Richard Arnold "Groove" Holmes (May 2, 1931 – June 29, 1991) 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. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

organist who performed in the

hard bop Hard bop is a subgenre of jazz that is an extension of bebop (or "bop") music. Journalists and record companies began using the term in the mid-1950s to describe a new current within jazz that incorporated influences from rhythm and blues, gospe ...

and

soul jazz Soul jazz or funky jazz is a subgenre of jazz that incorporates strong influences from hard bop, blues, soul, gospel and rhythm and blues. Soul jazz is often characterized by organ trios featuring the Hammond organ and small combos including sa ...

genre. He is best known for his 1965 recording of "

Misty In cryptography, MISTY1 (or MISTY-1) is a block cipher designed in 1995 by Mitsuru Matsui and others for Mitsubishi Electric. MISTY1 is one of the selected algorithms in the European NESSIE project, and has been among the cryptographic tech ...

Career

Holmes's first album, on Pacific Jazz with guest

Ben Webster Benjamin Francis Webster (March 27, 1909 – September 20, 1973) was an American jazz tenor Saxophone, saxophonist. He performed in the United States and Europe and made many recordings with Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, Johnny Hodges, a ...

, was recorded in March 1961. He recorded many albums for Pacific Jazz,

Prestige Prestige may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Films *Prestige (film), ''Prestige'' (film), a 1932 American film directed by Tay Garnett: woman travels to French Indochina to meet up with husband *The Prestige (film), ''The Prestige'' (fi ...

, Groove Merchant, and

Muse In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, the Muses (, ) were the Artistic inspiration, inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in the poetry, lyric p ...

, many of them with

Houston Person Houston Person (born November 10, 1934) is an American jazz tenor saxophonist and record producer. Although he has performed in the hard bop and swing music, swing genres, he is most experienced in and best known for his work in soul jazz. He re ...

. He died of a heart attack after battling prostate cancer, having performed his last concerts in a wheelchair. One of his last gigs was at the 1991

Chicago Blues Festival The Chicago Blues Festival is an annual event held in June, that features three days of performances by top-tier blues musicians, both old favorites and the up-and-coming. It is hosted by the Chicago, Illinois, City of Chicago Department of Cu ...

with his longtime friend, singer

Jimmy Witherspoon James Witherspoon (August 8, 1920 – September 18, 1997) was an American jump blues and jazz singer. Early life, family and education Witherspoon was born in Gurdon, Arkansas. His father was a railroad worker who sang in local choirs, an ...

Discography

As leader

* '' "Groove" (

Les McCann Leslie Coleman McCann (September 23, 1935 – December 29, 2023) was an American jazz pianist and vocalist. He is known for his innovations in soul jazz and his Swiss Movement, 1969 recording of the protest song "Compared to What". His music ha ...

Presents the Dynamic Jazz Organ of Richard "Groove" Holmes)'' lso released as ''That Healin' Feelin' ''( Pacific Jazz, 1961) – with

* '' Groovin' with Jug'' (Pacific Jazz, 1961) – 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 R ...

* '' Somethin' Special'' (Pacific Jazz, 1962) – with Les McCann * '' After Hours'' (Pacific Jazz, 1961–1962) * '' Tell It Like It Tis'' (Pacific Jazz, 1961–1962 el. 1966 * '' Book of the Blues Vol. 1'' (Warner Bros., 1964) – with Onzy Matthews' orchestra ote: reissued on Groove Hut (#66707) in 2009* '' A Bowl of Soul'' (Loma/WB, 1966 el. 1967 – with Onzy Matthews' orchestra ote: reissued on Groove Hut (#66707) in 2009* ''Blues For Spoon And Groove'' (Surrey, 1965) – with

eissued as ''Groovin' and Spoonin' '' on Olympic/Everest in 1973* '' Soul Message'' (

, 1965; CD reissue: OJC, 1988) [note: includes the original "full–length" version (6:00) of "

"] * ''Living Soul (Recorded Live! at Count Basie's)'' (Prestige, 1966) * ''On Basie's Bandstand'' ive(Prestige, 1966 [rel. 2003]) * ''Soul Mist!'' (Prestige, 1966 [rel. 1970]) * ''Misty (Richard "Groove" Holmes album), Misty'' (Prestige, 1965–1966; CD reissue: OJC, 1992) * '' Spicy!'' (Prestige, 1966) * '' Super Soul'' (Prestige, 1967) – with Richard Evans * '' Get Up & Get It!'' (Prestige, 1967) * '' Soul Power!'' (Prestige, 1967) * '' The Groover!'' (Prestige, 1968) * '' That Healin' Feelin''' (Prestige, 1968) – with

Rusty Bryant Royal Gordon "Rusty" Bryant (November 25, 1929 – March 25, 1991) was an American jazz tenor and alto saxophonist. Biography Bryant was born in Huntington, West Virginia, and grew up in Columbus, Ohio, becoming a fixture of the local jazz scene ...

