James Richard Griffin (born January 28, 1940, in

Jackson Jackson may refer to: People and fictional characters * Jackson (name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the surname or given name Places Australia * Jackson, Queensland, a town in the Maranoa Region * Jackson North, Q ...

Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...

) is an American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

trombonist The trombone (german: Posaune, Italian, French: ''trombone'') is a musical instrument in the brass family. As with all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player's vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate ...

known for his work on

Strata-East Records Strata-East Records is an American record company and label specialising in jazz founded in 1971 by Charles Tolliver and Stanley Cowell with the release of their first recording ''Music Inc.'' The label released over 50 albums in the 1970s. Ma ...

, and with

Rahsaan Roland Kirk Rahsaan Roland Kirk (born Ronald Theodore Kirk; August 7, 1935Kernfeld, Barry.Kirk, Roland" ''The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz'', 2nd ed. Ed. Barry Kernfeld. ''Grove Music Online''. ''Oxford Music Online''. Retrieved February 1, 2009-. "The year ...

. As a child he studied

piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keyboa ...

, soon switching to trombone. After earning his

bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...

in 1963, Griffin began teaching high school while working on his Master's. Griffin is most known for his technique of circular phonics, combining

multiphonics A multiphonic is an extended technique on a monophonic musical instrument (one that generally produces only one note at a time) in which several notes are produced at once. This includes wind, reed, and brass instruments, as well as the human voice ...

with

circular breathing Circular breathing is a technique used by players of some wind instruments to produce a continuous tone without interruption. It is accomplished by breathing through the nose while simultaneously pushing air through the mouth using air stored ...

. He taught music theory and the history of jazz at

Wesleyan University Wesleyan University ( ) is a Private university, private liberal arts college, liberal arts university in Middletown, Connecticut. Founded in 1831 as a Men's colleges in the United States, men's college under the auspices of the Methodist Epis ...

. Later in life, Griffin became an accomplished

painter Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and ai ...

, with showings in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

and

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...

. A 1995 CD release, ''The Eighth Wonder & More'' (Konnex Records) features that album as well as most of the ''Now is the Time'' album.Allmusic review
/ref>

Discography

As leader

* ''The Eighth Wonder'' (Strata-East, 1974) * ''Now Is the Time'' (Trident, 1979) * ''A Dream for Rahsaan'' (Ruby, 1985) * ''A Dream for Rahsaan and More'' (Ruby, 1985) * ''Homage to Sun Ra'' (Ruby, 2014)

As sideman

With

Abdullah Ibrahim Abdullah Ibrahim (born Adolph Johannes Brand on 9 October 1934 and formerly known as Dollar Brand) is a South African pianist and composer. His music reflects many of the musical influences of his childhood in the multicultural port areas of Cap ...

* ''Ekaya'' (Ekapa 1983) * ''Water from an Ancient Well'' (BlackHawk, 1986) * ''The Mountain'' (Kaz, 1989) With

Roland Kirk Roland (; frk, *Hrōþiland; lat-med, Hruodlandus or ''Rotholandus''; it, Orlando or ''Rolando''; died 15 August 778) was a Franks, Frankish military leader under Charlemagne who became one of the principal figures in the literary cycle known ...

* ''The Inflated Tear'' (Atlantic, 1968) * ''

Volunteered Slavery ''Volunteered Slavery'' is an album by jazz multi-instrumentalist Roland Kirk containing portions of his 1968 Newport Jazz Festival performance along with studio recordings from July 1969. It was released on the Atlantic label and features perfo ...

'' (Atlantic, 1969) * ''Left & Right'' (Atlantic, 1969) * ''Rahsaan Rahsaan'' (Atlantic, 1970) * ''

Blacknuss ''Blacknuss'' is an album by Rahsaan Roland Kirk. It was recorded in 1971 and released by Atlantic Records. Recording and music The album was recorded in New York City on August 31 and September 8, 1971. Much of the material is pop tunes. Releas ...

'' (Atlantic, 1972) * '' Prepare Thyself to Deal with a Miracle'' (Atlantic, 1973) With others *

Muhal Richard Abrams Muhal Richard Abrams (born Richard Lewis Abrams; September 19, 1930 – October 29, 2017) was an American educator, administrator, composer, arranger, clarinetist, cellist, and jazz pianist in the free jazz medium. He recorded and toured the Uni ...

