John Patton (musician)

Infobox Person
name = Jon Patton


image_size =
caption =
birth_date = July 12, 1935
birth_place = Kansas City, Missouri
death_date = March 19, 2002
death_place = Montclair, New Jersey
other_names =Big John Patton
known_for =
occupation =musician
nationality =US-american

Jon Patton (born July 12, 1935 in Kansas City, Missouri, died March 19, 2002 in Montclair, New Jersey), sometimes nicknamed Big Jon Patton, was a hard bop and soul jazz organist.

After spending time with the Lloyd Price orchestra, he recorded extensively for Blue Note, and performed or collaborated with Grant Green, Lou Donaldson, and John Zorn.

His music evolved to incorporate elements of modal and free jazz, without ever losing the basic, earthy groove that he brought to it from the beginning.

He wrote some classics and will be remembered fondly both by musicians and fans. His stellar work included "Funky Mama" and "Along Came John". During the late 60s John recorded some very adventurous music for the Blue Note label with artists such as Harold Alexander and George Coleman on lps such as "Understanding" and "Accent on the Blues". Of particular note on the early sessions recorded for Blue Note both under his own name and also with George Braith, Don Wilkerson and Lou Donaldson was the superlative empathy he developed with guitarist Grant Green and drummer Ben Dixon - an organ trio whose work in the soul jazz genre remains unsurpassed to this day.

Since the resurgence in interest in music from this period Blue Note has unearthed many sessions that lay in the vaults. LPs such as "Blue John" which was actually penciled for release, but never was, and two fantastic (and forward looking) albums "Boogaloo" and "Memphis New York Spirit" saw the light of day and showed the world more of this exceptional artist's work.

He continued recording until the late 1990s and his lps (listed below) are well worth finding. In these later years he developed a loyal following in both Japan and Europe - which he toured to great acclaim. He also played live in the US and abroad to great acclaim with several dates having been recorded by collectors. Most recently George Braith issued Eagle Eye Blues on his own label .....the story went that in October of 2001, John Patton and George Braith played a gig at the Continental Club, owned by jazz connoisseur, Steve Wortheimer, in Austin, Texas. A couple of local musicians, including old friend Martin Banks on trumpet, filled out the rest of the band. The young drummer hired sounded great during rehearsal, but came down with a bad case of nerves on the bandstand. George brought a recorder to the gig, but an inattentive sound engineer let the levels run too hot, leaving the sound quality good, but not great. But hey,…, things don’t always work out like you’d hope, especially on a two-night stand in Texas with an unfamiliar band. There would always be a next time … another chance to get things right......Then Big John Patton died

Discography

* Lloyd Price "Specialty Tracks"
* Lloyd Price - "ABC Tracks"
* Lou Donaldson - "The Natural Soul" - BN 84108 (9/5/1962)
* Fred Jackson - "FRED JACKSON SESSION – INC COWBELL BOOGIE – BN 21484 (21/6/62)
* Lou Donaldson - "Good Gracious" - BN 84125 (24/1/1963)
* Jimmy Smith - "Rockin' the Boat" - BN 84141 (7/2/1963)
* Grant Green - "Blues for Lou" - BN CDP7 21438 (20/2&7/6/63)
* John Patton - "Along Came John" - BN 84130 (5/4/1963)
* Johnny Griffin & Matthew Gee - "Soul Groove" - ATL 1431 (14/5/1963)
* Grant Green - "Am I Blue" - BN 84139 (16/5/1963)
* Harold Vick - "Steppin' Out" - BN 84138 (27/5/1963)
* Lou Donaldson - "A Man with a Horn" - BN CDP7 21436 (7/6/63)
* John Patton - " Blue John" - BN 84143 (11/7&2/8/1963)
* Lou Donaldson - "Signifyin"' - CADET 724 (17/7/1963)
* Don Wilkerson - "Shoutin"' - BN 84145 (29/7/1963)
* Red Holloway - 'The Burner" - PR 7299 (10/10/1963)
* Lou Donaldson - "Possum Head" - CADET 734 (28/1/1964)
* John Patton - "The Way I Feel" - BN 84174 (19/6/1964)
* John Patton "Oh Baby" - BN 84192 (8/3/1965)
* Art Blakey "Hold On I'm Coming" - LIMELIGHT 86038 (27/5/66) under pseudonym "Malcolm Bass"
* John Patton - "Let 'Em Roll" - BN 84239 (11/12/1965)
* George Braith "Laughing Soul" - PR 7474 (1/3/1966)
* Grasella Oliphant - "The Grass is Greener" - ATL 1494 (1/3/1966)
* John Patton - "Got a Good Thing Goin"' - BN 84229 (29/4/1966)
* Clifford Jordan - 'Soul Fountain" – VORTEX 2101 (12/10/1966)
* Grant Green - "Iron City" - COBBLESTONE 9002 (1967)
* John Patton - "That Certain Feeling"- BN 84281 (8/3/1968)
* John Patton - "Boogaloo"- BN 31878 (9/8/1968)
* John Patton - "Understandin"'- BN 84306 (25/10/1968)
* John Patton - "Memphis to New York Spirit"- BN 35221 (9/6/69,2/10/70)
* John Patton - "Accent on the Blues" - BN 84340 (9/6&15/8/1969)
* Johnny Little - "Everthing Must Change" - MUSE 5158 (31/10/1977)
* John Patton - "Soul Connection" - NILVA 3406 (7/6/1983)
* John Zorn - "The Big Gundown" - ELEKTRA/NONESUCH79139 (9/84-9/85)
* John Zorn - "Spillane" - ELEKTRA/NONESUCH 79172 (8/86-9/87)
* Jimmy Ponder - "Mean Streets-No Bridges" - MUSE 5324 (19/6/1987)
* Jimmy Ponder - "Jump" - MUSE 5347 (28/3/1988)
* John Patton - "Blue Planet Man" - PADDLE WHEEL (J) KICJ168 (12&13/4/1993)
* John Patton - "Minor Swing" - DIW 896 (21/12/1994)
* John Patton - "This One's for Ja" - DIW 919 (26/12/1995)
* Richard Pierson - "Opening Statement" – THE JAZZ LABEL LTD TJL001 (1997)
* John Patton & George Braith - "Eagle Eye Blues" - GEORGE BRAITH RECORDS (2001)"

External links

* [http://www.doodlinlounge.com/Stories/Patton.html Article (Jazz Organ Stories: John Patton)]
* [http://www.jazzhouse.org/gone/lastpost2.php3?edit=1017054074 Obituary]
* [http://www.organissimo.org Jazz Hammond organ trio Organissimo's site, from which the discography was taken]

Persondata
NAME=Patton, John
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=Big John Patton
SHORT DESCRIPTION=hard bop and soul jazz organist
DATE OF BIRTH=July 12, 1935
PLACE OF BIRTH=Kansas City, Missouri
DATE OF DEATH=March 19, 2002
PLACE OF DEATH=Montclair, New Jersey