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Johnny Griffin

 


Johnny Griffin | Blue Note Records | tc594

Jazz tenor saxophonist John Arnold Griffin III, known as "The Little Giant", was born in Chicago, Illinois, on April 24, 1928.  He studied music at Chicago's DuSable school, and was a pioneer of the "hard bop" style. At 15 he was playing in T-Bone Walker's band. Griffin recorded prolifically as a bandleader and also played with Thelonious Monk, Art Blakey, Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis and as a member of the Kenny Clarke/Francy Boland Big Band. 

Johnny Griffin died from a heart attack at Mauprévoir, France, on July 25, 2008.

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