Don Patterson (July 22, 1936 – February 10, 1988) was an American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

organist.

Early life

Patterson played piano from childhood and was heavily influenced by

Erroll Garner Erroll Louis Garner (June 15, 1921 – January 2, 1977) was an American jazz pianist and composer known for his swing playing and ballads. His instrumental ballad " Misty", his best-known composition, has become a jazz standard. It was first re ...

in his youth. In 1956, he switched to organ after hearing Jimmy Smith play the instrument.

Career

In the early-1960s, he began playing regularly with

Sonny Stitt Edward Hammond Boatner Jr. (February 2, 1924 – July 22, 1982), known professionally as Sonny Stitt, was an American jazz saxophonist of the bebop/ hard bop idiom. Known for his warm tone, he was one of the best-documented saxophonists of h ...

, and he began releasing material as a leader on

Prestige Records Prestige Records is a jazz record company and label founded in 1949 by Bob Weinstock in New York City which issued recordings in the mainstream, bop, and cool jazz idioms. The company recorded hundreds of albums by many of the leading jazz music ...

from 1964 (with

Pat Martino Pat Martino (born Patrick Carmen Azzara; August 25, 1944 – November 1, 2021) was an American jazz guitarist and composer. Biography Martino was born Patrick Carmen Azzara in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, to father Carmen "Mickey" ...

and Billy James as sidemen). His most commercially successful album was 1964's ''Holiday Soul'', which reached #85 on the ''Billboard'' 200 in 1967.

Personal life

Patterson's troubles with

drug addiction Addiction is a neuropsychological disorder characterized by a persistent and intense urge to engage in certain behaviors, one of which is the usage of a drug, despite substantial harm and other negative consequences. Repetitive drug use oft ...

hobbled his career in the 1970s, during which he occasionally recorded for

Muse Records Muse Records was a jazz record company and label founded in New York City by Joe Fields (producer), Joe Fields in 1972. Fields worked as an executive for Prestige Records in the 1960s. Several of the albums were previously released on Cobbleston ...

and lived in

Gary, Indiana Gary is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. The city has been historically dominated by major industrial activity and is home to U.S. Steel's Gary Works, the largest steel mill complex in North America. Gary is located along th ...

.Steve Huey, Don Pattersonat

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Music ...

In the 1980s, he moved to Philadelphia and made a small comeback, but his health deteriorated over the course of the decade, and he died there in 1988.

Discography

As leader

* ''

Goin' Down Home ''Goin' Down Home'' is an album by organist Don Patterson recorded in Chicago in 1963 and released on the Cadet label in 1966.Edwards, D. & Callahan, MCadet Album Discography (1965-1971)accessed March 22, 2013 Although it is the earliest recording ...

'' (

Cadet A cadet is an officer trainee or candidate. The term is frequently used to refer to those training to become an officer in the military, often a person who is a junior trainee. Its meaning may vary between countries which can include youths in ...

, 1963 el. 1966 -with

Paul Weeden Paul Winston Weeden (born 7 January 1923 in Indianapolis – 2 July 2011 in Oslo) was an American-Norwegian jazz guitarist and bandleader. Biography In his hometown he played Wes Montgomery and J. J. Johnson with his neighbor before moving t ...

, Billy James * ''

The Exciting New Organ of Don Patterson ''The Exciting New Organ of Don Patterson'' is the debut album by organist Don Patterson recorded in 1964 and released on the Prestige label.

'' (

Prestige Prestige refers to a good reputation or high esteem; in earlier usage, ''prestige'' meant "showiness". (19th c.) Prestige may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Films * ''Prestige'' (film), a 1932 American film directed by Tay Garnet ...

, 1964) -with

Booker Ervin Booker Telleferro Ervin II (October 31, 1930 – August 31, 1970) was an American tenor saxophone player. His tenor playing was characterised by a strong, tough sound and blues/gospel phrasing. He is remembered for his association with bassi ...