* '' Welcome Home'' (World Pacific, 1968) * '' Workin' on a Groovy Thing'' (World Pacific, 1968) * ''X–77: Richard "Groove" Holmes Recorded Live at the Lighthouse'' (World Pacific, 1969) * ''Come Together'' (World Pacific, 1970) – with

Ernie Watts Ernest James Watts (born October 23, 1945) is an American jazz and R&B saxophonist who plays soprano, alto, and tenor saxophone. He has worked with Charlie Haden's Quartet West and toured with the Rolling Stones. On Frank Zappa's album '' ...

* '' Comin' on Home'' (Blue Note, 1971) * '' American Pie'' ( Groove Merchant, 1972) * '' Night Glider'' (Groove Merchant, 1973) * '' Giants of the Organ Come Together'' (Groove Merchant, 1973) – with

Jimmy McGriff James Harrell McGriff (April 3, 1936 – May 24, 2008) was an American hard bop and soul-jazz organist and organ trio bandleader. Biography Early years and influences Born in Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, McGriff started playing pia ...

* '' Giants of the Organ in Concert'' (Groove Merchant, 1973) – with Jimmy McGriff * '' New Groove'' (Groove Merchant, 1974) * '' Onsaya Joy'' ive(

Flying Dutchman The ''Flying Dutchman'' () is a legendary ghost ship, allegedly never able to make port, but doomed to sail the sea forever. The myths and ghost stories are likely to have originated from the 17th-century Golden Age of the Dutch East India C ...

, 1975) * '' Six Million Dollar Man'' (Flying Dutchman, 1975) * ''I'm in the Mood for Love'' (Flying Dutchman, 1976) * '' Shippin' Out'' (

, 1977) * ''Good Vibrations'' (Muse, 1977 el. 1980 – with

, Bob DeVos,

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

* ''Dancing in the Sun'' (Versatile, 1978) * ''Star Wars/Close Encounters'' (Versatile, 1978) * ''Broadway'' (Muse, 1980; reissue: 32 Jazz, 1998) – with Houston Person * ''Swedish Lullaby'' (Sison, 1984) * ''Blues All Day Long'' (Muse, 1988; reissue: 32 Jazz, 1999) – with

Cecil Bridgewater Cecil Bridgewater (born October 10, 1942) is an American jazz trumpeter and composer. Biography Bridgewater was born in Urbana, Illinois and studied at the University of Illinois. He and brother Ron formed the Bridgewater Brothers Band in 1969, ...

, Houston Person,

Jimmy Ponder Jimmy Ponder (May 10, 1946 – September 16, 2013) was an American jazz guitarist. Career When Ponder's brother entered the military, he left his guitar, and Ponder picked it up. In his early teens he received lessons from the guitarist in a ban ...

* ''African Encounter'' (Muse, 1988) * ''Hot Tat'' (Muse, 1989 el. 1991 – with Cecil Bridgewater, Houston Person, Jimmy Ponder

