Grant Green "Am I Blue"

[BruceH]

I have to admit, of all the Grant Green albums I have, Am I Blue sounds to me by far the weakest.  But I've only got four or five.

You're in for a real treat, Bruce, when you get around to checking out the others...

Are there any others as good as Idle Moments?

[Stefan Wood]

I really wanted to like this -- but it is just flat. It's been a while though, I think I'll pull it out and give it a listen again.......

[connoisseur series500]

I have to admit, of all the Grant Green albums I have, Am I Blue sounds to me by far the weakest.  But I've only got four or five.

You're in for a real treat, Bruce, when you get around to checking out the others...

Are there any others as good as Idle Moments?

That one is probably the best, but there are some darned good music in the Grant Green catalog.

--Complete quartets with Sonny Clark

--Born to Be Blue

--Solid

--Matador

--I wanna hold your hand

--Street of Dreams (my personal favorite)

--Talkin about

--Latin Bit

And that's just a few going by memory. I've missed a lot of others.

[wesbed]

The first Grant Green I heard was IDLE MOMENTS. I thought it was very good. Since then, I've read (including somewhere on the Organissimo board if I remember correctly), that IDLE MOMENTS may be more of Duke Pearson session than a Grant Green session.

The next Grant Green I heard was AM I BLUE. My disappointment in AM I BLUE caused me to believe, for a while, that Grant Green was over-rated.

Soon I listened to GREEN STREET and had to scream whoohoo! The trio format of GREEN STREET shows Green's talent like nothing else I've heard. I've always liked the title of the first track, 'Number 1 Green Street.' I just think it's a cool name for a song. Grant plays the song every way it can be played-- forward, backward, inside out and upside down.

I've listened to various other Grant Green titles through the years. If I had to pick a favorite jazz guitarist as I type these words it would be Grant Green. To my ears Green is nothing short of incredible in a guitar/organ format. I'm still under whelmed by the monotony offered by Green/Patton and the others on AM I BLUE.

Edited November 30, 2004 by wesbed

[wesbed]

I'm still under whelmed by the monotony offered by Green/Patton and the others on AM I BLUE.

Monotony? Hmmm.... As far as the musicianship and playing goes, not tempo choices, at what point does the monotony begin?

In comparison to other Grant Green sessions, the 'monotony' begins on AM I BLUE, unfortunately, to my ears, on track one.

I will say, though, your initial post in this thread regarding the AM I BLUE session has caused me to listen to AM I BLUE for more than just a second time. I have heard some new things I hadn't heard before. I heard Patton's organ doing things that I hadn't heard it do on previous listens to AM I BLUE. There are some nice notes/styles scattered here and there.

Maybe 'monotony' wasn't the best word to use. Still, these tunes, in comparison to so many other Blue Note sessions, to me, seem lifeless and dogged. Which is difficult to understand when considering the names of the players involved on the AM I BLUE date.

I've questioned myself many times, when listening to the tempo of the tunes on AM I BLUE. I've wondered why the AM I BLUE tunes have the 'lifeless' quality, to me, when the title song on IDLE MOMENTS, which is the same kind of tempo, doesn't seem lifeless? It's a question I've not been able to find an answer to.

[wolff]

I like Am I Blue just fine.

What's very different to me is the style in which they play on this one. It seems unique, especially coming from these musicians and on the Blue Note label. I do not hear it as lack of inspiration or having an off day. They seem to be playing this way on purpose and apparently not to the liking of many. I hear them trying something different from their usual styles. Maybe a musician can add the terms I lack to describe what they are doing different technically. Is it legato they use sparingly?

[wesbed]

When I purchased AM I BLUE, I was expecting more of a standard Blue Note sound, I suppose. More of an uptown, jazzy sound, for lack of a better description. To my surprise, AM I BLUE offered, to me, nuances of a down-home, soulful, churchy, borderline country kind of sound.

I believe wolff makes a good point in mentioning that AM I BLUE is unique coming from the Blue Note label.

[Gary]

Am I Blue seemed just about right at 11:30 pm after consuming most of the contents of a bottle of red .

It didnt sound quite as good the next afternoon at work though.

[Soul Stream]

I do not hear it as lack of inspiration or having an off day. They seem to be playing this way on purpose and apparently not to the liking of many.

Wolff, you make I point I've not come up with the words to say previously!

Green, Patton and Dixon would never give this R&B-flavored material a less than first-rate effort. This is the sort of stuff these guys thrived on musically. Like Green was quoted in his biography....something to the effect of...."let's go across the street and play in the church, that's where it's really happening." My point being that although this is gospel and blues-influenced playing for the most part (ray charles anyone?), this is music these 3 dig deep into. And that's what I hear on this LP, guys digging deep. Soulful playing.

[BruceH]

I have to admit, of all the Grant Green albums I have, Am I Blue sounds to me by far the weakest.  But I've only got four or five.

You're in for a real treat, Bruce, when you get around to checking out the others...

Are there any others as good as Idle Moments?

That one is probably the best, but there are some darned good music in the Grant Green catalog.

--Complete quartets with Sonny Clark

--Born to Be Blue

--Solid

--Matador

--I wanna hold your hand

--Street of Dreams (my personal favorite)

--Talkin about

--Latin Bit

And that's just a few going by memory. I've missed a lot of others.

Well, I've got The Complete Quartets With Sonny Clark (both CD and vinyl), Solid, and Green Street, (in addition to Idle Moments) so I think I've got a good start. Maybe I'll check out Street of Dreams next.

Edited December 1, 2004 by BruceH

[Rooster_Ties]

"Am I Blue" puts me to sleep every time.

[Soul Stream]

"Am I Blue" puts me to sleep every time.

