International Archives For The Jazz Organ (IAJO) - The Jazz Organ Scene USA

Big John Patton

John (* 1935 in Kansas City) was an American jazz composer and performer. He developed the nickname "Big John", not because of his size, but because of a song. "Remember the tune, 'Big Bad John'? ... yeah, well, that's what they started calling me and at first I didn't understand it but I love it now. It's just a name; if it's going to help you, then boogie on up in there!"

Patton's mother was a church pianist who taught him how to play fundamentals. When he was about 13 years old, he began to teach himself. He was inspired by the music he heard in his hometown, but he wanted to play beyond the Kansas City jazz scene. After high school, he headed East and found professional work. In 1954 in Washington, D.C., he found out that R&B star Lloyd Price was playing at the Howard Theater, and that Price had just fired his pianist and needed a new player. Patton played a few bars from the introduction to "Lawdy, Miss Clawdy". He was given the job.

It was a relationship that would last until 1959. "I learned everything with Lloyd," Patton said. "I was his 'straw boss' and the leader and he dumped all this on me and that was an experience that I got a chance to deal with." He recruited top players for Lloyd, including drummer Ben Dixon. Dixon, another self-taught player, encouraged John to check out the Hammond B-3 organ when they played in clubs that had one. "Some of the clubs that we would play in would have an organ off to the side and every time I would have a chance to get with that organ, man, it was just fascinating to me...especially the bass line."

A man called "Butts" first showed Patton how to set up the organ and find the right registrations. When he moved to New York in late 1959, and began playing gigs around town, Herman Green, a friend who played with Lionel Hampton's band, took him to a Hammond in Asbury Park, NJ, and helped him learn how to play it. Patton was fascinated with the differences in the nuance of the sound that an electric organ could produce. "Man, listen, it's so sensitive and it will reveal its secrets if you try to get up in there and learn it...and learn the sound and contact. You can't play it like a piano 'cause that's another thing all together - The notes are the same but, see, that electricity puts another 'jammie' on you, you know what I mean? You must deal with touch and so many other thing...and I was very frustrated at first."

Patton set up his own Hammond organ trio in 1959. Blue Note artist Ike Quebec became his mentor, introducing him into Blue Note and to one of the most important relationships in his career, with guitarist Grant Green. "Grant is my love...I never heard nobody play the guitar like that brother...Grant started playing when he was about twelve and he was out there a long time...and I was so thrilled that I got a chance to play with him, man, but he was greedy, (like a) Gemini, (but) I was a mule...I didn't care; I sho' learned!"

He worked as a sideman for Lou Donaldson for three and a half years, until 1964. "He says 'Play the BLUES'," Patton recalled. "You don't mess with Lou 'cause Lou knows how to play the Be Bop and Blues and Rhythm and Blues ... I am very fortunate that I got a chance to spend that much time with him and I can't thank him enough."

During the 1960s in New York and on the road, Patton became one of the most recognizable figures in jazz, and was a driving force of the sound of electric organ. He recorded for the Blue Note label with artists such as Harold Alexander and George Coleman on LPs such as Understanding and Accent on the Blues. He was a leader and a sideman for George Braith, Don Wilkerson and Lou Donaldson. Patton worked as a sideman for myriad other labels as well. On one Limelight recording "Hold On, I'm Coming," with Art Blakey, he appears under the pseudonym Malcom Bass.

It was in the organ trio of guitarist Grant Green with drummer Ben Dixon in the soul-jazz fusion genre, that he did some of his best and most ground-breaking work. He also worked with Johnny Griffin, Harold Vick and Clifford Jordan, and some of the early experimentalists, including many who worked with SunRa Records during its heyday: trombonist Grachan Moncur III, guitarist James Blood Ulmer, and saxophonists John Gilmore and Marshall Allen.

Patton's style on the Hammond B-3 has been resistant to imitation because of its space and economy. Some have called it minimalist, but Patton claimed that he emulated the sounds of his favorite trumpet and reed players. "I love trumpet, I love trombone, I love reeds...I love it all...Musicians like Fred Jackson, Richard Williams, Grant Green, Ben Dixon and Johnny Griffin...I can go on and on ...This is where I got my concept..."

The acid jazz movement in the 1980s caused a resurgence in interest in Patton's music in the UK. Blue Note released many sessions that had not previously been released. Blue Note later released two forward-looking albums Boogaloo and Memphis to New York Spirit. Patton made several trips to England where he was embraced by the acid jazz community.

