Artist: Johnny Griffin
Genre(s):
Jazz
Other
Discography:
Introducing Johnny Griffin
Year: 2007
Tracks: 9
The Congregation
Year: 2006
Tracks: 6
A Blowin' Session
Year: 1999
Tracks: 5
Live Vienne
Year: 1998
Tracks: 5
Tough Tenor Favorites
Year: 1995
Tracks: 7
Chicago, New York, Paris
Year: 1994
Tracks: 9
Grab This!
Year:
Tracks: 1
Once accurately billed as "the world's fastest saxist," Johnny Griffin (an influence tone-wise on Rahsaan Roland Kirk) has been one of the top bop-oriented tenors since the mid-'50s. He gained early experience playing with the bands of Lionel Hampton (1945-47) and Joe Morris (1947-50), and as well jam-packed on a regular basis with Thelonious Monk and Bud Powell. After helping in the Army (1951-1953), Griffin spent a few eld in Chicago (recording his number one wide album for Argo) and then touched to New York in 1956. He held his have against fella tenors John Coltrane and Hank Mobley on a hellenic Blue Note record album, was with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers in 1957, and proven to be complete with the Thelonious Monk quartet in 1958, where he really ripped through the coordination compound chord changes with easiness. During 1960-1962, Griffin co-led a "toughened tenor" grouping with Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis. He emigrated to Europe in 1963, and became a secureness on the Paris jazz scene both as a bandleader and a major soloist with the Kenny Clarke-Francy Boland big lot. In 1973, Johnny Griffin touched to the Netherlands, but has remained a constant humankind traveller, visiting the U.S. often and transcription for many labels including Blue Note, Riverside, Atlantic, SteepleChase, Black Lion, Antilles, Verve, and some European companies.
