The Word: The many funky organists of soul jazz nearly all hail from Philadelphia, where keyboard players of all types continue to dominate. On this page you'll find some key piano and electric piano as well as the stone-funky organists (Brown, Larkin, McDuff, MgGriff, Patton, Roach, etc.) that DJs love. See also the main jazz page for a few others, especially where keyboards aren't always dominant or the main thing, even if the leader plays them (e.g., Sun Ra).
Further below: Organ/keyboards 45s & trade wants
Links: are to artists bio/discog pages in the Hyp Records guide:
Images: accurately represent items but are not always the exact copy listed/purchased
Discount: ALWAYS try to buy more than one item at a time
Jamey Aebersold: [Jazz & Rock] Nothin' But Blues--Volume 2 of A New Approach to Jazz Improvisation; AJA JA-1211; no book NE/N S $20 -- soul-jazz/piano funk/breakbeats; funky drums, modal tunes, changes, breakbeats!; the highlight of the Indiana instructional series (this is the title everyone should want, whether or not others in the series are of interest); it's a trio recorded with bass and piano in separate channels but drums in both!; has at least two very worthy rare grooves: "Mr. Super Hip" and "Long-Meter" (jazz-rock) -- you need this
Odell Brown & the Organ-Izers: Raising the Roof; Cadet LP-775; 1966; E/N- $40 -- soul-jazz organ; fans of Billy Larkin & the Delegates will love this group, and vice versa; their first LP in top mono (just has "Inez" in marker on the jacket in three places); The Honeydripper, Raising the Roof, A Cool Senorita, Strike Up the Band, Day Tripper, Maiden Voyage, The Thing, Enchilada Joe
Odell Brown & the Organ-izers: Mellow Yellow; Cadet LPS-788; 1967; E/N- S $40 (or mono LP-788 cutout E-/N $25, specify) -- soul-jazz organ (mod); GREAT!!!; the second LP may rely heavily on covers, but what covers they are!; Mellow Yellow (Donovan), Quiet Village (Les Baxter), Tommy's Thing, Que Son Uno (Joe Cuba), Mas Que Nada (Jorge Ben), Baby You Just Don't Know, Ain't That a Groove (James Brown)
Odell Brown & the Organ-Izers: Ducky; Cadet LPS-800; 1967; E/E+ S $40 (or cutout N-/E S $40, specify) -- soul-jazz organ; Odell Brown's group is like many of the great funky soul-jazz organ-led groups: about half a dozen LPs, all of them great/essential (always some things for DJs as well as jazzbos), just enough to give you variety and depth but not so much you need to rent a storage space; No More Water in the Well, The Look of Love, Tough Tip, She's Coming My Way, Mirar Mirar, Ain't No Mountain High Enough, Where Am I Going, Get Off My Back, Anna, Ducky
Odell Brown: Free Delivery; Cadet LPS-838; 1969; sealed cutout S $50 -- soul-jazz organ; perfect but for a tiny corner cut on the upper right; w/Phil Upchurch, Cash McCall, Burgess Gardner..; Free Delivery, Free and Easy, Come Together, Look Out Cleveland, Nitty Gritty, That's the Way God Planned It, Sign of the Ram, Country Preacher
Doug Carn: Adams Apple; Ovation/Black Jazz BJQD 21; 1974; white-label promo E/E S/Q $30 -- spiritual soul jazz/soul-jazz piano (partly Moog); w/Big Black, Harold Mason, Calvin Keys, the Voices of Revelation..; everything on Black Jazz is exciting, if not also a must-have, almost all of it now rare; fortunately the high-selling Carn LPs still turn up, providing major thrills at bargain rates; timeless, GREAT STUFF!
