Jack McDuff
b. Eugene McDuff, 17 September 1926, Champaign, Illinois, USA. McDuff adopted a professional name which reflects the racial consciousness of the '60s. Self-taught on piano, he became adept on the Hammond organ, an instrument associated with the church and hence with black music at its most heated. He took time out from touring to study music at the New York Technical College in Cincinnati, Ohio. He toured with various R&B bands from 1948, then formed his own jazz group in 1954, playing in the midwest. In 1957, he broke up the group and left music, but returned in 1958 as a bass player. This was the ideal introduction to the Hammond, where the organist supplies bass with foot pedals. In 1961, he recorded an album with Roland Kirk, KIRK'S WORKS. In that year he also worked with guitarist Grant Green and, from 1962 to 1965, with superstar-to-be George Benson. 1964's THE DYNAMIC JACK MCDUFF was a highly successful encounter of organ and big band, featuring arrangements by Benny Golson. In the '80s McDuff started playing electric piano and working with vocalists.