, ''

The Hearinga Suite ''The Hearinga Suite'' is an album by Muhal Richard Abrams released on the Italian Black Saint label in 1989 and features performances of seven of Abrams compositions by an eighteen-member orchestra. Abrams dedicated the music on the album to Ste ...

'' (Black Saint, 1989) *

Roy Ayers Roy Ayers (born September 10, 1940) is an American funk, soul, and jazz composer, vibraphone player, and music producer. Ayers began his career as a post-bop jazz artist, releasing several albums with Atlantic Records, before his tenure at Pol ...

, ''Fever'' (Polydor, 1979) *

Billy Bang Billy Bang (September 20, 1947 – April 11, 2011), born William Vincent Walker, was an American free jazz violinist and composer. Biography Bang's family moved to New York City's Bronx neighborhood while he was still an infant, and as a ...

, ''Da Bang!'' (TUM, 2013) *

Harry Belafonte Harry Belafonte (born Harold George Bellanfanti Jr.; March 1, 1927) is an American singer, activist, and actor. As arguably the most successful Jamaican-American pop star, he popularized the Trinbagonian Caribbean musical style with an interna ...

, ''Paradise in Gazankulu'' (EMI-Manhattan, 1988) *

George Benson George Washington Benson (born March 22, 1943) is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He began his professional career at the age of 19 as a jazz guitarist. A former child prodigy, Benson first came to prominence in the 1960s, pla ...

, '' Body Talk'' (CTI, 1973) *

Brook Benton Benjamin Franklin Peay (September 19, 1931 – April 9, 1988), better known as Brook Benton, was an American singer and songwriter who was popular with rock and roll, rhythm and blues, and pop music audiences during the late 1950s and early 1960 ...

, ''This Is Brook Benton'' (All Platinum, 1976) *

Solomon Burke Solomon Vincent McDonald Burke (born James Solomon McDonald, March 21, 1936 or 1940 – October 10, 2010) was an American singer who shaped the sound of rhythm and blues as one of the founding fathers of soul music in the 1960s. He has been ...

, ''Back to My Roots'' (Chess, 1976) *

Gloria Coleman Gloria Coleman (died February 18, 2010) was an American musician. Coleman played bass, piano then organ. As a jazz organist she released two albums. The first, ''Soul Sisters'' by the Gloria Coleman Quartet, was for the Impulse! Records label. It ...

, ''Sings and Swings Organ'' (Mainstream, 1971) *

Stanley Cowell Stanley Cowell (May 5, 1941 – December 17, 2020) was an American jazz pianist and co-founder of the Strata-East Records label. Early life Cowell was born in Toledo, Ohio. He began playing the piano around the age of four, and became interest ...

, ''

Setup Setup (the noun) or set up (the verb) may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Set Up'' (2005 film), a 2005 Hong Kong horror film * ''Setup'' (2011 film), a 2011 action thriller heist film Music * ''Setup'' (album), a 1994 album by ...

'' (SteepleChase, 1994) *

Hank Crawford Bennie Ross "Hank" Crawford, Jr. (December 21, 1934 – January 29, 2009) was an American Alto saxophone, alto saxophonist, arranger and songwriter whose genres ranged from Rhythm and blues, R&B, hard bop, jazz-funk, and soul jazz. Crawford was ...

, '' Midnight Ramble'' (Milestone, 1983) *

Joey DeFrancesco Joey DeFrancesco (April 10, 1971August 25, 2022) was an American jazz organist, trumpeter, saxophonist, and occasional singer. He released more than 30 albums under his own name, and recorded extensively as a sideman with such leading jazz perfo ...

, ''

Where Were You? ''Where Were You?'' is the second album led by jazz organist Joey DeFrancesco which was released on the Columbia label in 1990.Bill Dixon William Robert “Bill” Dixon (October 5, 1925 – June 16, 2010) was an American composer, improviser, visual artist, activist, and educator. Dixon was one of the seminal figures in free jazz and late twentieth-century contemporary music. Hi ...

