• Real Name: Big John Patton
• Genre: Jazz
• Active: '60s - '90s
• Instruments: Organ (Hammond), Organ

Biography

Big John Patton was not nearly as well-known as other warriors in the organ jazz field of the 1960s, yet he could be counted upon for a reliable, even fervent collection of blues and bop-saturated licks and steady bass lines on the Hammond B-3. Mostly self-taught with some rudimentary instruction from his mother, Patton started playing piano in 1948, eventually landing a gig with the Lloyd Price touring band from 1954 to 1959, before moving to New York. Once there, he began to make the transition from piano to organ, learning a lot from future two recording mates, drummer Ben Dixon and guitarist Grant Green. He recorded with Lou Donaldson for Blue Note from 1962 to 1964 and, after impressing Blue Note founder Alfred Lion, made the first of a string of albums as a leader for the label in 1963. Interestingly, many of his albums, though scheduled for release, never saw the light of day until after Blue Note's resurrection in 1985. When the Hammond B-3 and soul-jazz went out of fashion in the 1970s, Patton's career went into eclipse as well, and he settled in East Orange, NJ. But, shortly after he started recording again in 1983, Patton was rediscovered by a younger generation, particularly the avant-garde figure John Zorn, who began using his sound out of its usual context on recordings like The Big Gundown and Spillane's "Two-Lane Highway." Patton continued to release new recordings into the '90s, including two on the Japanese label DIW. He passed away due to complications from diabetes and kidney malfunction on March 19, 2002, at the age of 66. ~ Richard S. Ginell & Al Campbell, All Music Guide

Representative Songs:

"Let 'Em Roll," "Along Came John," "The Turnaround"

Representative Albums:

Let 'em Roll, Mosaic Select: Big John Patton, Got a Good Thing Goin'

Similar Artists:

Johnny "Hammond" Smith, Harold Vick, Jimmy Smith, Jack McDuff, Richard "Groove" Holmes, Lou Donaldson, Joey DeFrancesco, Baby Face Willette, Freddie Roach, Larry Young, Shirley Scott, Don Patterson, Jimmy McGriff, Grant Green, Charles Earland

Influences:

Hampton Hawes, Horace Silver, Wynton Kelly

Followers:

The Sugarman 3

Performed Songs By:

Marvin Cabell

Worked With:

Alfred Lion, Rudy Van Gelder, Ben Dixon, Jimmy Ponder

Mosaic Select: Big John Patton Buy this CD	This One's for J.A. Buy this CD	Minor Swing Buy this CD	The Best of "Big" John Patton: The Organization! Buy this CD	Blue Planet Man Buy this CD
Memphis to New York Spirit Buy this CD	Accent on the Blues Buy this CD	Boogaloo Buy this CD	Understanding Buy this CD	Got a Good Thing Goin' Buy this CD

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