Rayford Griffin

Jazz drummer Rayford Griffin can be an adept studio room musician in addition to bandleader who spent some time working with such music luminaries seeing that saxophonist Gerald Albright, vocalist Can Downing, and percussionist Costs Summers. Born Feb 6, 1958, in Indianapolis, IN, Griffin obtained his like of music and self-discipline to apply from his minister dad and Howard College or university music main graduate mother. Nevertheless, the majority of Griffin’s early musical assistance originated from the documented legacy of his past due uncle, trumpeter Clifford Dark brown. Specifically, it had been the drumming of Artwork Blakey on a lot of Brown’s information that first motivated Griffin to become drummer. From eighth quality through senior high school, he researched percussion with Tom Akins, rule timpanist for the Indianapolis Symphony, and by his later teenagers Griffin had created a keen specialized capability with all areas of drumming. This, coupled with a steady diet plan of from Blue Take note recordings as well as the jazz-rock fusion of Billy Cobham to Jimi Hendrix produced Griffin an currently accomplished executing musician. Interestingly, one of is own first high-school rings included upcoming super-producers Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds and Daryl Simmons. Ultimately, Griffin went to Indiana State for just one season where he received many music contests and remaining to join an area fusion group in 1977. A couple of years later on, an audition for violinist Jean-Luc Ponty resulted in a six-year stint using the fusion celebrity. Since that time, Griffin spent some time working with several music artists in and from the jazz idiom, including Dave Koz and Anita Baker, and is a person in bassist Stanley Clarke’s music group. In 2000, a fall from a balcony remaining Griffin with severe spinal cord accidental injuries. A following reevaluation of his existence during his lengthy recovery precipitated the documenting of his 1st solo recording. Featuring guest looks by saxophonist Branford Marsalis among others, the 2003 launch Rebirth from the Awesome also showcases Griffin performing.