, ''17 Musicians in Search of a Sound: Darfur'' (AUM Fidelity, 2008) *

Charles Earland Charles Earland (May 24, 1941 – December 11, 1999) was an American jazz organist. Biography Earland was born in Philadelphia and learned to play the saxophone in high school. He played tenor with Jimmy McGriff at the age of 17 and in 1960 form ...

, ''

Intensity Intensity may refer to: In colloquial use *Strength (disambiguation) *Amplitude * Level (disambiguation) * Magnitude (disambiguation) In physical sciences Physics *Intensity (physics), power per unit area (W/m2) *Field strength of electric, ma ...

'' (Prestige, 1972) * Charles Earland, ''

Charles III Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. He was the longest-serving heir apparent and Prince of Wales and, at age 73, became the oldest person to ...

'' (Prestige, 1973) * Frank Foster, ''

The Loud Minority ''The Loud Minority'' is an album by American saxophonist Frank Foster recorded in 1972 for the Mainstream label.Edwards, D., Callahan, Eyries, P., Watts, R. & Neely, TDiscography of the Mainstream Label (Preview) accessed November 13, 2014 Rece ...

'' (Mainstream, 1972) *

Lionel Hampton Lionel Leo Hampton (April 20, 1908 – August 31, 2002) was an American jazz vibraphonist, pianist, percussionist, and bandleader. Hampton worked with jazz musicians from Teddy Wilson, Benny Goodman, and Buddy Rich, to Charlie Parker, Charles M ...

, ''90th Birthday Celebration'' (Sound Hills, 1999) *

Billy Harper Billy Harper (born January 17, 1943) is an American jazz saxophonist, "one of a generation of John Coltrane, Coltrane-influenced tenor saxophonists" with a distinctively stern, hard-as-nails sound on his instrument.Chris KelseyBilly Harper Biogr ...

, ''

Capra Black Capra may refer to: * ''Capra'' (genus), comprising the goats * Capra (goat dance), a Romanian custom * Capra (titular see), a titular see in the Catholic Church * Capra (car), a pick-up brand from the Iranian Bahman Group People * Buzz Capra ( ...

'' (Strata-East, 1973) *

Chuck Jackson Chuck Jackson (born July 22, 1937) is an American R&B singer who was one of the first artists to record material by Burt Bacharach and Hal David successfully. He has performed with moderate success since 1961. His hits include "I Don't Want to ...

, ''Needing You, Wanting You'' (All Platinum, 1975) * Sam Jones, '' Something New'' (Interplay, 1979) *

Les McCann Leslie Coleman McCann (born September 23, 1935) is an American jazz pianist and vocalist.Feather, Leonard, and Ira Gitler (2007), ''The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz'', p. 448. Oxford University Press. Early life Les McCann was born in ...

, ''

Comment Comment may refer to: * Comment (linguistics) or rheme, that which is said about the topic (theme) of a sentence * Bernard Comment (born 1960), Swiss writer and publisher Computing * Comment (computer programming), explanatory text or informat ...

'' (Atlantic, 1970) *

Jack McDuff Eugene McDuff (September 17, 1926 – January 23, 2001), known professionally as "Brother" Jack McDuff or "Captain" Jack McDuff, was an American jazz organist and organ trio bandleader who was most prominent during the hard bop and soul jazz era ...

, ''

Who Knows What Tomorrow's Gonna Bring? ''Who Knows What Tomorrow's Gonna Bring?'' is an album by American organist Brother Jack McDuff recorded in 1970 and released on the Blue Note label.

'' (Blue Note, 1971) * William Parker, ''

Spontaneous Spontaneous may refer to: * Spontaneous abortion * Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis * Spontaneous combustion * Spontaneous declaration * Spontaneous emission * Spontaneous fission * Spontaneous generation * Spontaneous human combustion * Spontan ...

'' (Splasc(H), 2003) *

Charlie Persip Charles Lawrence Persip (July 26, 1929 – August 23, 2020), known as Charli Persip and formerly as Charlie Persip (he changed the spelling of his name to Charli in the late 1960s), was an American jazz drummer. Biography Born in Morristown, N ...

, ''Charlie Persip and Gerry Lafurn's 17-Piece Superband'' (Stash, 1981) * Charlie Persip, ''Charlie Persip & Superband'' (Natasha, 1994) *

Esther Phillips Esther Phillips (born Esther Mae Jones; December 23, 1935 – August 7, 1984) was an American singer, best known for her R&B vocals.Santelli, Robert (2001). ''The Big Book of Blues: A Biographical Encyclopedia''. Penguin Books. p. 376. . She ...