Patton continued recording until the late 1990s. In these later years he developed a loyal following in both Japan and Europe, both of which he toured in addition to his dates in the United States. Several dates were recorded by collectors. John died on 19 March 2002.

from Wikipedia

The Natural Soul Blue Note BST 84108 released 1963 recorded May 1962 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA	Lou Donaldson, alto sax John Patton, organ Ben Dixon, drums Grant Green, guitar Tommy Turrentine, trumpet
Along Came John Blue Note BLP 4130 released 1963 recorded April 1963 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA	John Patton, organ Ben Dixon, drums Grant Green, guitar Fred Jackson, tenor sax Harold Vick, tenor sax
Steppin' Out Blue Note BLP 4138 released 1963 recorded May 1963 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA	Harold Vick, tenor sax Grant Green, guitar Blue Mitchell, trumpet Big John Patton, organ Ben Dixon, drums
Blue John Blue Note BST 84143 released 1963 recorded July 1963	John Patton, organ George Braith, soprano sax Tommy Turrentine, trumpet Grant Green, guitar Ben Dixon, drums
Signifyin' Argo LP-724 released 1963 recorded July 1963 in New York City/USA	Lou Donaldson, alto sax John Patton, organ Tommy Turrentine, trumpet Roy Montrell, guitar Ben Dixon, drums
Good Gracious! Blue Note BST 84125 released 1964 recorded January 1963 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA	Lou Donaldson, alto sax John Patton, organ Grant Green, guitar Ben Dixon, drums
Soul Groove Atlantic SD 1431 released 1964 recorded 1963 in USA	Johnny Griffin, tenor sax Matthew Gee, trombone John Patton, organ Hank Jones, piano, organ Aaron Bell, bass, tuba Art Taylor, drums Carlos "Patato" Valdes, congas, bongos
Am I Blue Blue Note BLP 4139 released 1964 recorded May 1963 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA	Grant Green, guitar Joe Henderson, tenor sax Johnny Coles, trumpet Big John Patton, organ Ben Dixon, drums
Possum Head Argo LP-734 released 1964 recorded January 1964 in New York City/USA	Lou Donaldson, alto sax John Patton, organ Bill Hardman, trumpet Ray Crawford, guitar Ben Dixon, drums Cleopas Morris, percussion
The Way I Feel Blue Note BST 84143 released 1964 recorded June 1964 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA	John Patton, organ Grant Green, guitar Fred Jackson, tenor sax, bairone sax Richard Williams, trumpet Ben Dixon, drums
Shoutin' Blue Note BST 84145 released 1965 recorded July 1963 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA	Don Wilkerson, tenor sax Grant Green, guitar John Patton, organ Ben Dixon, drums
Oh Baby! Blue Note BST 84192 released 1965 recorded March 1965 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA	John Patton, organ Blue Mitchell, trumpet Harold Vick, tenor sax Grant Green, guitar Ben Dixon, drums
Let 'em Roll! Blue Note BST 84239 released 1966 recorded December 1965 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA	John Patton, organ Bobby Hutcherson, vibes Grant Green, guitar Otis Finch, drums
Laughing Soul Prestige PR 7474 released 1966 recorded March 1966 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA	George Braith, soprano sax, tenor sax Eddie Diehl, guitar Grant Green, guitar John Patton, organ Victor Sproles, bass Ben Dixon, drums Richard Landrum, conga
Got A Good Thing Goin' Blue Note BST 84229 released 1966 recorded April 1966 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA	Big John Patton, organ Grant Green, guitar Hugh Walker, drums Richard Landrum, congas
The Grass Is Greener Atlantic SD 1494 released 1967	Grassella Oliphant, drums Harold Ousley , tenor sax Clark Terry, trumpet, flugelhorn John Patton, organ Major Holley, bass
That Certain Feeling Blue Note BST 84281 released 1968 recorded March 1968 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA	Big John Patton, organ Junior Cook, tenor sax Clifford Jarvis, drums Jimmy Ponder, guitar
