Jimmy McGriff Dies

Jimmy McGriff must have had a big crayon box because the great organist colored his music with so many shades of blue.

McGriff, who died Saturday, grooved as hard as any organist I know. I wonder whether there's ever been a song title that accurately reflected an artist's work as well as "Groove Grease" from McGriff's album of the same name. And McGriff's funky licks on the title track of his "The Main Squeeze" album will make every part of your body shake. But as hard as those songs groove, they're filled with subtle little flourishes, too.

Everything McGriff played was filled with soul, but I especially love his covers of soul tunes. Check out his "Let's Stay Together" album and you'll find yourself wishing he'd been the house organist for Al Green, Isaac Hayes and Marvin Gaye as you listen to covers of "Let's Stay Together," "Theme From Shaft" and "What's Going On."

McGriff's many collaborations with saxophonist Hank Crawford are even more soulful; their rendition of "Summertime" from the "Road Tested" album is straight out of the church.

So rest in peace, Mr. McGriff. Your music means a lot to me.