Biography
Jazz drummer Rayford Griffin, born February 6, 1958, in Indianapolis, IN, has established himself as both a versatile studio musician and a bandleader through collaborations with saxophonist Gerald Albright, vocalist Will Downing, and percussionist Bill Summers. His minister father and mother, a Howard University music major graduate, instilled in him an early passion for music along with the discipline needed for dedicated practice. The recorded work of his late uncle, trumpeter Clifford Brown, supplied most of his initial direction, particularly the drumming of Art Blakey on those sessions, which prompted Griffin to pursue percussion.
From eighth grade through high school he trained under Tom Akins, principal timpanist for the Indianapolis Symphony, and by his late teens Griffin possessed strong command of every drumming technique. A consistent immersion in Blue Note recordings, the jazz-rock fusion of Billy Cobham, and the music of Jimi Hendrix further shaped an already skilled performer. One of his earliest high-school groups featured future super-producers Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and Daryl Simmons.
Griffin spent a single year at Indiana State, where he captured multiple music competition prizes before departing in 1977 to join a local fusion ensemble. An audition with violinist Jean-Luc Ponty soon followed, leading to a six-year association with the fusion artist. Subsequent projects have placed him alongside Dave Koz and Anita Baker, and he has remained a member of bassist Stanley Clarke’s band. A 2000 balcony fall resulted in serious spinal cord injuries; the extended recovery period prompted a personal reassessment that led to Griffin’s debut solo album. Released in 2003 as Rebirth of the Cool, the recording includes guest appearances by saxophonist Branford Marsalis and others while highlighting Griffin’s own vocals.
From eighth grade through high school he trained under Tom Akins, principal timpanist for the Indianapolis Symphony, and by his late teens Griffin possessed strong command of every drumming technique. A consistent immersion in Blue Note recordings, the jazz-rock fusion of Billy Cobham, and the music of Jimi Hendrix further shaped an already skilled performer. One of his earliest high-school groups featured future super-producers Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and Daryl Simmons.
Griffin spent a single year at Indiana State, where he captured multiple music competition prizes before departing in 1977 to join a local fusion ensemble. An audition with violinist Jean-Luc Ponty soon followed, leading to a six-year association with the fusion artist. Subsequent projects have placed him alongside Dave Koz and Anita Baker, and he has remained a member of bassist Stanley Clarke’s band. A 2000 balcony fall resulted in serious spinal cord injuries; the extended recovery period prompted a personal reassessment that led to Griffin’s debut solo album. Released in 2003 as Rebirth of the Cool, the recording includes guest appearances by saxophonist Branford Marsalis and others while highlighting Griffin’s own vocals.
Albums