Bill Doggett: Hold It!; Gusto/PowerPak PO-269; 1975 (reissues older King 609 in ES) N/N- shrink ES $20 -- organ; yes, it's only a reissue (scarce in this form, too) but in top shape and one of his better titles (uptempo); famous jacket of policeman halting woman driver; Hold It, Tanya, Lone Star Blues, Hippy Dippy, Rainbow Riot, Blip Blop, Blues for Handy, Boo-Da-Ba, Pimento (sic), Back Door, Birdie
Charles Earland: Living Black!; Prestige PRST-10009; 1971/1970; purple label E+/N- S $25 -- soul-jazz organ; live
Charles Earland: The Dynamite Brothers ST; Prestige P-10082; 1973; cutout E+/N- S $60 -- soundtrack/funk/soul-jazz/synth; one of his best, most creative efforts, as well as one of the best funky STs!; titles include Razor, Snake, Kungfusion, Weedhopper; see scan on the funky soundtracks page at Hyp Records/Soul Patch
Charles Earland: Front Burner; Milestone M-9165; 1988; N/E+ shrink S $15 -- soul-jazz organ; his comeback LP; despite the late date, it's really, really good!
Herbie Hancock/Yardbirds: Blow-Up ST; MGM SE-4447; 1981; gatefold Japanese Polygram UMF-1013 REISSUE N/N S $30 -- even better sound than the original and still a gatefold! (excellent, very faithful repro); "Stroll On" by the Yardbirds is one reason it's desired, but "Bring Down the Birds" (the foundation for Dee-Lite's "Groove is in the Heart") is the main one for groove hounds; respect Japan!
Merit Hemmingson & the Meritones: Discotheque Dance a Go Go; Sonet SLP-50/Grand Prix GP-9978; 1970/1966 (reissues Sonet SLP-50); N/N S $75 -- mod soul-jazz organ; recorded live at the Esquire Club in Stockholm, it beautifully captures a super swinging set by the darling of a scene that was soon to be shaken up by the immigration of Sabu Martinez (who's appears on a later LP by MH!); one look at the titles will tell you all you need to know about the groove in Sweden one fateful night!; New Fashioned Waltz, A Taste of Honey, Funky Mama, Soul Bossa Nova, More, Sister Sadie, She's a Woman (Beatles!), The Pink Panther, Watermelon Man, I Left My Heart in San Francisco, The Gravy Waltz, Always Something There to Remind Me
Richard "Groove" Holmes: Get Up & Get It!; Prestige PRST-7514; 1967; cutout E/N S $30 -- soul-jazz organ; one of his scarcest!; good jazz, sax, and ballads rather than the organ funk of his later LPs; highlights the great Teddy Edwards on tenor, w/Pat Martino guitar, Paul Chambers bass, Billy Higgins drums; Get Up & Get It, Lee-Ann, Body & Soul, Broadway, Groove's Blue Groove, Pennies from Heaven
Groove Holmes: New Groove; Groove Merchant GM-527; 1974; cutout N/N- S $40 -- soul-jazz organ; nothing particularly unusual about the label or players (O'Donel Levy, Bernard Purdie, Leon Cook, Kwasi Jayourba..), but it's his stone funkiest LP (best for DJs) along w/Six Million Dollar Man!; if you have that, you know you need this, and in a top copy no less!; Red Onion, You've Got it Bad, Good Vibrations, How Insensitive, Chu-Chu..
Sonny Hopson: Life & Mad featuring Charles Earland on Organ, "From the Shit House to the White House"; Giant Step GSLP-0001; V+/V+ S $75 -- vocal; rare lounge act rec. live in Philadelphia at Hopson's Celebrity Lounge; Hopson the famous radio jock, "The Mighty Burner" (which later became Earland's nickname too!), here in full swagger w/plenty of narrative rapport; as a phenomenal local rarity, will appeal also to Earland completists, if not most of his fans (he arranged all the music), even if Hopson's crooning leaves a bit to be desired; Unhh-Unhh, Three O'Clock in the Morning (original blues), Stormy Monday, Girl Talk, Bright Lights, Something, Strangers in the Night, Getting to Know You, It Was a Very Good Year; jacket liners feature nice photos and notes by Gus "Silk" Lacy
Craig Hundley Trio: Arrival of a Young Giant; Liberty/World Pacific WPS-21880; 1968; N/E+ S $25 -- piano; well-liked and admirable, but don't take our word for it--see YouTube sample and comments; Arrival, Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me), Chopin Prelude/How Insensitive, Here's that Rainy Day, 3 for 5, It Was a Very Good Year, Bach Fugue/Fly Me to the Moon (In Other Words), Yesterday: The Midnight World, Now, The Jet Song, Eleanor Rigby, Departure
Ahmad Jamal with Voices: Cry Young; Chess/Cadet LPS-792; 1967; sealed S $30 (or E+/E S $25, specify) -- mod soul/jazz w/vocal chorus/piano; THE hip Jamal LP for DJs (bossa sound like Novi Singers); Nature Boy and Minor Moods are the standouts; very pleased to be able to offer an uncut, never opened, stereo copy at a low price
Billy Larkin & the Delegates; Liberty/World Pacific/Aura AR-3002; 1963; E/V+ $30 (or deep groove V+/V $20, specify) -- soul jazz/organ; Mel Brown (drums), Hank Swarn (guitar), Larkin (organ) on the super-rare debut LP of a tremendous trio; besides the [very hip and advanced for its day] smash hit "Pygmy" (w/bongos, released earlier as a single) you get nine others (The Peeper, Foxy Little Ghoul, Hainty, Ice Water, Grooveyard, Watch Your Motives..); excellent stuff, priced low despite rarity/quality for some wear/noise, but it's better not to hold out forever on such things!
