picture of Freddie Roach
©Blue Note Records
Freddie Roach
Freddie (* 1934) was a soul jazz Hammond B-3 organist born in the Bronx, New York. He was one of a handful of legendary jazz organists that made history in the 1960s, the golden era of the Hammond organ. Roach made his record debut in 1960 with saxophonist Ike Quebec on the albums Heavy Soul and It Might as Well Be Spring and played with Willis Jackson. From 1962-64 he recorded 5 albums as a leader for the Blue Note Records label and also recorded with Donald Byrd on the album I'm Tryin' to Get Home. His Blue Note album Mo' Greens Please is perhaps one of the greatest 10 jazz organ sides ever recorded.
 
Roach's original writing, steady basslines, and highly musical fleet-fingered right hand set him apart. From 1966-67 he recorded three more albums as a leader for Prestige Records, which are in a more commercial vein than his Blue Note dates. He left the music business in 1970 and became involved in theater, playwriting and film. Reportedly, he moved to California to the film industry, where he suffered a heart attack and died in October 1980.
 
Roach was a soulful organist, certainly influenced by Jimmy Smith, but with a distinct sound and a quite original concept, which was perhaps best heard on "Good Move" for Blue Note. His Blue Note albums are critically acclaimed.
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Discography
Heavy Soul
Blue Note ST-84093
released 1962
recorded November 1961 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA
Ike Quebec, tenor sax
Freddie Roach, organ
Milt Hinton, bass
Al Harewood, drums
It Might As Well Be Spring
Blue Note ST-84105
released 1962
recorded December 1961 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA
Ike Quebec, tenor sax
Freddie Roach, organ
Milt Hinton, bass
Al Harewood, drums
Thunderbird
Prestige PRST 7232
released 1962
recorded March 1962 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA
Willis Jackson, tenor sax
Bill Jennings, guitar
Freddie Roach, organ
Wendell Marshall, bass
Frank Shea, drums
Ray Barretto, congas
Down To Earth
Blue Note ST-84113
released 1962
recorded August 1962 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA
Freddie Roach, organ
Percy France, tenor sax
Kenny Burrell, guitar
Clarence Johnston, drums
Mo' Greens Please
Blue Note ST-84128
released 1963
recorded January 1963 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA
Freddie Roach, organ
Conrad Lester, tenor sax
Kenny Burrell, guitar
Eddie Wright, guitar
Clarence Johnston, drums
Good Move
Blue Note ST-84158
released 1963
recorded December 1963 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA
Freddie Roach, organ
Blue Mitchell, trumpet
Hank Mobley, tenor sax
Eddie Wright, guitar
Clarence Johnston, drums
Brown Sugar
Blue Note ST-84168
released 1964
recorded March 1963 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA
Freddie Roach, organ
Joe Henderson, tenor sax
Kenny Burrell, guitar
Eddie Wright, guitar
Clarence Johnston, drums
I'm Tryin' To Get Home
Blue Note ST-84188
released 1965
recorded November 1964 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA
Donald Byrd, trumpet, flugelhorn
Stanley Turrentine, tenor sax
Herbie Hancock, piano
Freddie Roach, organ
Grant Green, guitar
Bob Cranshaw, bass
Grady Tate, drums
brass band c/ Coleridge Perkinson
All That's Good
Blue Note ST-84190
released 1965
recorded October 1964 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA
Freddie Roach, organ
Conrad Lester, tenor sax
Calvin Newborn, guitar
Clarence Johnston, drums
The Freddie Roach Soul Book
Prestige 7490
released 1967
recorded June 1966 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA
Freddie Roach, organ
Edlin "Buddy" Terry, tenor sax
Vinnie Corrao, guitar
Jackie Mills, drums
Skeeter Best, guitar
Ray Lucas, drums
King Errison, congas
Mocha Motion!
Prestige 7507
released 1967
recorded January 1967 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA
Freddie Roach, organ, vocal
Edlin "Buddy" Terry, tenor sax
Vinnie Corrao, guitar
Eddie Gladden, drums
Ralph Dorsey, conga
My People (Soul People)
Prestige 7521
released 1968
recorded June 1967 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA
Freddie Roach, flute, organ, piano, vocals
James Anderson, soprano sax
Roland Alexander, tenor sax
Conrad Lester, tenor sax
Kiane Zawadi, trombone, euphonium
Harry White, flugelhorn
Eddie Wright, guitar
Eddie Gladden, drums
Ballads
Blue Note CDP 7243 8 56690 2 6
compilation
Ike Quebec, tenor sax
Grant Green, guitar
Willie Jones, guitar
Sonny Clark, piano
Freddie Roach, organ
Sir Charles Thompson, organ
Earl van Dyke, organ
Milt Hinton, bass
Sam Jones, bass
Art Blakey, drums
Al Harewood, drums
Louis Hayes, drums
J.C. Heard, drums
Wilbert Hogan, drums

 
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