* ''

Hip Cake Walk ''Hip Cake Walk'' is an album by organist Don Patterson recorded in 1964 and released on the Prestige label.Patterson's People ''Patterson's People'' is an album by organist Don Patterson recorded in 1964 and released on the Prestige label.Sonny Stitt Edward Hammond Boatner Jr. (February 2, 1924 – July 22, 1982), known professionally as Sonny Stitt, was an American jazz saxophonist of the bebop/ hard bop idiom. Known for his warm tone, he was one of the best-documented saxophonists of h ...

, Booker Ervin * '' Holiday Soul'' (Prestige, 1964) -with

* ''

Satisfaction! ''Satisfaction!'' is an album by organist Don Patterson recorded in 1965 and released on the Prestige label.Jerry Byrd Gerald Lester Byrd (March 9, 1920 – April 11, 2005) was an American musician who played the lap steel guitar in country and Hawaiian music, as well as a singer-songwriter and the head of a music publishing firm. He appeared on numerous radio ...

* ''

The Boss Men ''The Boss Men'' is an album by organist Don Patterson with saxophonist Sonny Stitt and drummer Billy James recorded in late 1965 and released on the Prestige label.Soul Happening! ''Soul Happening!'' is an album by organist Don Patterson recorded in 1966 and released on the Prestige label.Mellow Soul ''Mellow Soul'' is an album by organist Don Patterson recorded in 1967 and released on the Prestige label.David "Fathead" Newman David "Fathead" Newman (February 24, 1933 – January 20, 2009) was an American jazz and rhythm-and-blues saxophonist, who made numerous recordings as a session musician and leader, but is best known for his work as a sideman on seminal 1950s an ...

* '' Four Dimensions'' (Prestige, 1967) -with Houston Person, Pat Martino, Billy James * '' Boppin' & Burnin''' (Prestige, 1968) -with

Howard McGhee Howard McGhee (March 6, 1918 – July 17, 1987) was one of the first American bebop jazz trumpeters, with Dizzy Gillespie, Fats Navarro and Idrees Sulieman. He was known for his fast fingering and high notes. He had an influence on younger beb ...

, Charles McPherson, Pat Martino * '' Opus De Don'' (Prestige, 1968) -with

Blue Mitchell Richard Allen "Blue" Mitchell (March 13, 1930 – May 21, 1979) was an American trumpeter and composer who worked in jazz, rhythm and blues, soul, rock and funk. He recorded albums as leader and sideman for Riverside, Mainstream Records, and ...

Junior Cook Herman "Junior" Cook (July 22, 1934 – February 3, 1992) was an American hard bop tenor saxophone player. Biography Cook was born in Pensacola, Florida. After playing with Dizzy Gillespie in 1958, Cook was a member of the Horace Silver Quin ...

, Pat Martino, Billy James * ''

Funk You! ''Funk You!'' is an album by organist Don Patterson recorded in 1968 and released on the Prestige label.Oh Happy Day'' (Prestige, 1969) -with Virgil Jones, Houston Person, George Coleman, Pat Martino * '' Brothers-4'' (Prestige, 1969) -with Sonny Stitt,

Grant Green Grant Green (June 6, 1935 – January 31, 1979) was an American jazz guitarist and composer. Recording prolifically for Blue Note Records as both leader and sideman, Green performed in the hard bop, soul jazz, bebop, and Latin-tinged idioms ...

, Billy James * ''

Donny Brook ''Donny Brook'' is an album by organist Don Patterson with saxophonist Sonny Stitt recorded in 1969 and released on the Prestige label.

'' (Prestige, 1969) -with Sonny Stitt, Grant Green, Billy James * '' Tune Up!'' (Prestige, 1964 and 1969 el. 1971 * ''

The Return of Don Patterson ''The Return of Don Patterson'' (also released as ''The Genius of the B-3'') is an album by organist Don Patterson recorded in 1972 and released on the Muse label.

'' (

Muse In ancient Greek religion and mythology, the Muses ( grc, Μοῦσαι, Moûsai, el, Μούσες, Múses) are the inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in ...