Billy Larkin & the Delegates featuring Clifford Scott: Blue Lights; Liberty/Aura ARS-23003 1st/deep groove N/E shrink S $50 (or mono AR-83003; 1st/deep groove E/N- $40, specify) -- soul jazz/organ; the terrific trio's best work after their initial hit, "Pygmy"; fantastic second LP features the great Clifford Scott, who also played in Googie Rene's Combo, on tenor/alto/flute (for jazz fans this may be the best Billy Larkin LP); Little Jr. Detroit, Charade, Quintessence, Sticky Wicket, Transfusion, The Cooker, Dallas Blues, Blues for Dinner, Killer Joe, Blue Lights
Billy Larkin & the Delegates: Hole in the Wall; Liberty/World Pacific WPS-21837; deep groove N-/V+ shrink S $20 -- soul jazz/organ; 3rd LP by the group and one of their best, particularly for DJs and funkier soul-jazz fans (on World Pacific they do more popular but hip tunes); Soul Beat, Agent Double-O-Soul, Hot Toddy, The In Crowd, Midnight Hour, Little Mama, Taste of Honey..; slight wear/some pops heard but well worth it at the price; uncut jacket
Billy Larkin & the Delegates: Ain't That a Groove!; Liberty/World Pacific WPS-21843; deep groove, blue label E/E- S $25 (or mono WP-1843; black label E/E- $20, specify) -- soul jazz/organ; their 4th LP; Ain't That a Groove, G'won Train, Playboy Theme, Don't Mess with Bill, Tarantula, Soul Sister, Willow Weep for Me..
Billy Larkin & the Delegates w/Ralph Black: Dr. Feelgood; Liberty/World Pacific WPS-21874; E/N S $25 -- soul jazz/organ/vocal; hip, late, and GREAT!; the addition of Ralph Black's very swinging singing (like Babs Gonzalez) really makes it, not that the tunes and playing aren't way up there too, making it easily their best LP since Aura; On Broadway, Dock of the Bay, Baby I Love You, Way Cross Town, Chain of Fools, This is Worth Fighting For, Spooky, Gone Over You, Hear & Now, Ode to Billy Joe, Dr. Feelgood, I Got a Woman
Billy Larkin & the Delegates with Clifford Scott: The Best of; Liberty/World Pacific WPS-21883; N/N- shrink S $25 (or E+/E+ S $20, specify) -- soul jazz/organ; AWESOME & ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY because it's drawn only from the rare first two LPs, both of which feature the great Clifford Scott in some of his best work (not to mention best of the Delegates), and that first LP especially just doesn't turn up (super-rare clean, impossibly rare in the stereo version); Pygmy (we also recommend the Part 2 available only on 45), The Peeper, Hainty, Ice Water, Grooveyard, There is No Greater Love (all from the first LP!); remainder from the second LP: Sticky Wicket, Blues for Dinner, Killer Joe, Blue Lights
Ramsey Lewis: Them Changes; Cadet LPS-844; 1970; E/N- S $25 -- FUNKY soul-jazz/piano; terrific live set featuring the powerhouse group at its funky best: Phil Upchurch, Mo Jennings, Cleveland Eaton; serious breakbeats!!!; Them Changes (clean drum breaks), Drown in My Own Tears, Oh Happy Day, Do Whatever Sets You Free (clean drum breaks), Something, The Unsilent Minority..
