dutchman)
• Six Million Dollar man (1975) (Flying Dutchman)
• I'm in the Mood for Love (1976) (Flying Dutchman)
• Shippin' Out (1977) (Muse Records)
• Star Wars/Close Encounters (1977) (Versatile)
• Dancing In The Sun (1977) (Versatile)
• Good Vibrations (1977) (Muse) (Released 1980)
• Broadway (1980) (Muse)
• Swedish Lullaby (1984) (Sison)
• Blues All Day Long (1988) (Muse)
• Hot Tat (1989) (Muse)

Compilations

• The Best of Richard "Groove" Holmes (1972) (Prestige)
• Hunk-A-Funk (1975) (Groove Merchant) (Night Glider+New Groove)
• Supa Cookin' (1975) (Groove Merchant) (Giants Of The Organx2) (with Jimmy McGriff)
• Blue Groove (1994) (Prestige) (Soul Mist!+Get Up & Get It!)
• After Hours (1996) (Pacific Jazz) (Compilation of After Hours+Tell It Like It Is)
• Legends of Acid Jazz (1997) (Prestige) (The Groover+That Healin' Feelin')
• Groove's Groove (1998) (32 Jazz)
• The Best Of The Pacific Jazz Years (2001) (Pacific Jazz)
• Groovin' With Groove (2003) (LRC) (Groove Merchant Years)
• Timeless (2003) (Savoy Jazz)

References

External links

• Richard "Groove" Holmes