MR-5005, 1972 el. 1974 -with

Eddie Daniels Eddie Daniels (born October 19, 1941) is an American musician and composer. Although he is best known as a jazz clarinetist, he has also played saxophone and flute as well as classical music on clarinet. Early life, family and education Daniel ...

ote: reissued on CD in 1991 as ''The Genius Of The B-3''* '' These Are Soulful Days'' (Muse MR-5032, 1973 el. 1974 -with Jimmy Heath, Pat Martino,

Albert Heath Albert "Tootie" Heath (born May 31, 1935) is an American jazz hard bop drummer, the brother of tenor saxophonist Jimmy Heath and the double-bassist Percy Heath. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, he first recorded in 1957 with ...

ote: reissued on CD in 1998 as ''Steady Comin' At 'Ya''* ''

Movin' Up! ''Movin' Up!'' is an album by organist Don Patterson recorded in 1977 and released on the Muse label.Muse Record ...

'' (Muse MR-5121, 1977) -with Richie Cole,

Vic Juris Victor Edward Jurusz Jr. (September 26, 1953 – December 31, 2019), known professionally as Vic Juris, was an American jazz guitarist. Music career Juris was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, but he moved with his family to Parsippany early in ...

, Billy James * '' Why Not...'' (Muse MR-5148, 1978) -with Virgil Jones,

Bootsie Barnes Robert "Bootsie" Barnes (November 27, 1937 – April 22, 2020) was an American jazz Tenor saxophone, tenor saxophonist from Philadelphia. Early life and education Barnes was raised in a housing project in North Philadelphia. His father was a t ...

, Eddie McFadden,

Idris Muhammad Idris Muhammad ( ar, إدريس محمد; born Leo Morris; November 13, 1939 – July 29, 2014) was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. He had an extensive career performing jazz, funk, R&B, and soul music and recorded with musicians such a ...

LP/CD compilations

* ''The Best Of Don Patterson'' (Prestige 7704, 1969) * ''The Best Of Don Patterson & The Jazz Giants'' (Prestige 7772, 1969) * ''Sonny Stitt/Booker Ervin/Don Patterson – Soul People'' (Prestige, 1993) (compilation of ''Soul People'' + 2 tracks from ''Tune Up!'', and 1 track previously unissued from the ''Soul Happening!'' sessions) * ''Dem New York Dues'' (Prestige, 1995) (compilation of ''Opus De Don'' + ''Oh Happy Day'') * ''Legends Of Acid Jazz: Don Patterson/Booker Ervin'' (Prestige, 1996) (compilation of ''The Exciting New Organ Of Don Patterson'' + 1 track from ''Hip Cake Walk'', and 1 track from ''Patterson's People'') * ''Legends Of Acid Jazz: Sonny Stitt/Don Patterson, Vol. 2'' (Prestige, 1999) (compilation of ''Funk You!'' + ''Soul Electricity!'') * ''Legends Of Acid Jazz: Sonny Stitt (with Don Patterson) – Low Flame'' (Prestige, 1999) (compilation of ''Low Flame'' + ''Shangri-La'') * ''Legends Of Acid Jazz: Don Patterson/Booker Ervin/Houston Person – Just Friends'' (Prestige, 1999) (compilation of ''Four Dimensions'', ''Hip Cake Walk'' tracks ''Patterson's People'' tracks+ 1 track from ''Tune Up!'') * ''The Boss Men'' (Prestige, 2001) (compilation of ''Night Crawler'', ''The Boss Men'' + 2 tracks from ''Patterson's People'') * ''Brothers 4'' (Prestige, 2001) (compilation of ''Brothers-4'', ''Donny Brook'' + 1 track from ''Tune Up!'')

As sideman

With

Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis Edward F. Davis (March 2, 1922 – November 3, 1986), known professionally as Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. It is unclear how he acquired the moniker "Lockjaw" (later shortened in "Jaws"): it is either said that ...

