Next at the Folly: "The Post-Bop Groove"
By the time many of you read this, the Folly's December 1st concert will have already taken place with our presentation of Joe Lovano's "52nd Street Themes" band and their joyous celebration of bebop. With this comes the realization that we are already halfway through the centennial season of the historic Folly Theater, having highlighted the evolution of jazz from ragtime to bebop in just four concerts!

After a mid-season break, we will continue our survey of jazz history with the presentation of the

Jimmy McGriff

Jimmy McGriff Quartet on Saturday, February 3. As many of you are aware, I had originally booked the late Stanley Turrentine to represent "The Post-Bop Groove." Although Stanley Turrentine was truly an irreplaceable artist, organist Jimmy McGriff certainly fits nicely into the thematic concept for this concert. In addition, I have been advised that McGriff is planning to approach this concert, at least in part, as a tribute to Stanley Turrentine.

Jimmy McGriff was born in 1936 in Philadelphia, a city associated with the development of the jazz organ. Organ greats associated with Philly include Milt Buckner, Wild Bill Davis, Jimmy Smith, Shirley Scott, Richard "Groove" Holmes, Charles Earland, and Joey DeFrancesco, among others. Jimmy McGriff describes himself as a blues, as well as a jazz organist. His style has been described as being "somewhere between the jazz of Jimmy Smith and the R&B of Booker T. & the MGs." With his winning mix of blues, swing, funk, and gospel-derived sounds, McGriff is truly a giant of the modern jazz organ.

A "JazzTalk" discussion takes place at 7:00 p.m. prior to each Folly Jazz concert. For more information about the Folly Jazz Series, please call 816-474-4444 during regular business hours.

Doug Tatum is the Executive Director of the Folly Theater.



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