The Boss Organ - 1966 to 1970

The world of organ grooves is one often inhabited (like deep funk, Northern Soul etc.) by one-offs, i.e. single, brilliant performances by artists of whom little is known. There are of course exceptions to the rule, with deep catalogues like the masters Jimmy Smith, Jimmy McGriff, Jack McDuff etc, and those that appear to be one-offs who closer research reveal to be players with interesting careers, like Toussaint McCall, Gene Ludwig and Dave Lewis. Somewhere in between the two extremes there are players like Charles Earland.

Earland first came to prominence with the release of his classic Prestige LP ‘Black Talk’ in 1969. Coming at a time when the popularity of Hammond players was beginning to decline, it was a hit, and the beginning of a string of excellent LPs that Earland would record for the label. It was not however his first recording.

Born in Philadelphia (one of the most fertile breeding grounds for Hammond masters in the US, with McGriff, McDuff, Shirley Scott etc.), in 1941 Earland began playing alto, tenor and baritone sax, starting out in a high school band with Pat Martino and Frankie Avalon (?!?) among others. He ended up playing tenor with Jimmy McGriff for three years in the early 60’s, eventually switching to organ himself.

By the mid-60’s he was leading his own trio, featuring Jimmy Ponder on guitar.

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