* ''

I Only Have Eyes for You "I Only Have Eyes for You" is a romantic love song by composer Harry Warren and lyricist Al Dubin, written for the film ''Dames'' (1934) when Dick Powell introduced it. Several successful recordings of the song were made in 1934; later, there we ...

'' (Prestige, 1962) * ''

Trackin' "Trackin'" is a song by Filipino-American singer Billy Crawford. It was the first single released from his second studio album, '' Ride'' (2002). The song reached number one in the Netherlands, number three in Switzerland, number five in France, ...

'' (Prestige, 1962) With

Eric Kloss Eric Kloss (born April 3, 1949) is an American jazz saxophonist. Music career Kloss was born blind in Greenville, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh, and attended the Western Pennsylvania School for the Blind, which was run by his father. When he was 1 ...

* ''

Introducing Eric Kloss ''Introducing Eric Kloss'' is the debut album by saxophonist Eric Kloss which was recorded in 1965 and released on the Prestige label.Love and All That Jazz ''Love and All That Jazz'' is a studio album by saxophonist Eric Kloss. It was recorded in 1966 and released on Prestige Records.el. 1996 With

* '' Boss Tenors in Orbit!'' (Verve, 1962) -with

Gene Ammons Eugene "Jug" Ammons (April 14, 1925 – August 6, 1974), also known as "The Boss", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. The son of boogie-woogie pianist Albert Ammons, Gene Ammons is remembered for his accessible music, steeped in soul and ...

* '' Feelin's...'' (Roost, 1962) * '' Low Flame'' (Jazzland, 1962) * ''

Shangri-La Shangri-La is a fictional place in Asia's Kunlun Mountains (昆仑山), Uses the spelling 'Kuen-Lun'. described in the 1933 novel '' Lost Horizon'' by English author James Hilton. Hilton portrays Shangri-La as a mystical, harmonious valley, g ...

'' (Prestige, 1964) * ''

Soul People ''Soul People'' is an album by American saxophonists Sonny Stitt and Booker Ervin, and organist Don Patterson. Just like his previous ''Soul Shack'', ''Soul People'' features heavily blues-drenched jazz. The original album was recorded in 1964 a ...

'' (Prestige, 1964) * '' Night Crawler'' (Prestige, 1965) * '' Deuces Wild'' (Atlantic, 1966) * ''

Parallel-a-Stitt ''Parallel-a-Stitt'' (subtitled ''Sonny Stitt on the Varitone'') is an album by saxophonist Sonny Stitt recorded in 1967 and released on the Roulette label. The album represents Stitt's third featuring the varitone, an electronic amplification devi ...

: Sonny Stitt On The Varitone'' (Roulette, 1967) * '' Made for Each Other'' (Delmark, 1968

el. 1972 EL, El or el may refer to: Religion * El (deity), a Semitic word for "God" People * EL (rapper) (born 1983), stage name of Elorm Adablah, a Ghanaian rapper and sound engineer * El DeBarge, music artist * El Franco Lee (1949–2016), American ...

* '' Soul Electricity!'' (Prestige, 1968) -with Billy Butler * ''

It's Magic "It's Magic" is a popular song written by Jule Styne, with lyrics by Sammy Cahn, published in 1947. They wrote the song for Doris Day in her Warner Brothers film debut, ''Romance on the High Seas'' (retitled ''It's Magic'' in the United Kingdom ...

'' (Delmark, 1969 el. 2005 * ''Just The Way It Was (Live At The Left Bank)'' (Label M, 1971 el. 2000 * '' Black Vibrations'' (Prestige, 1971) -with

Melvin Sparks Melvin Sparks (March 22, 1946 – March 15, 2011) was an American soul jazz, hard bop and jazz blues guitarist. He recorded a number of albums for Prestige Records, later recording for Savant Records. He appeared on several recordings with musici ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Patterson, Don 1936 births 1988 deaths American jazz organists American male organists Cadet Records artists Muse Records artists Prestige Records artists Transatlantic Records artists 20th-century American musicians 20th-century organists Jazz musicians from Ohio 20th-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians 20th-century American keyboardists