Goodbye, Zoot Money

His given name was George but everybody called him Zoot – yet Money was his real last name for this man was no poor man’s Georgie Fame. Zoot Money, who passed away today at the age of 82, was a performer in a class of his own. He’s been ill for a few months now, and still we hoped he would recover; sadly, he did not, and the world became all the poorer for it. A singer and an organist, Money was a benevolent taskmaster for an entire generation of musicians, his BIG ROLL BAND becoming a British rhythm-and-blues institution in which such prominent figures as Andy Summers and Colin Allen had their proper start, and Zoot’s talent as organist and singer made him a smiling luminary on the radar of many a music lover.

That ensemble dented hit-parades with “Big Time Operator” in 1966 before embracing psychedelia and turning into DANTALIAN’S CHARIOT where chart action proved elusive, yet that was not reason enough for Money to agree to join THE ANIMALS – although he would later accept a call from Eric Burdon to be a part of THE NEW ANIMALS and flesh out the sound of their “Every One Of Us” album – as Zoot preferred to be a solo artist and an occasional movie actor. Still, it’s his work as a session player that a lot of listeners are familiar with.

The veteran’s ivories rendered records like Alexis Korner’s "Accidentally Born In New Orleans" and “Dynamite Daze” by Kevin Coyne, with whom Money also appeared on "Rockpalast", like Mike McGear’s "Woman" on which Zoot shared aural space with fellow Hammond driver Brian Auger, like ELLIS’ "Riding On The Crest Of A Slump" and WIDOWMAKER’s eponymous album truly special. In other words, he was an integral part of the rock ‘n’ roll fiber and a magnetic character – an entertainer of the highest order. Farewell, Operator.

September 8, 2024

Category(s): News
Tags: ,

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *