Chris Cantell Discusses Entertainment: Top jazz saxophonist Griffin dies in France at 80 by Radka Konkolova

The last Friday’s night should be one of the special ones. There should be the concert of one of the best and popular saxophonist in France. His name is Johnny Griffin.

People who had been looking forward to this special concert of such gifted musician were finally very surprised and disappointed. The main reason of the concert cancel was the immediate death of this famous and brilliant jazz saxophonist. It is true that he was already in age of eighty, but he looked very fresh and nobody thought he could die so immediately. His fans are very upset because of this. His death occurred few hours before the concert night. Johnny died in his music room of his home in Mauprevoir in Western France. He was found there by his wife Miriam. But the cause of his death is not known but it is in state of detection.

John Arnold Griffin III, what is his full name, originally came from Chicago, where he was born April 28, 1928. Griffin fell in love with music, especially with jazz music and this was visible during his concerts. When he was 12, he had already known which instrument would be the favourite thing in his future life. After the World War II, when he was 18, he left Chicago and joined in the group of Lionel Hampton, who was reputable musician that time. Later his records started to be published by jazz publisher Blue Note. Griffin was making many concerts in the whole United States. But some time in 1960 he decided to move from US to Europe. So he did. He spent the most of time in Netherlands and France, where he eventually died.

Thanks to his talent he received the nickname “Little Giant”. He was really world known and every jazz fan has had to know him and his dynamic and rhythmic playing. During his career John visited many places in the world and played with many different jazz groups and musicians, as Art Blakely’s Jazz Messengers and Monk, Clark Terry, Nat Adderley or with Johny Coltrane in late 1950s.

During his life besides being musician he was also good husband and father of his four children, one of whom lives in France and the others in United States. Funeral services were scheduled for Tuesday at the Poitiers Crematorium and it is predicted many people will come to say last Goodbye to this special person and musician...

related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080726/ap_on_en_mu/france_obit_griffin;_ylt=ArhMhOrpv2OKTVkgAdxyM_.s0NUE

by Radka Konkolova for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

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edited by Beata Biskova