Hank Marr: Greasy Spoon; King KSD-1061; 1st press promo E-/E- S $40 (or water-stained jacket/2nd press V-/E S $30, specify) -- organ; a classic, mainly uptempo set by one of the leading lights on King (as with Bill Doggett, his r&b jazz organ soon got into funk and soul jazz); every one of the handful of Hank Marr LPs is tough to find and well worth it!; The Greasy Spoon, I Remember New York, A Mellow Thing, Heavy Travellin', Foggy Night, The Push, Tonk Game, All My Love Belongs to You, Silver Spoon, Easy Talk, Day By Day, Late Freight
Brother Jack McDuff: Steppin' Out; Prestige PRST-7666; 1969; V+/N- S $25 -- soul-jazz organ; mainly blues; w/Joe Dukes and a revolving door of guitarists (Grant Green, Pat Martino, George Benson, K.B. Groovington), plus the Harolds Vick and Ousley, Red Holloway, Benny Golson; Shortnin' Bread, Chicken Feet, Our Miss Brooks, Shaky, Godiva Brown, Moody McDuff; jacket has a small tear and water damage on the bottom inch, nothing too serious
Brother Jack McDuff: Who Knows What Tomorrow's Gonna Bring; UA/Blue Note BST-84358; 1971/1970; cutout N-/N S $30 -- soul-jazz organ; his final Blue Note LP; Who's Pimpin' Who, Classic Funke, Wank's Thang, Ya'll Remember Boogie?, Who Knows What Tomorrow's Gonna Bring, Ya Ya Ya Ya..
Brother Jack McDuff: Check This Out; GRT/Cadet CA-50024; 1972; white-label promo cutout E/N- S $20 -- soul-jazz organ/funk; live, w/Willie Colon; from his great period on Cadet (all of these are good/essential); "Soul Yodel" is the best pick for DJs; mild press bump tick in "Georgia on My Mind"
Jimmy McGriff: Christmas with McGriff; Sue LP-1018; E/E+ $25 -- soul-jazz organ/Xmas; one of the best on Sue (prod. Juggy Murray) and here a wonderful copy (great thick vinyl); Hip Santa, Christmas w/McGriff and standards
Jimmy McGriff Organ & Blues Band Plays The Worm; Solid State SS-18045; 1968; Unipak gatefold E/E+ S $25 -- soul-jazz organ/funk; his first smash-hit LP (& single) in the funk period/style; still a bargain and everyone needs it; clear tape on the spine
Jimmy McGriff: Stump Juice; Groove Merchant GM-3309; 1975; gatefold; E/E+ S $20 -- funk/soul-jazz organ; major funk classic, one of his best super-funky LPs!!!; Purple Onion, The Little One, Stump Juice, Cumayon, TNT, Stretch Me Out, Pisces
Jimmy McGriff: Something to Listen to; Blue Note BST-84364; black-blue E/N- S $20 -- jazz organ; not funk but good jazz (proving himself for the label here); Indiana, Malcolm's Blues, Satin Doll, Deb Sombo, Something to Listen to, Shiny Stockings
Jimmy McGriff: If You're Ready Come Go With Me--The Super Funk Collection; Groove Merchant GM-529; cutout E/E- S $20 -- funk/soul-jazz organ; if you're not going to get all his funky LPs, this comp is the one-stop shop you must have; Ain't it Funky Now, Tiki, Dig it On, Bug Out, Fat Cakes, Super Funk, The Bird, Let's Stay Together..; priced low for some marks but plays fine
Charles Mingus: Oh Yeah; Atlantic 1377; 1962; orange/purple N-/E S $30
John Patton: Got a Good Thing Goin'; Blue Note BLP-4229; 1966; mono NY/blue-white E/N $75 -- soul-jazz organ; hip, funky, and wunderfully clean, original-label, mono, one of his very best!; w/Grant Green, Hugh Walker, Richard Landrum; The Yodel, Soul Woman, Ain't That Peculiar, The Shake (a mod-soul boogaloo), Amanda
John Patton: Got a Good Thing Goin'; Blue Note BST-84229; 1966 NY/blue-white E/E S $60 -- soul-jazz organ; hip, funky, and wunderfully clean, original-label, stereo, of his very best!; w/Grant Green, Hugh Walker, Richard Landrum; The Yodel, Soul Woman, Ain't That Peculiar, The Shake (a mod-soul boogaloo), Amanda
Duke Pearson: Now Hear This; Liberty/Blue Note BST-84308; gatefold promo E-/N S $30
Sonny Phillips: Sure 'Nuff!; Prestige PRST-7737; 1969; blue E/N- S $40 -- soul-jazz organ; Houston Person, Boogaloo Joe Jones, Bernard Purdie..
