Artist:Freddie Roach
Song:It Ain't Necessarily So
Album:Good Move!
Though the Hammond B-3 organ is virtually obsolete in jazz, back in the 60s there were so many guys playing it that some guys got lost in the shuffle. And that's what happened to Freddie Roach. He recorded for Blue Note and Prestige in the 60s and moved to France in the 70s. He was born May 11, 1931 in The Bronx, NY. His mom was a church organist. While living with his aunt in White Plains, NY, he started playing the pipe organ and eventually taught himself to play. After studying at the Newark Conservatory, Roach played in Grachan Moncur's group The Strollers. Then he joined the Marines and played in the band. After his discharge, Roach played New York clubs with guys like Cootie Williams and Lou Donaldson. Then he moved to Newark and played with guys like Kenny Dorham, Cannonball Adderley and Jackie McLean. Roach's big break came when tenor saxophonist Ike Quebec asked him to join his band. Quebec recorded for Blue Note. Roach appeared on the 1961 albums Heavy Soul and It Might As Well Be Spring. Blue Note owner Alfred Lion liked Roach enough to offer him a record deal. Roach recorded five albums for Blue Note. This cover of the Gershwin standard It Ain't Necessarily So is from Roach's 1963 album Good Move!. It was his third album. Musicians are Eddie Wright on guitar and Clarence Johnston on drums. Wright played on several Roach albums. Johnston usually played with James Moody. Trumpeter Blue Mitchell and tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley appeared on half the album but not this track. The problem was there were so many Hammond B-3 organists at the time that it was going to be hard for Roach to distinguish himself. After recording three albums for Prestige, Roach moved to Paris and was an arranger in Oliver Lake's big band. Of course there has been renewed interest in obscure 60s jazz musicians in recent years. And Roach was pretty good. He just wasn't distinctive enough to be successful. He died from a heart attack on Oct. 3, 1980 at age 49. Here's a video for It Ain't Necessarily So by Freddie Roach.
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