LP/CD compilations

* ''Richard "Groove" Holmes: Jazz Milestone Series'' (Pacific Jazz, 1966) (compilation of Pacific Jazz material) * ''The Best of Richard "Groove" Holmes'' (Prestige, 1969) (compilation of Prestige material) * ''The Best of Richard "Groove" Holmes: For Beautiful People'' (Prestige, 1970) (another compilation of Prestige material) * ''Hunk–a–Funk'' (Groove Merchant, 1975) (compilation of ''Night Glider'' + ''New Groove'') * ''Supa Cookin' '' (Groove Merchant, 1975) – with Jimmy McGriff (compilation of ''Giants of the Organ Come Together'' + ''Giants of the Organ in Concert'') * ''Groovin' With Groove'' (LRC ester Radio Corporation 1994) (compilation of Groove Merchant albums: ''American Pie'', ''Night Glider'', ''New Groove'') * ''Blue Groove'' (Prestige, 1994) (compilation of ''Get Up & Get It!'' + ''Soul Mist!'') * ''After Hours'' (Pacific Jazz, 1996) (compilation of ''After Hours'' + ''Tell It Like It Is'') * ''Legends of Acid Jazz: Richard "Groove" Holmes'' (Prestige, 1997) (compilation of ''The Groover!'' + ''That Healin' Feelin) * ''Groove's Groove'' (32 Jazz, 1998) (compilation of Muse albums: ''Shippin' Out'', ''Good Vibrations'', ''Broadway'', ''Blues All Day Long'') * ''Legends of Acid Jazz: Richard "Groove" Holmes – Spicy'' (Prestige, 1999) (compilation of ''Living Soul'' + ''Spicy!'') * ''The Best of the Pacific Jazz Years'' (Pacific Jazz/EMI, 2001) (compilation of Pacific Jazz material) * ''Timeless: Richard "Groove" Holmes'' (Savoy Jazz/Denon, 2003) (compilation of Muse material) * ''Super Soul'' (Prestige, 2004) (compilation of ''Soul Power!'' + ''Super Soul'')

As sideman

With

Earl Bostic Eugene Earl Bostic (April25, 1913October28, 1965) was an American alto saxophonist. Bostic's recording career was diverse, his musical output encompassing jazz, swing music, swing, jump blues and the post-war American rhythm and blues style, whi ...

*''Jazz As I Feel It'' (King, 1963; reissued as ''Complete Quintet Recordings'' on Lone Hill Jazz in 2006) – with

Joe Pass Joe Pass (born Joseph Anthony Jacobi Passalacqua; January 13, 1929 – May 23, 1994) was an American jazz guitarist. Although Pass recorded and performed live with pianist Oscar Peterson, composer Duke Ellington, and vocalist Ella Fitzgerald, he ...

*''A New Sound'' (King, 1964; reissued as ''Complete Quintet Recordings'' on Lone Hill Jazz in 2006) – with Joe Pass With

Bumble Bee Slim Admirl Amos Easton (May 7, 1905 – June 8, 1968), better known by the stage name Bumble Bee Slim, was an American Piedmont blues singer and guitarist. Biography Easton was born in Brunswick, Georgia, United States. Several original sources c ...

*''Back in Town'' (Pacific Jazz, 1962) With Willis Jackson *''In Chateauneuf-du-Pape 1980'' lso released as ''Ya Understand Me?''(Disques Black And Blue, 1980; Muse, 1984; reissued as ''Live On Stage (The Definitive Black & Blue Sessions)'' on Black & Blue in 2003 with 3 bonus tracks) 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 Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children, which was run by his father. When he was ...

*'' Love and All That Jazz'' (Prestige, 1966) With

*'' Les McCann Sings'' (Pacific Jazz, 1961) With

Lou Rawls Louis Allen Rawls (December 1, 1933 – January 6, 2006) was an American baritone singer. He released 61 albums, sold more than 40 million records, and had numerous charting singles, most notably the song " You'll Never Find Another Love like Min ...

*''Black and Blue'' (Capitol, 1963) With

Dakota Staton Dakota Staton (June 3, 1930 – April 10, 2007) was an American jazz vocalist who found international acclaim with the 1957 No. 4 hit "The Late, Late Show". She was also known by the Muslim name Aliyah Rabia for a period due to her conversion to ...

*'' Madame Foo-Foo'' (Groove Merchant, 1972) With

Gerald Wilson Gerald Stanley Wilson (September 4, 1918 – September 8, 2014) was an American jazz trumpeter, big band bandleader, composer, arranger, and educator. Born in Mississippi, he was based in Los Angeles from the early 1940s. He arranged music for D ...

*'' You Better Believe It!'' (Pacific Jazz, 1961) *'' Eternal Equinox'' (Pacific Jazz, 1969)

References

External links

Richard "Groove" Holmes
at Jazzlists {{DEFAULTSORT:Holmes, Richard 1931 births 1991 deaths Soul-jazz organists Hard bop organists American jazz organists American male organists American male jazz composers Blue Note Records artists Muse Records artists Deaths from prostate cancer in the United States Deaths from cancer in Missouri Musicians from Camden, New Jersey Black & Blue Records artists 20th-century American male musicians 20th-century American jazz composers 20th-century African-American musicians