Trudy Pitts: Introducing the Fabulous Trudy Pitts; Prestige PR-7523; 1967; V+/E $50 -- soul-jazz organ/mod; partly vocal; forget Shirley Scott, Trudy is the true pride of Philly (still very active in the local jazz scene), tho her LPs are some of the rarest on the label; this, her 1st of 4, is definitely hip (even Spanish Flea!); Steppin' in A Minor, Spanish Flea, Music to Watch Girls By, Take Five, Night Song, Matchmaker, Fiddlin'..
Quartette Tres Bien: Boss Trés Bien; Decca DL-74547 N-/N S $40 (or mono DL-4547; pink-label promo; E-/N $25, specify) -- jazz piano/Latin percussion; Rhodesian Chant and the title track are the highlights
Quartette Tres Bien: Spring Into Spring; Decca DL-74617; cutout N/N shrink S $40 -- jazz piano/Latin percussion; "Exciting Piano & Rhythm"; "Accidently on Percy" (Percy Jones on bongos and conga) is a highlight but the whole thing is wonderful
Freddie Roach: Down to Earth; NY Blue Note 4113; E-/E+ $150 -- soul-jazz organ; luckily for someone, we actually prefer stereo (even in Blue Note, silly we), which we just bought, so we're able to free up this treasure; yes, we've sure loved having it around all these years, patiently awaiting transfer to another record archive, and sad to see it go--it's that sweet!
Freddie Roach: Mo' Greens Please; Liberty/Blue Note 84128; cutout N-/N- S $50 -- soul-jazz organ; yep, "only" a Liberty but a totally solid issue of a real rarity (and a great record!)
Freddie Roach: The Freddie Roach Soul Book; Prestige PR-7490; 1966; N-/N $50 -- soul-jazz organ; funky mod/boogaloo and more; w/Buddy Terry, King Errison..; Spacious, Avatara, Tenderly, One Track Mind, You've Got Your Troubles, The Bees
Freddie Roach: My People (Soul People); Prestige PRST-7521; 1967; 1st/blue cutout N/N shrink S $75 (or 2nd/green/flexi cutout V+/E- S $25, specify) -- soul-jazz organ; rare and his best for most DJs--hip, funky, great!; Prince Street, Straight Ahead, Mas Que Nada, Drunk, My People--Soul People (with hip narration by Roach!)..
Shirley Scott: Blue Flames; Prestige 7338; 1972/1964; E+/N- S $20 -- organ; w/Stanley Turrentine, quartet; liners dated '64, so it must be a reissue or delayed release; nice, anyway; The Funky Fox, Hip Knees an' Legs, Five Spot After Dark, Grand Street, Flamingo
Shirley Scott: Latin Shadows; Impulse A-93; 1965; gatefold cutout N/N S $30 -- Latin jazz/bossa; arr. Gary McFarland; desirable by DJs chiefly for the vocal rendition of "Soul Sauce"; that and the players and playing make it one of the few Shirley Scott's w/wide appeal (beyond soul-jazz organ)
Horace Silver: Silver's Serenade; NY/Blue Note BST-84131; cutout E-/E S $25 -- some moisture has affected label and jacket but it's intact
The Horace Silver Quintet/Sextet: The Jody Grind; Blue Note BST-84250; 1966; gatefold; NY E/E S $25 -- soul-jazz piano; one of the great ones!; The Jody Grind, Grease Piece, Mexican Hip Dance..
