| Simply put,
this is a very decent four-disc collection of the work of guitarist
Grant Green. It features tracks from his many albums as a leader and
some as a sideman with others, such as Lee Morgan, John Patton, Baby
Face Willette, and Sonny Clark. His early-'60s sides are here along with
most of his defining cuts from the '60s, from hard bop to soul-jazz to
ballads to gospel -- everything most fans would ever want is here,
including his late blues sides recorded in the bars of Detroit in 1970.
While Green's own albums can never be replaced, this is a solid portrait
of one of the most influential jazz guitarists in history. |
| Live at Club
Mozambique was, according to Bob Belden's liner notes, rumored to exist
for decades in Blue Note's Grant Green discography, but was never
released. His explanation as to why is satisfactory -- Green's star had
waned considerably -- and makes some sense, but the label had 15
unissued albums by the guitarist by 1971. This date recorded at the
famed Detroit jazz club (Green was living in the city at the time) is
the second such set of grooves to be issued from the club floor --
Lonnie Smith's was the first. The band consists of Idris Muhammad,
Ronnie Foster, Houston Person, and the all but unknown Clarence Thomas,
and the two tenor saxophonists (Thomas also played soprano here) laid
out heavy, deep funk on the tunes that were chosen. |
| Nigeria is an
album by American jazz guitarist Grant Green featuring performances
recorded in 1962 but not released on the Blue Note label until 1980.
Damn great work from guitarist Grant Green – one of his killer sessions
with pianist Sonny Clark – recorded in the early 60s, but unissued until
nearly 20 years later! The groove here is a bit different than some of
Green's early dates with organ – a bit more soulful hardbop at times,
with some great work on rhythm from Sam Jones on bass and Art Blakey on
drums – two great players who complete the group beautifully. The
setting is calm and spare, but very fluid, and all players play with a
brilliant edge – Blakey is excellent, and hearing him on this one makes
you want more of his work as a sideman (which was to diminish greatly
after this recording). |
