John Patton (July 12, 1935 in Kansas City, Missouri – March 19, 2002 in Montclair, New Jersey), a jazz, blues and R&B pianist and organist, often known by his nickname, Big John Patton, was one of the most in-demand hard bop and soul jazz organists during the golden era of the Hammond B-3 organs between 1963 and 1970.He was a major figure in the development of the funk and blues-rooted jazz style known as soul jazz and is considered a roots player who inspired the acid jazz movement. He recorded extensively for Blue Note, and performed or collaborated with Lloyd Price, Grant Green, Lou Donaldson, and John Zorn. His music evolved to incorporate modal and free jazz, without ever losing the basic, minimalist groove that he brought to it from the beginning