The Horace Silver Quintet: You Gotta Take a Little Love; Liberty/Blue Note BST-84309; 1969; gatefold blue-white cutout E+/N- S $25
Horace Silver in Pursuit of the 27th Man; UA/Blue Note BN-LA054-F; 1973; sealed cutout S $20 -- soul-jazz piano; a great Latin-jazz cut and more
Lonnie Smith: Think; Blue Note BST-84290; Inipak gatefold E-/E- S $25 -- soul-jazz organ; one of the funky Blue Note greats and one of Dr. Smith's very best; w/Lee Morgan, David Newman, Melvin Sparks, and 4 percussionists; Think (the Aretha tune), THree Blind Mice, Slouchin', Son of Ice Bag, Call of the Wild
Jimmy Smith: Midnight Special; NY/Blue Note BST-84078; deep groove (1 side) E/E+ S $30
Bobby Timmons w/Johnny Lytle: Workin' Out!; Prestige PRST-7387; 1965; cutout N-/E+ S $25 -- Lela, Trick Hips, People, Bag's Groove, This Is All I Ask
Reuben Wilson: Bad Stuff!; Groove Merchant GM-4404; 1975; 2-LP gatefold cutout V+/N- S $20 -- soul-jazz organ; for one low price you get two great funk classics: The Sweet Life (GM-511) and Cisco Kid (GM-523) at the same quality as the original separate LPs (which don't turn up like they used to); not only two of the best titles on Groove Merchant, they're even more useful to the DJ than the rare Reuben Wilson LPs on Blue Note--just look at the titles: Inner City Blues, Creampuff, Sugar, I'll Take You There, The Sweet Life, Never Can Say Goodbye, The Cisco Kid, Last Tango in Paris, Superfly, We've Only Just Begun, Snaps, Groove Grease, The Look of Love
Reuben Wilson: On Broadway; Liberty/Blue Note BST-84295; promo V/V+ S $20 -- soul-jazz organ; hip (mostly uptempo, funky boogaloo), rare (his last 3 LPs for the label are all very tough to find), well worth having at the price/despite flaws (play is a lot better than appearance, which isn't so bad)
Larry Young: Contrasts; Liberty/Blue Note BST-84266; E/E- S $35 -- soul-jazz organ; you don't do better than Larry Young on a Blue Note original
[Billy Larkin &] The Delegates: Pygmy Part 1/The Peeper; Aura 88120; E- $15 -- soul-jazz organ/bongo/boogaloo; "Pygmy" is their legendary, groovy, driving debut hit, w/organ, guitar, bongo solos--sensational and totally hip (tip: get it w/the Delegates 1st LP, above)
Charlie Earland, Jr. & his Band: Daily Double Parts 1 & 2; Quakertown 1022; V+ $15 -- soul-jazz organ; live, very nicely swinging, and rare!; light marks, not bad
Hank Marr: I Remember New York/Easy Talk; Federal 12516; N- $20 (or E- $15, specify) -- organ; with Rusty Bryant; two of the excellent Marr tracks that would not be issued on LP until Greasy Spoon (King KSD-1061)
Brother Jack McDuff: Ain't No Sunshine/The Prophet; GRT/Cadet CA-5693; 1972; E S $20 -- soul-jazz organ/funk; if you don't care to spring for the whole 2-LP set The Heatin' System but DO want the funk monster, DJ-manna track "The Prophet" (in stereo, no less, and credited to Alfred "Peewee" Ellis), this is your baby (in fact it's our own preference over the LP)
Freddie Roach: Brown Sugar/Next Time You See Me; Blue Note 1914; blue-white N- $40 -- soul-jazz organ/boogaloo; lead cut (uptempo/great for DJs) from a very rare LP that, even if you manage to find it, is almost never this clean/loud/hi-fi/hip
Freddie Roach: One Track Mind/You've Got Your Troubles; Prestige 429; E $15 -- soul-jazz organ; another from the great, underrated, funky organist
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