Grant Green - Grantstand

ORIGINATION Street Funk & Jazz Grooves: The Best Of Grant Green
LAST LISTENED TO a few days ago
CHANCE OF WAKING TO IT fair
RATING

It was one of jazz guitarist Green's early signature tunes, from his initial Blue Note period when he was more bop than funk. The tune is an uptempo number of around eight minutes, featuring solos from all the main participants.

Up first is Green, who plays in his usual spare manner. It's a pretty nice example of his cool soloing and it is backed by some fine organ comping. Yusef Lateef takes a tenor sax solo next that is very much in a bop vein. It's competent but is not particularly special. Lastly, Brother Jack McDuff is up with his organ. For me his solo is the most exciting of the three, but then i always have a soft spot for some nice organ.

It's all fine if you like this sort of thing, but if you don't it'll end up as wallpaper at best.

Grant Green - It's Your Thing

ORIGINATION The Lost Grooves (v/a Blue Note)
LAST LISTENED TO yesterday
CHANCE OF WAKING TO IT fairly good probably
RATING

Grant Green was one of the most notable guitarists on Blue Note Records during the early '60s, recording over 20 albums in the first half of that decade. His easy-sounding style of playing and habit of recording with organists meant his music became very popular on the soul jazz scene. Sadly his prolific output slipped somewhat towards the end of the decade due to a drug habit, which was to ultimately help bring about his early demise in '78.

However, before that sad event he made a return to Blue Note, with a slightly altered style that was moving more towards jazz-funk. This track, a cover of the Isley Brothers hit, was an out-take from his strongest LP of the period, 1970s Alive!.

Green plays in his usual laid back style and although he takes some fine solos, his style is somewhat over-shadowed by both Ronnie Foster on organ and Claude Bartee on trumpet, both of whose solos posess more fire than Greens. To be fair, this may be because Green solos first, but it is probably more to do with contrasting styles and on this track it is not his that stands out. No doubt the reason why this wasn't put out on the original album.

A final mention must be made to the ever-great Idris Muhammad on drums, whose hard, funky rhythms really dominate the track. He is supported by some conga and, apparently, vibes, although you'd be forgiven for not noticing them as they are buried deep in the mix. I never noticed them 'til i looked at the personnel listing.