International Archives For The Jazz Organ (IAJO) - The Jazz Organ Scene USA

Jerry Z

As a child growing up in New York City, Jerry took up the organ and discovered a love for classical music. In his teens he found himself exploring Blues, Rock and Jazz, and playing his first professional gigs around New York City before enrolling in the Purchase Conservatory of Music. While studying Composition and Studio Engineering Jerry was recruited by the head of Purchase's burgeoning jazz department, guitarist Doug Munro. He would continue playing with Munro after graduating, touring and cutting his first two albums Blueness and Up Against It with Doug's organ trio.

During the late nineties Jerry was, in his words, "an apprentice in the Blues workshop of the late great blues guitarist Little Melvin. We had a residency at Terra Blues and toured all over the Northeast. I was heavily submerged in the blues in those days". In 2003, Jerry developed a radically funkier, more soulful approach to the organ trio which led to a collaboration with drummer Jim Payne and guitarist Bill Bickford. The Jim Payne Band (JPB) collaboration proved fruitful, several national tours and a number of notable appearances at jazz festivals.

Following his work with JPB, he began working with soul jazz pioneer Melvin Sparks. In 2006 he began working with drum legend Mike Clark and his Prescription Duo/Organ Trio. Clark has described Jerry as the "consummate organ player" with "one of the best grooves and bass lines I have ever played with".

Jerry's work with Clark led to an invitation to join the Headhunters from 2007-2010, recording the live album On Top and accompanying the group on several national and international tours. In 2008 he toured Australia with the Headhunters, which featured his own funky adaptations of Headhunters classics for organ trio. Also that year he performed at Jazz at Lincoln Center with legendary guitarist Hiram Bullock.

Since 2007 Jerry has been a staple of cutting-edge guitarist Oz Noy's band that regularly perform at the Bitter end in NYC. In addition to those artists mentioned above Jerry has worked with: Fred Wesley, Bernard Purdie, John Scofield, Donald Harrison, Keith Carlock, Mark Whitfield, George Porter jr, Adam Nussbaum, Will Lee, Vinnie Colaiuta and many others.

Jerry has performed at most major jazz festivals including the Gathering of the Vibes festival, the Berlin Jazz Festival, the Corsica Jazz Festival, the Anguilla Jazz Festival, the JVC Jazz Festival, Blue Note, Billboard Live Tokyo, Sweet Rhythm, CBGB's, Chicago Blues, the Bitter End, Joe Zawinul's Birdland, Siberia Jazz Fest, Moscow House of Music, Leverkusener Jazztage, BB Kings, and Dizzy's Club at Lincoln Center. Jerry toured Russia in late 2016 with his own band the Jerry Z Organ Trio, which featured saxophonist Chad Lefkowitz-Brown and drummer Andrew Atkinson.

Up Against It Chase Music Group CMD 8066 recorded in Mamaroneck, NY/USA	Doug Munro, guitar Jerry Z, organ Jason Anderson, drums
It Was A Very Good Year Underhill Jazz 001 recorded January and March 2000 in Patterson, NJ/USA	John Basile, guitar Jerry Z, organ Nick Misch, bass Jason Devlin, drums
This Is It! Savant Records SCD 2065 recorded in USA	Melvin Sparks, guitar Justin Tomsovic, drums Jerry Z, Hammond organ Cochemea Gastelum, sax Jennifer Hartswick, trumpet
Groove on Up Savant Records SCD 2070 recorded December 2005 in Paramus, NJ/USA	Melvin Sparks, guitar Jerry Z, Hammond organ, keyboards Paul Wolstencroft, Hammond organ, keyboards Eric Bolivar, drums Eric Kalb, drums Jun Saito, drums Tom E.Ted, tablas Nikki Armstrong, vocals Oscar Wright, vocals
Anomaly Abstract Logix AbLx 22	Lenny White, drums, keyboards, percussion Donald Blackman, organ, piano George Coleman, organ George Colligan, keyboards Vince Evans, keyboards Jerry Z, organ Bernard Wright, keyboards, piano, synthesizer David Bendeth, guitar David Gilmore, guitar Tom Guarna, guitar Jimmy Herring, guitar Nick Moroch, guitar Victor Bailey, bass Stanley Clarke, bass Charles Fambrough, bass Richie Goods, bass Tim Ouimette, trombone, trumpet Danny Walsh, alto sax, tenor sax Mike Clark, drums
Twisted Blues Volume 1 Abstract Logix ABLX 032 recorded November 2010 in Austin, TX and Stamford, CT/USA	Oz Noy, guitar Eric Johnson, guitar Jerry Z, organ John Medeski, organ Reese Wynans, organ Allen Toussaint, piano Roscoe Beck, bass Will Lee, bass Vinnie Colaiuta, drums Anton Fig, drums Chris Layton, drums Ralph MacDonald, tambourine
Twisted Blues Volume 2 Abstract Logix ABLX043 recorded January 2013 in Austin, TX, Stamford, CT and New York City/USA	Oz Noy, guitar Lew Soloff, trumpet Giulio Carmassi, flute Warren Haynes, guitar Eric Johnson, guitar Greg Leisz, guitar Chick Corea, Fender Rhodes Allen Toussaint, piano Reese Wynans, organ Jerry Z, organ John Medeski, organ, Fender Rhodes Grégoire Maret, harmonica Roscoe Beck, bass Will Lee, bass, harmonica, tambourine, vocals Keith Carlock, drums Anton Fig, drums Chris Layton, drums Dave Weckl, drums
Who Gives a Funk Abstract Logix ABLX 052 recorded September 2015 in Brooklyn, NY/USA	Oz Noy, guitar Ian Hendrickson-Smith, sax Chris Potter, sax Clark Gayton, trombone Fred Wesley, trombone Randy Brecker, trumpet David Guy, trumpet Joe Bonamassa, guitar Dweezil Zappa, guitar Robben Ford, guitar Jerry Z, organ Reese Wynans, organ John Medeski, piano, organ Roscoe Beck, bass Will Lee, bass, vocals Rocky Bryant, drums Anton Fig, drums Chris Layton, drums Steve Wolf, drums Daniel Sadownick, percussion Corey Glover, vocals
Prick Of The Litter Hot Shot Records HSR 001 recorded in Brooklyn, NY; Franklin, TN; Austin, TX/USA	Delbert McClinton, harmonica, vocals Jim Hoke, sax Roy Agee, trombone Tim Ouimette, trumpet Quentin Ware, trumpet Al Anderson, guitar Bob Britt, guitar Kevin McKendree, guitar, Hammond organ, piano, vibes Jimmie Vaughan, guitar Jerry Z, Hammond organ Michael Joyce, bass Jack Bruno, drums Mike Clark, drums Lou Ann Barton, vocals

contact:	organjz@gmail.com
homepage:	www.jerry-z.com
	Click on the logo to see Jerry's tour dates.

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