Understanding Blue Note BST 84306 released 1968 recorded October 1968 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA	Big John Patton, organ Harold Alexander, tenor sax, flute Hugh Walker, drums
Accent On The Blues Blue Note BST 84340 released 1969 recorded August 1969 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA	Big John Patton, organ James Ulmer, guitar Marvin Cabell, tenor sax, flute Leroy Williams, drums
Iron City Cobblestone CST 9002 released 1972 recorded 1967 in New York City/USA	Grant Green, guitar Big John Patton, organ Ben Dixon, drums
Everything Must Change Muse Records MR 5158 released 1978 recorded in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA	Johnny Lytle, vibes John Patton, keyboards Dave Schnitter, sax Robbin Gordon, harp George Duvivier, bass Al Foster, drums
Soul Connection Nilva Records NQ 3406 released 1983 recorded June 1983 in White Plains, NY/USA	John Patton, Hammond B-3 organ Grachan Moncur III, trombone Grant Reed, tenor sax Melvin Sparks, guitar Alvin Queen, drums
The Big Gundown Nonesuch 9 79139-1 F released 1986 recorded September 1984 through September 1985 in New York City/USA	John Zorn, alto sax, conductor, harpsichord, piano, vocals Tim Berne, alto sax Jim Staley, trombone, bass trombone Vicki Bodner, oboe, English horn Derek Bailey, guitar Bill Frisell, guitar Fred Frith, guitar Jody Harris, guitar Arto Lindsay, guitar, batucada, vocals Robert Quine, guitar Vernon Reid, guitar Marc Ribot, guitar Anthony Coleman, organ, piano, harpsichord, vocals Wayne Horvitz, organ, piano, celeste Big John Patton, organ Jamie Saft, keyboards David Weinstein, synthesizer Guy Klucevsek, accordion Carol Emanuel, harpsichord, harp Ned Rothenberg, Jew's harp, ocarina, shakuhachi Orvin Aquart, harmonica Toots Thielemans, harmonica, whistle Polly Bradfield, violin Mark Feldman, violin Erik Friedlander, cello Christian Marclay, turntables Greg Cohen, bass Trevor Dunn, bass Melvin Gibbs, bass Joey Baron, drums Anton Fier, drums Mark E. Miller, drums, timpani Bobby Previte, drums, percussion, timpani, vocals Cyro Baptista, percussion Duduka Da Fonseca, percussion Claudio Silva, pandeiro Jorge Silva, surdo Laura Biscotto, vocals Diamanda Galás, vocals Miho Hatori, voices Shelley Hirsch, vocals Luli Shioi, vocals
Spillane Elektra Nonesuch 7559-79172-2 released 1987 recorded June 1987 in New York City/USA	John Zorn, composer Melvin Gibbs, bass Ronald Shannon Jackson, drums Bobby Previte, drums, percussion Robert Quine, guitar Albert Collins, guitar, voice Wayne Horvitz, piano, keyboards John Patton, organ
Mean Streets - No Bridges Muse Records MR 5324 released 1987 recorded 1967 in New York City/USA	Jimmy Ponder, guitar, vocals Greg Bandy, drums Bill Saxton, flute Big John Patton, organ Geary Moore, guitar Bill Saxton, tenor sax
Jump Muse Records MCD 5347 released 1989 recorded March 1988 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA	Jimmy Ponder, guitar, vocals James Anderson, tenor sax Geary Moore, guitar Big John Patton, organ Eddie Gladden, drums Lawrence Killian, percussion
Blue Planet Man King Records KICJ 168 released 1993 recorded April 1993 in New York, NY/USA	Big John Patton, organ John Zorn, alto sax Pete Chavez, tenor sax Bill Saxton, soprano sax, tenor sax Ed Cherry, guitar Eddie Gladden, drums Lawrence Killian, congas Rorie Nichols, vocal
A Second Look Groovin' High 1010-2 released 1994 recorded April 1994 in Brooklyn, NY/USA	Ed Cherry, guitar Kenny Baron, piano John Patton, organ Steve Nelson, vibes Andy McKee, bass Yoron Israel, drums Laurence Killian, congas Jose Mangual, bongos George Bragg, timbales
Boogaloo Blue Note B1 7243 8 31878 1 2 released 1995 recorded August 1968 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA/USA	John Patton, organ Harold Alexander, tenor sax, flute Vincent McEwan, trumpet George Edward Brown, drums Richie 'Pablo' Landrum, congas
This One's For Ja DIW 896 recorded December 1995 in New York City/USA	John Patton, organ John Zorn, alto sax Ed Cherry, guitar Kenny Wollesen, drums
Memphis To New York Spirit Blue Note 835221 Reissue of recordings from 1969/70	John Patton, organ Marvin Cabell, flute, sax James 'Blood' Ulmer, guitar Leroy Williams, drums
