Jimmy McGriff

One of the all-time giants of the Hammond B-3, Jimmy McGriff was almost certainly the bluesiest of the major soul-jazz pioneers. His sound -- deep, down-to-earth grooves drenched in blues and gospel feeling -- made him quite popular with R&B audiences, thanks in part to his concise, funky, jukebox-ready singles. McGriff spent much of the '70s trying to keep pace with the fusion movement, switching to various electric keyboards and adopting an increasingly smooth, polished style. As the '80s dawned, McGriff returned to his classic organ trio sound. Vintage soul-jazz soon came back into vogue, and McGriff took his place as one of the genre's elder statesmen. ~ Steve Huey