This groovy guitarist recorded inward a multifariousness of settings together with concepts during his years at Blue Note. Am I Blue featured the perennial trio of Green, organist John Patton together with drummer Ben Dixon amongst the trumpet of Johnny Coles together with the tenor saxophone of newcomer Joe Henderson.
What makes this album hence odd inward Green's canon is that the entire album is inward a soulful, atmospheric ballad groove. The cloth ranges from the blues ballad "Sweet Slumber" to the province vocal "Take These Chains From My Heart", but the subsequently hours mood that these men create is never broken. This is the outset appearance of this album on CD.
AM I BLUE features the classic Green/Patton/Dixon ensemble addition Johnny Cole together with Joe Henderson on horns inward a delightful yet unusually position dorsum vain. The gospel influence inward John's playing is particularly evident on this recording, equally is his minimalist philosophy. (If yous don't stimulate got to play it, don't) Ironically, inward his latter years, due to a foreign accident amongst a machine jack which would hurt a tendon inward his mitt he would non stimulate got purpose of his pinky together with 4th finger, yet could soundless create some of the richest together with virtually amazing connections on the organ likewise equally prepare rattling rich together with lucid solo ideas ! The showstopper on the CD is the calorie-free together with bouncy FOR ALL WE KNOW... Of course, Johnny Coles together with a hence newcomer together with relatively unknown Joe Henderson definitely teach their give-and-take in, but it is amazing to hear John's passing chords behind them. Grant Green typically lays out, listening, listening, listening, listening (which is what a soloist needs to last doing when his other bandmates are playing... non playing over them, or asset coversations, but listening together with taking inward the dialogue). Finally, Grant comes inward together with is equally crisp, melodious together with swinging together with used human face him to be... throwing inward a few surprise left hooks equally well! - - Last give-and-take goes to John... who inward plough non exclusively takes a good crafted unmarried banking concern notation solo, but digs downwardly amongst a existent nifty squall chorus likewise (though admittedly I volition e'er stimulate got to acknowledge that Johnny Hammond Smith together with Wild Bill volition e'er stimulate got him crunch on that.) With Ben Dixon inward his corner, however, he does accept it dwelling quite masterfully ! of note: That's the i matter that distinguishes a Grant Green session from i of those sessions where people are trying to re-create such a session - - yous tin actually say the players are listening to each other, providing a lot of infinite together with responding to i another's ideas! True Jazz masters are at their best non when they're showing off what they know... but when they're actually listening together with responding to what's going on simply about them. Then magic occurs, equally was the historical illustration of John Coltrane's layer of audio discovery.
If yous similar Grant Green, yous know what to human face from this album: a GREAT recording. Sure, it's non THAT unique from others simply about the fourth dimension but it is past times no agency a bad album. There aren't whatsoever bonus tracks or alternate takes (like many of the other RVG remasters) but the album is impossible to detect on vinyl hence that's forgiveable; practically the exclusively electrical load I stimulate got amongst it. Don't last fooled past times snobbery.
Track listing:
"Am I Blue" (Harry Akst, Grant Clarke) - 6:56
"Take These Chains from My Heart" (Hy Heath, Fred Rose) - 6:12
"I Wanna Be Loved" (Johnny Green, Edward Heyman, Billy Rose) - 7:39
"Sweet Slumber" (Lucky Millinder, Al J. Neiburg, Henri Woode) - 7:17
"For All We Know" (J. Fred Coots, Sam M. Lewis) - 13:59
Personnel:
Grant Green - guitar
Johnny Coles - trumpet
Joe Henderson - tenor saxophone
"Big" John Patton - organ
Ben Dixon - drums
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