This One's For Ja DIW 919 recorded December 1995 in New York City/USA	John Patton, Hammond B-3 organ Dave Hubbard, tenor sax Ed Cherry, guitar Eddie Gladden, drums Lawrence Killian, percussion
Accent On The Blues Blue Note CDP 7243 8 53924 2 9 (reissue) recorded August 1969 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA	Big John Patton, organ James Ulmer, guitar Marvin Cabell, tenor sax, flute Leroy Williams, drums
Blue Breakbeats Blue Note CDP 7243 4 94709 2 7 recorded between 1952 and 1963 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA	Lou Donaldson, alto sax Blue Mitchell, trumpet Ed Williams, trumpet George Benson, guitar Ted Dunbar, guitar Grant Green, guitar Jimmy Ponder, guitar Melvin Sparks, guitar Charles Earland, organ John Patton, organ Lonnie Smith, organ Leon Spencer, organ Ben Dixon, drums Idris Muhammad, drums
A Man With A Horn Blue Note 7243 5 21436 2 7 recorded September 1961 and June 1963 in New York City/USA	Lou Donaldson, alto sax Ben Dixon, drums Joe Dukes, drums Grant Green, guitar Jack McDuff, organ John Patton, organ Irvin Stokes, trumpet
Blues For Lou Blue Note 7243 5 21438 2 5 recorded February and June 1963 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA	Grant Green, guitar John Patton, organ Ben Dixon, drums
The Complete Blue Note Sessions Blue Note Blue Note 7243 5 24555 2 2 compilation	Don Wilkerson, tenor sax Grant Green, guitar Sonny Clark, piano Johnny Acea, piano John Patton, organ Butch Warren, bass Lloyd Trotman, bass Billy Higgins, drums Willie Bobo, drums Ben Dixon, drums Jual Curtis, tambourine
Retrospective Blue Note 7243 5 40851 2 3 compilation, recorded 1961 through 1966	Grant Green, guitar George Braith, soprano sax, tenor sax Lou Donaldson, alto sax James Spaulding, alto sax Booker Ervin, tenor sax Joe Henderson, tenor sax Hank Mobley, tenor sax Ike Quebec, tenor sax, piano Sam Rivers, tenor sax Wayne Shorter, tenor sax Stanley Turrentine, tenor sax Harold Vick, tenor sax Johnny Coles, trumpet Blue Mitchell, trumpet Lee Morgan, trumpet Tommy Turrentine, trumpet John "Johnny" Adriano Acea, piano Sonny Clark, piano Kenny Drew, piano Tommy Flanagan, piano Herbie Hancock, piano Winston Kelly, piano Horace Parlan, piano Duke Pearson, piano McCoy Tyner, piano Billy Gardner, organ Jack McDuff, organ Big John Patton, organ Jimmy Smith, organ Baby Face Willette, organ Larry Young, organ Bobby Hutcherson, vibes Dave Bailey, drums Donald Bailey, drums Art Blakey, drums Willie Bobo, drums Ben Dixon, drums Otis Finch, drums Al Harewood, drums Louis Hayes, drums Billy Higgins, drums Elvin Jones, drums Philly Joe Jones, drums Art Taylor, drums Hugh Walker, drums Richard Landrum, congas Garvin Masseaux, tambourine Carlos “Patato” Valdes, congas
The Artist Selects Blue Note 0946 3 31434 2 5 compilation, recorded between 1952 and 1968	Lou Donaldson, alto sax, vocals Wayne Shorter, tenor sax Pepper Adams, baritone sax Garnett Brown, trombone, guitar Clifford Brown, trumpet Freddie Hubbard, trumpet, piano Melvin Lastie, trumpet Blue Mitchell, trumpet Tommy Turrentine, trumpet George Benson, guitar Grant Green, guitar Jimmy Ponder, guitar Charles Earland, organ Herman Foster, piano Elmo Hope, piano Big John Patton, organ Horace Silver, piano Lonnie Smith, organ McCoy Tyner, piano Ron Carter, bass Percy Heath, bass Peck Morrison, bass Gene Ramey, bass Curly Russell, bass Dave Bailey, drums Art Blakey, drums Ben Dixon, drums Al Harewood, drums Philly Joe Jones, drums Idris Muhammad, drums Art Taylor, drums Ray Barretto, congas
Organ Trio And Quartet Groove Hut Records GH 66701 comprising "Space Flight" from 1960 (tracks 1-10) recorded June 1960 in Chicago, IL/USA and "Iron City" from 1972 (tracks 11-16) recorded 1967 in New York City/USA	"Space Flight": Sam Lazar, organ Grant Green, guitar Willie Dixon, bass Chauncey Williams, drums "Iron City": Grant Green, guitar Big John Patton, organ Ben Dixon, drums

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