Johnny Griffin

Johnny Griffin earned the nickname “The Little Giant” for his short physical height but big powerful sound on the tenor sax. Coming out of the blues and swing of his Chicago roots but also informed by the sophisticated developments of the bebop era, Griffin’s proficiency on his instrument and the fleet and darting lines of his attack make him one of our greats.

Griffin was born in Chicago on April 24, 1928 and attended DuSable High School under the tutelage of its legendary teacher, Captain Walter Dyett. As a teenager he played professionally in blues groups with T-Bone Walker. Immediately upon his high school graduation Griffin joined Lionel Hampton’s big band. In the late 40's and early ‘50s Griffin also played in R&B groups such as Joe Morris and appeared on some of the early Atlantic rhythm and blues records.

Griff established himself on the modern jazz scene of New York later in the 1950s. He was a key member of Art Blakey’s 1957 edition of the Jazz Messengers; he replaced John Coltrane as the saxophonist in Thelonious Monk’s Five Spot group and stayed for several months in 1958; signed to the Riverside label he made numerous significant recordings with great compadres; and in the early 1960's he teamed with Eddie Lockjaw Davis for a swinging Tough Tenor combo.

Griffin moved to Europe in 1963 and forged an international career as one of the leading expatriate American jazz artists. For many years he made many frequent trips to the US to visit Chicago, and the Village Vanguard in New York, with a regular group that included Michael Weiss, Dennis Irwin and Kenny Washington. He had a productive and active performing life into this century.

Griff died in 2008 in France at the age of 80.

originally broadcast January 18, 2026