JazzWax List: 10 Sax-Organ Combos

After my posts on Arnett Cobb and Lou Donaldson, I found myself with a severe craving for sax-organ combo tracks. So I started running through my library of reed and Hammond B3 albums trying to piece together a Top 10 list of favorites. [Pictured: Brother Jack McDuff]

Halfway through, I realized the task was impossible. You can't possibly narrow this genre to 10. The grooves are different from album to album and so tasty in a range of ways. With that said, here are 10 selections (with artists, original albums and years) to get us started in the Comments section:

The Honeydripper—Jack McDuff with Jimmy Forrest (The Honeydripper, 1961)

The Hustler—Stanley Turrentine with  Shirley Scott (Hustlin', 1964)

Caracas—Lou Donaldson with Big John Patton (Good Gracious, 1963)

Shangri-La—Sonny Stitt with Don Patterson (Shangri-La, 1964)

Breeze and I—Willis "Gator" Jackson with Charles Earland (Bar Wars, 1977)

Organyk Groove—Charles Earland  with Carlos Garnett (Slammin' and Jammin', 1977)

Paris Eyes—Larry Young with Sam Rivers (Into Somethin', 1964)

Last Train from Overbrook—Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis with Shirley Scott (Bacalao, 1959)

Madison Time—"Wild Bill" Davis with George Clarke (Dance the Madison, 1960)

Oleo—Don Patterson with Booker Ervin (Exciting New Organ of Don Patterson, 1964)

Note: Tracks are available at iTunes or Amazon, either on the original album or a compilation.

Comments

[David]

For a whole 'nother kind of sax-organ combo, check out "Dynasty" by Stan Getz and Eddie Louiss. Recorded live on three consecutive nights at Ronnie Scott's, this double cd also features Rene Thomas and drummer Bernard Lubat. Sublime.

[DE]

Jimmy Smith $ Stanley Turrentine, 'Back to the Chicken Shack'

[Ed Leimbacher]

Okay, Marc, if confession is good for the soul... why do so many Jazz fans find the pairing of sax and organ so compelling? (The question pretty much answers itself.)

[Michael Jenner]

I would have to include "Shuffle Twist" from Soul Summit- Gene Ammons, Sonny Stitt, Jack McDuff, and Charlie Persip.

[Ian Carey]

It's not strictly a sax/organ group, but Larry Young's "Unity" is still one of my all-time faves--JoeHen, Larry, Woody Shaw, Elvin, tearing it up as modern as it comes, but with that soulful undercurrent from the B3. I think I'll listen to it right now...

[IGFarben]

Glad other people are hip to the sax-organ thing. I picked up My Mother's Eyes, with Stitt and Charles Kynard, a few months back and since then I've made it a point to snap up every Stitt organ record I could find. Thanks, everyone, for helping to broaden my scope. There's just something about that sound - a good compromise between pop/R&B and jazz sensibilities.

[Rab Hines]

A little B3 goes a long way with me, but one favorite is Richard "Groove" Holmes with Ben Webster (with Les McCann, t'boot)

[Juan Camarillo]

Another great organ and sax album is Reuben Wilson and Melvin Butler in "Organ Blues".

[Hiroyasu Minowa]

Don Patterson/Booker Ervin's "Just Friends", Shirley Scott/Stanley Turrentine's "Deep Purple"(Impulse), Bill Doggett/Clifford Scott's "Honky Tonk", Jimmy Smith/Percy France, Charles Earland/Joe Henderson, Milt Buckner/Arnett Cobb, Wild Bill Davis/Buddy Tate,,,,, are among my favorites.