Jack McDuff

Born Eugene McDuff on September 17,1926, in Champaign, Illinois, the jazz organist and bandleader was better known as Jack McDuff aka Brother Jack McDuff and Captain Jack McDuff. He was known for his soulful and bluesy style which graced many albums in the 1960s: his own albums as a bandleader and in collaboration with other artists such as Willis Jackson and George Benson. Influenced by organ master Jimmy Smith and pianist Fats Waller, he had lengthy recording contracts with top labels including Prestige Records and Blue Note Records. Jack McDuff started out playing bass but switched to the Hammond B-3 organ and, while playing with Willis Jackson's band, he won his first recording contract, which led to his 1960 debut album Glide On followed quickly that same year by Brother Jack and Tough 'Duff. He remained with Prestige throughout the 1960s and then recorded A Change Is Gonna Come for Atlantic Records in 1966. Moon Rappin' (1969) saw him on Blue Note where he also recorded Down Home Style (1969) and To Seek a New Home (1970). McDuff played as sideman with many other jazz performers including Gene Ammons, Kenny Burrell, Etta James, Carmen McCrae, Sonny Stitt, and Jimmy Witherspoon. He continued to release albums on several labels including Sophisticated Funk (1976), Live It Up (1984) and Another Real Good ‘Un (1990). Jack McDuff signed with Concord Jazz Records and released albums throughout the 1990s including Color Me Blue (1992), Write On, Capt’n (1993) It’s About Time with Joey DeFrancesco (1995), (Down Home) Blues with Gene Harris (1997), and Bringing It Home with Red Holloway and George Benson (1998). In 2000, Jack McDuff toured Japan with organist Atsuko Hashimoto. Jack McDuff died of heart failure on January 23, 2001.

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