Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

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McDUFF, Jack

(b Eugene McDuffy, 17 September 1926, Champaign IL; d 24 January 2001) Organist, composer. The most popular jazz organist after Jimmy Smith, 'Brother' Jack McDuff was self-taught, but later studied more formally; he led his own group in the Midwest early '50s, formed another '59 and toured the world for decades, some of his albums crossing over from jazz to pop charts. He worked with Willis Jackson '57-8 and has been reunited with him on records; he also recorded with Roland Kirk, Sonny Stitt and Gene Ammons.

His own first LP was Brother Jack '60 on Prestige; about 20 LPs on that label through '66 included Tough Duff and The Honeydripper '60-1 with Jimmy Forrest, Mellow Gravy '62 with Ammons, Screamin' '62 (top 200 LPs '63), Live! '63 with George Benson on guitar (top 100 LPs same year), Prelude '63 with Benny Golson's big band, Hot Barbeque '65 with Benson, Together Again! with Jackson made the top 200 LPs '66. He switched to Atlantic '66-7 for four LPs, including two big-band sets; three Cadet/Chess LPs '68-9 included Gettin' Our Thing Together with big band arranged by Richard Evans; four Blue Note LPs '69-70 included Down Home Style (charted '69; two tracks issued on a Liberty single included the title and 'Theme From ''Electric Surfboard'' ', a Hot 100 entry). Back on Cadet/Chess '71-6 for five more, including big-band set '73-4 with McDuff playing several keyboards including a Moog; then Having A Good Time c.'80 on Sugar Hill. Another Real Good'un and The Reentry (with Houston Person) were on Muse; then Color Me Blue (with Benson), Write On, Capt'n (a larger group including Joey DeFrancesco), trio The Heatin' System '94 and It's About Time '95 (with DeFrancesco on second organ plus rhythm), septet That's The Way I Feel About It '97 were all on Concord.