ENDEIT
Johnny Griffin
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Saxophonists · 1928–2008

Johnny Griffin

American musician (1928–2008)

Born
23 April 1928
Chicago
Died
25 July 2008
Availles-Limouzine
Country
United States
Record labels
Blue Note, Antilles
Discography
45 albums

Biography

Johnny Griffin was a jazz musician who played saxophone and tenor saxophone. Johnny Griffin was born on 23 April 1928 in Chicago and died on 25 July 2008 in Availles-Limouzine. The music is usually filed under jazz and post-bop. Record labels: Blue Note and Antilles. The discography here lists 45 albums, from “Introducing Johnny Griffin” (1956) to “Live in Valencia 92” (2024).

John Arnold Griffin III (April 24, 1928 – July 25, 2008) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. Nicknamed "the Little Giant" for his short stature and forceful playing, Griffin began his career in the mid-1940s and continued until the month of his death. A pioneering figure in hard bop, Griffin recorded prolifically as a bandleader in addition to stints with the pianist Thelonious Monk and the drummer Art Blakey, in partnership with his fellow tenor Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, and as a member of the Kenny Clarke/Francy Boland Big Band after he moved to Europe in the 1960s. In 1995, Griffin was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music from Berklee College of Music.

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Discography

Studio and live albums

Introducing Johnny Griffin 1956 · Blue Note A Blowin' Session 1957 · Blue Note Johnny Griffin Sextet 1958 · Riverside The Congregation 1958 · Blue Note The Little Giant 1959 · Riverside Change Of Pace 1961 · Riverside Records The First Set/Recorded Live At Mintons 1961 · Prestige
Thelonious in Action 1961 · Live
The Kerry Dancers 1962 · Riverside Soul Groove 1963 · Atlantic Lady Heavy Bottom’s Waltz 1968 · Vogue Schallplatten You Leave Me Breathless 1972 · Black Lion Records Jazz a confronto 10 1974 · Horo Records
Jazz Undulation 1977
Return of the Griffin 1979 · Galaxy Tough Tenors Back Again! 1984 · Live Master of Sax 1988 · Scorpio Music Take My Hand 1988 The Man I Love 1988 · Live · Black Lion Continent bleu 1989 · Orange Blue
Passion, No Future, but Love 1989
The Cat 1991 · Antilles Unpretentious Delights 1992 · Live · West Wind Chicago, New York, Paris 1995 · PolyGram Way Out! 1995 · Original Jazz Classics White Gardenia, Johnny Griffin With Strings and Brass: A Tribute to Billie Holiday 1995 · Original Jazz Classics Juhnny Griffin And The Great Danes 1996 · Sundance Griff'n'Bags 1997 · Rearward Studio Jazz Party 1997 · Riverside In Copenhagen 1998 · Live · Storyville Records Change of Pace 1999 · Riverside Live in Tokyo 1999 · Live · West Wind Catharsis! 2000 · Live Close Your Eyes 2000 · Minor Music Grab This! 2000 · Riverside Johnny Griffin & Steve Grossman Quintet 2001 · Disques Dreyfus Take the D Train 2001 · Dreyfus Jazz Music From the Motion Picture: Between a Smile and a Tear (A Tribute to Jazzclub Montmartre in Copenhagen) 2004 · Park Film Copenhagen Do Nothing 'Til You Hear From Me 2006 · Riverside In Copenhagen 2007 · Live · Storyville Records Live at Ronnie Scott's 2008 · Live · In+Out Records
Complete Live at the Five Spot 1958 2009 · Live
Polish Radio Jazz Archives 11: Johnny Griffin 2014 · Live · Polskie Radio Deep River 2021 · Before 1962 Recordings Live in Valencia 92 2024 · Live

Also plays on

Albums where Johnny Griffin is credited as a sideman

1958 Chet Baker in New York — Chet Baker tenor saxophone
1958 Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers With Thelonious Monk — Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers with Thelonious Monk tenor saxophone
1958 Little Niles — Randy Weston tenor saxophone
1958 Blues for Dracula — Philly Joe Jones tenor saxophone
1958 Branching Out — Nat Adderley with Johnny Griffin & The Three Sounds tenor saxophone
1958 Big 6 — Blue Mitchell tenor saxophone
1961 The Tenor Scene — Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis & Johnny Griffin tenor saxophone
1962 Full House — Wes Montgomery tenor saxophone
1975 The Giant — Dizzy Gillespie tenor saxophone
1977 Jazz Gala 77 All Star Big Band — Peter Herbolzheimer saxophone
1981 Summerwind — Ray Brown / Monty Alexander / Johnny Griffin / Martin Drew tenor saxophone, saxophone
1983 Keep On Comin' — Jimmy Smith saxophone, tenor saxophone
1984 Blues Five Spot — Thelonious Monk tenor saxophone
1985 European Tour — Thelonious Monk and Max Roach tenor saxophone
1988 Monk: On Tour in Europe — Thelonious Monk tenor saxophone
1988 Live in Paris, 1967 — Thelonious Monk tenor saxophone
1988 Tough Tenors — Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis & Johnny Griffin tenor saxophone
1989 Straight No Chaser — Thelonious Monk tenor saxophone
1989 Birdology - Live at the TBB Jazzz Festival — Ron Carter tenor saxophone
1994 Bud in Paris — Bud Powell tenor saxophone
1995 Tough Tenor Favorites — Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis & Johnny Griffin tenor saxophone
1996 Those Who Were — Niels‐Henning Ørsted Pedersen tenor saxophone
1998 Live at Carnegie Hall — Dexter Gordon tenor saxophone
1998 The Rev and I — Phil Woods tenor saxophone
1998 Lookin’ at Monk! — Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis & Johnny Griffin tenor saxophone
1999 In & Out — Martial Solal & Johnny Griffin tenor saxophone
1999 A Little New York Midtown Music — Nat Adderley tenor saxophone
2002 Paris Sessions — Bud Powell tenor saxophone
2002 Decidedly — Roy Eldridge tenor saxophone
2002 Battle Stations — Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis & Johnny Griffin tenor saxophone

Listen on Spotify

Frequently asked questions

What instrument did Johnny Griffin play?

Johnny Griffin is known for playing saxophone and tenor saxophone.

When and where was Johnny Griffin born?

Johnny Griffin was born 23 April 1928 in Chicago.

What are Johnny Griffin's best-known albums?

Albums in our database include Introducing Johnny Griffin (1956), A Blowin' Session (1957), Johnny Griffin Sextet (1958), The Congregation (1958) and The Little Giant (1959).

External links

Data compiled from open sources; see the source links below. Spotted an error? Let us know.