Groovin' For Mr. G

Recorded in the late 1960s for Prestige Records, the session featured Richard 'Groove' Holmes on Hammond B-3 organ, backed by a small funk-oriented ensemble, in a tribute to organ jazz pioneer Jimmy Smith — the 'Mr. G' of the title referring to Smith's nickname. Released on Prestige Records as part of Holmes's prolific output for the label during the late 1960s, the track exemplified the soul-jazz and organ funk style Holmes had pioneered, positioning him alongside Jimmy McGriff and Jimmy Smith as a leading voice in the Hammond organ tradition. The track has been sampled and collected by rare groove and hip-hop communities and stands as a representative example of Holmes's groove-centred organ work, which influenced subsequent generations of organists and producers working in funk and soul-jazz idioms.