, ''From a Whisper to a Scream'' (Kudu, 1971) *

Sun Ra Le Sony'r Ra (born Herman Poole Blount, May 22, 1914 – May 30, 1993), better known as Sun Ra, was an American jazz composer, bandleader, piano and synthesizer player, and poet known for his experimental music, "cosmic" philosophy, prolific out ...

, ''What Planet Is This?'' (Golden Years of New Jazz, 2006) * Sun Ra, ''Strange Worlds in My Mind'' (Norton, 2010) * Sam Rivers, ''Jazzbuhne Berlin '82'' (Repertoire, 1990) *

Hilton Ruiz Hilton Ruiz (May 29, 1952 – June 6, 2006) was an American jazz pianist in the Afro-Cuban jazz mold, but was also a talented bebop player. He was of Puerto Rican descent. Biography Born in New York City, Ruiz began playing piano at the age of f ...

, ''El Camino'' (Novus, 1988) * Hilton Ruiz, ''Strut'' (Novus, 1989) *

Archie Shepp Archie Shepp (born May 24, 1937) is an American jazz saxophonist, educator and playwright who since the 1960s has played a central part in the development of avant-garde jazz. Biography Early life Shepp was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, but ...

, ''Attica Blues Big Band Live at the Palais Des Glaces'' (Blue Marge, 1979) *

Johnny "Hammond" Smith John Robert "Johnny Hammond" Smith (December 16, 1933 – June 4, 1997) was an American soul jazz and hard bop organist. Born in Louisville, Kentucky, he was a renowned player of the Hammond B-3 organ so earning "Hammond" as a nickname, whi ...

, '' The Prophet'' (Kudu, 1972) *

Leon Thomas Amos Leon Thomas Jr. (October 4, 1937 – May 8, 1999), known professionally as Leon Thomas, was an American jazz and blues vocalist, born in East St. Louis, Illinois, and known for his bellowing glottal-stop style of free jazz singing in the l ...

, ''

Blues and the Soulful Truth Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the African- ...

'' (Flying Dutchman, 1972) *

Charles Tolliver Charles Tolliver (born 1942) is an American jazz trumpeter, composer, and co-founder of Strata East Records. Biography Tolliver was born in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1942 and moved with his family to New York City when he was 10. During his chi ...

, ''

Music Inc. ''Music Inc.'' is an album by American jazz trumpeter Charles Tolliver's Music Inc. with a Big Band recorded in 1970 and first released on the Strata-East label.

'' (Strata-East, 1971) *

McCoy Tyner Alfred McCoy Tyner (December 11, 1938March 6, 2020) was an American jazz piano, jazz pianist and composer known for his work with the John Coltrane Quartet (from 1960 to 1965) and his long solo career afterwards. He was an NEA Jazz Masters, NEA ...

, ''

Song of the New World ''Song of the New World'' is a 1973 album by jazz pianist McCoy Tyner, his fourth to be released on the Milestone label. It was recorded in April 1973 and features performances by Tyner with a big band including saxophonist Sonny Fortune, flautist ...

'' (Milestone, 1973) * McCoy Tyner, ''

Inner Voices ''Inner Voices'' is a 1977 album by jazz pianist McCoy Tyner, his twelfth to be released on the Milestone label. It was recorded in September 1977 and features performances by Tyner with bassist Ron Carter, guitarist Earl Klugh, drummers Jack DeJ ...

'' (Milestone, 1978) *

Bobby Watson Robert Michael Watson Jr. (born August 23, 1953), known professionally as Bobby Watson, is an American saxophonist, composer, and educator. Music career Watson was born in Lawrence, Kansas, United States, and grew up in Kansas City, Kansas. He ...

, ''Estimated Time of Arrival'' (Roulette, 1978)

References

External links

Official site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Griffin, Dick 1939 births Living people Jazz musicians from Mississippi Musicians from Jackson, Mississippi 21st-century American male musicians 21st-century trombonists American jazz trombonists American male jazz musicians Male trombonists Strata-East Records artists Wesleyan University faculty 21st-century African-American musicians 20th-century African-American people