Search - Grant Green :: Retrospective

Take a deep breath - then buy it!

Dr.D.Treharne | Exeter, Devon, United Kingdom | 12/10/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In calling it " Retrospective 1961-66 " Blue Note have left themselves the options of picking up a different thread where this collection stops.Most Green fanatics will have a number of these tracks, but there is more than enough culled from sessions that Green appeared on both as leader and sessioneer, to make it a "must have" set.Favourites are, as always with this amount of material, difficult to pick. Currently I like "Boop Bop Bing Bash" from a George Braith session,The version of Miles Davis' " So what" from the album "Sunday Mornin'"," The other part of town" from Horace Parlan's "Up and down" and the Stanley Turrentine version of "The lamp is low" from the album "Z T Blues". What is emphasised across this number of tracks is how good Green was at fitting in to whatever the unit that he was playing with, and how fresh the takes are on so many of " the standards" (take a listen to "My favourite things" from the album "Matador" as an example).Incidentally if you like organ driven tracks Disk 1 makes this an absolutely crucial buy, with Green pitching against a plethora of B3 bashers in a range of styles. I was given this as a present, but having listened to it all, I wouldn't have any hesitation in rushing out and buying it before ( as will inevitably happen!) Blue Note delete it."

Superb soul jazz guitar!

J. E FELL | Carterville, Illinois United States | 04/09/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Grant Green was a jazz guitarist from St. Louis. Since I live only a couple of hours from St. Louis I have become somewhat of a fan. Green while perhaps not as well known as some his contemporaries like Wes Montgomery, Kenny Burrell or George Benson became the house guitarist for Blue Note recording sessions during the sixties. His recorded work is equal to if not better than the aforementioned guitarists. This four disk set covers the years 1961-1966. It omits material from his second stint with Blue Note which was much funkier and more commerial but still worthwhile. The four disk set is useful because it not only features material from dates cut under his own name but also contains rare material from the many sessions he did for others. The first 2 disks cover his work with an array of Hammond B-3 organ players. These 2 disks contain work with great B-3 organists like Jimmy Smith, Jack McDuff, Big John Patton, Larry Young & the underrated Baby Face Willette. Tracks like "Blues For Willarenne", "Let 'Em Roll" and "Talkin' About J.C." illustrate Green's expertise at playing blues, groove & more adventerous music all within the organ format. Green formed an excellent trio with organist Big John Patton and drummer Ben Dixon. They cut a number of sessions together sometimes with other musicians added and under a variety of leaders. Most of these sessions are out of print but they are uniformly excellent and worth searching out. The third and fourth disks contain material that is more straight ahead jazz and less groove oriented. Disk three contains excellent versions of Miles Davis' "So What" and "My Favorite Things" utilizing Elvin Jones and McCoy Tyner from John Coltrane's band that recorded perhaps the definitive version of the song. Green also recorded a number of theme albums during the sixties that focused on Latin music "Besame Mucho", Western cover tunes "I Can't Stop Loving You", and spirituals "Go Down Moses" which prove to be interesting. The last disk focuses on his work with various horn players. Most of the material on this disk comes from his various sessions for others. Standouts include Hank Mobley's "Uh Huh", "Back In Your Own Backyard" with Ike Quebec, "Morgan The Pirate" with Lee Morgan and Wayne Shorter and Duke Pearson's "Minor League" with Joe Henderson. Able support is also provided by such pianists and Herbie Hancock, Sonny Clark, Horace Parlan and Bobby Hutcherson on vibes. Green was much in demand as a sideman because he had the uncanny abililty to know when to step forward to add something to session without overplaying and also the value of understatement and holding back a little bit. Green is especially adept at blues and ballads. His playing is both fluid and funky and is filled with emotion. Although Green battled the demons of drugs and alcohol which eventually ended his life at too early an age, the problems are not evident on the tracks appearing here. The 32 page booklet contains background and session information about the tracks included and also contains a discography of Green's work for Blue Note from 1961-1966 and contains some high quality photos from the sessions included in the set. Fans of jazz guitar can not go wrong with this set. It will convert you into a fan of St. Louis' own Grant Green."

A must-have for any aspiring guitarist

J. Auth | Pittsburgh, PA | 03/25/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'm a college student currently majoring in jazz guitar performance. Other than Hendrix, Grant Green is my favorite guitarist of all time. His playing is as crazy and melodic as Parker and Coltrane, but it's as smooth as Miles Davis and BB King. I think Grant was one of the most underrated guitarists ever. The Retrospective Box Set may seem pricey, but it's worth every penny. It's a brilliant look at Grant's emotional ballads and funky, bebop blues. Plus, he puts his own spin on some classics. I honestly like his version of "so What" even better than the original. So for any guitarist young or old that wants to hear how a Gibson hollowbody is supposed to be played. Listen to Grant Green."