"Little Giant" Johnny Griffin 1928-2008

[LouieB]

It is inevitable that the older generation of musicians is going to pass on, but Chicago born and bred Johnny Griffin passed away this week. Griffin, known by the nickname "Little Giant" was one of the last links to the great Captain Walter Dyett, band leader at DuSable High School in Chicago. Griffin was not only known for his playing, but also for his expatriotism when he resettled in France. Attached at the bottom is the article from Howard Reich in the Trib this morning, since all the basic facts are there. Von and George Freeman both get quoted in it. This leaves Von as one of the last remaining Chicago tenors. I recall actually seeing Johnny Griffin at the Jazz Showcase many years ago on one of his yearly trips back to the states. He did not perform here very often after moving away.

 

LouieB

 

Johnny Griffin 1928 ~ 2008

Made-in-Chicago 'tough tenor'

'Little Giant,' who came of age when jazz clubs crowded the South Side, consistently startled listeners with his outsized sound and brilliant technique

By Howard Reich

 

July 27, 2008

 

Chicago has produced more than its share of colossal tenor saxophonists, from past icons such as Eddie Harris and Gene Ammons to current masters such as Von Freeman and Fred Anderson.

 

Among them, Johnny Griffin stood out for the brilliance of his technique, the enormous scale of his sound and the explosive energy of his improvisations.

 

Mr. Griffin, 80, who for many listeners epitomized Chicago's larger-than-life "tough tenor" sound, died Friday, July 25, near Poitiers, France, where he lived with his wife, Miriam, said his sister, Lita McClinton. He had suffered a stroke a few years ago, but continued to play and was scheduled to perform in Europe this weekend.

 

Though somewhat overlooked in the United States since he moved to Europe in 1963, Mr. Griffin began to play regularly again in Chicago, New York and other American jazz centers in the late 1970s, consistently startling listeners with the prowess of his work.

 

"He always sounded great

[stooka]

Anyone who doubted his outsized sound and instrumental skill needed only to listen to his 1957 Blue Note album, "A Blowing Session," in which Mr. Griffin went up against saxophonists Coltrane and Hank Mobley.

 

I love the cover.

 

 

RIP

[jc4prez]

RIP

 

I only have "grab this" which also features joe pass, great little record.

[Gobias Industries]

I've never heard this guy, but to hear about the passing of a jazz cat always saddens me. I mean, seriously, why do all the jazz dudes have to go? Can't we trade, say, the entire emo movement for a jazz cat or two? Music would be a lot better off...

 

RIP man. I'll put you on my record queue.

[LouieB]

I've never heard this guy, but to hear about the passing of a jazz cat always saddens me. I mean, seriously, why do all the jazz dudes have to go? Can't we trade, say, the entire emo movement for a jazz cat or two? Music would be a lot better off

Funniest reply ever...

 

Part of the reason you have never heard of him is that he left for Europe and never came back. Others did the same. Dexter Gordon left for Europe and after approximately 20 or so years he returned to the US and critical aclaim (as did Coleman Hawkins a generation earlier(. It is certainly no secret that Europeans (and Japanese and just about everyone else around the world), cared more about these guys than the good old US of A, not only because of racial issues, but also because jazz fell out of style with the general public.

 

Some of us go see Johnny's childhood friend and Chicago tenor colleague Von Freeman for free on Tuesday nights. Von is even older and less famous and when he is gone the Chicago school of tenor men will be gone. (I disagree with Howard Reich that Fred Anderson is in the same school, Fred is mainly a free jazz player, something that Von doesn't do.) The entire history of Chicago jazz connected to the music programs at DuSable, Phillips, and other high schools in Chicago is really interesting. A book should really be written about it.

 

LouieB