Yes, beautiful music has that ability.

[scottb]

I was disappointed by this one when I first heard it.

It just doesn't seem authentic. Almost like they read a book about how to play gospel music but never got a chance to experience it themselves. It just always sounded "corny" to me.

[Soul Stream]

I was disappointed by this one when I first heard it.

It just doesn't seem authentic. Almost like they read a book about how to play gospel music but never got a chance to experience it themselves. It just always sounded "corny" to me.

Grant Green, John Patton and Ben Dixon "pretending" to be gospel musicians..... To each his own, but I'd say these three are probably the 3 least likely jazz musicians to ever 'pretend' to play gospel. I mean Grant did a whole LP called "Feeling The Spirit." And if you ever want to hear some good gospel organ playing by John Patton, check out "Holy Ghost" on Lou Donaldson's "Good Gracious" LP. Larry Goldings and Peter Bernstein might come off as inauthentic in this setting, not Patton and Green imho.

[Big Al]

Wow, I guess this album is second only to Hubbard’s Night of the Cookers in terms of ongoing debate.

This album puts me to sleep as well, but in a good way. The mood is very relaxing.

I can see how people would be disappointed in this album if they were expecting something along the lines of The Natural Soul; ah well, to each their own. But I agree with Soul Stream: this is gospel-flavored R&B at its finest.

TO address an earlier question of some good Green to get, I would HIGHLY recommend getting the four-disc Retrospective (join BMG and get it free, or get it cheap anyway if you’re already a member). There’s a sampling of ALL of his best albums, and from there you can decide which avenues to pursue!

[scottb]

I guess that was my point of disappointment. These musicians can certainly play that gospel, R&B, soul jazz as well as anyone and do on many occasions but for some reason this one seems strained to me.

I will admit that this thread inspired me to listen again this morning and it really wasn't as bad as I remembered. I guess first impressions are hard to overcome. I remember on first listening I thought the second track was the worst song I had ever heard. Without it, I don't think my first impression would have have been so bad. My dislike for it was probably more disappintment that it wasn't as funky as I had expected rather than actually poor performance.

Edited December 3, 2004 by scottb

[Soul Stream]

I've been listening to this session a lot lately too because of this thread. I do understand people's dislike for this session, especially initially. As I said previously, it was mine as well. Not until several years later did I become a huge fan of "Am I Blue." This happened mainly because I went back and relistened without expectations of a hard bop jazz session. I am glad that it's made many take another objective listen, whether or not it's changed minds. Always good to listen more closely to ANY Blue Note date imho. Alfred must have issued it for a reason. Especially considering the many shelved dates we know of that are very, very good.

[danasgoodstuff]

I don't usually feel compelled to pile on and say "me too" on threads like this one, but I think this one particularly illustrates the truism that you gotta listen to what's actually there instead of what you think should be there/was gonna be there. Also, I think it may be hard for younger listeners to get what this particular one is because the musical/cultural context that it made sense in has changed so much. Glad that I can more or less agree with Big Al here; this is nice in it's own way/for what it is. I might even include "for all We Know" in the GG mix tape in my head...

[DrJ]

I still feel like people in various camps are shouting over different chasms rather than over the same one.

I too revisited the recording due to this post, and...

To reiterate: my position is that I do occasionally enjoy AM I BLUE? and don't think it's a total dud by any means, nor would I part with it. But after multiple listens (and with the context that I'm someone who has pretty darn catholic tastes, which include a dedicated place for sessions with this type of mood and vibe), AM I BLUE? remains a dissapointment.

Age, expectations, and the alignment of the planets have nothing to do with it.

Edited December 3, 2004 by DrJ

[danasgoodstuff]

DrJ,

I think your "shouting over different chasms" metaphor efinitely has some truth to it, here and elsewhere. But I'm not sure how you can say that "age, expectations..." have noting to do with it unless you actually know what everyone's age, expectations and thought processes actually are/were...maybe my chasm's half full and yours is half empty?

dana

[Big Al]

To reiterate: my position is that I do occasionally enjoy AM I BLUE? and don't think it's a total dud by any means, nor would I part with it. But after multiple listens (and with the context that I'm someone who has pretty darn catholic tastes, which include a dedicated place for sessions with this type of mood and vibe), AM I BLUE? remains a dissapointment.

How can I disagree with a guy whose child/avatar is so darn cute?

You know, you could always rock the little tyke to sleep with this CD!

[DrJ]

danasgoodstuff Posted: Dec 3 2004, 05:07 PM  

I think your "shouting over different chasms" metaphor efinitely has some truth to it, here and elsewhere. But I'm not sure how you can say that "age, expectations..." have noting to do with it unless you actually know what everyone's age, expectations and thought processes actually are/were...maybe my chasm's half full and yours is half empty?

dana

Well, YOU brought up the idea that it was somehow hard for younger people to get into this type of recording. Not only is there no good evidence I can see that this is actually the case, if that's not making an assumption about motivation for people's comments, then what the heck is?

For my part, I have no such illusions - for all I know, teenagers might love this music while old fogeys like me don't. All I was saying was that for me, age, expectations, etc have nothing to do with it.

Again, YOU made the point, I would never presume to try and explain why people do or do not warm to a recording, so - huh?

Big Al - THANKS for the nice comments about my little one - he seems to dig traditional New Orleans style jazz most at this point, so maybe a nice regal Satchmo ballad for bedtime!

Edited December 3, 2004 by DrJ

[danasgoodstuff]

Just suggesting a possibility for discussion, oh well...

[DrJ]

danasgoodstuff Posted: Dec 3 2004, 05:34 PM 

Just suggesting a possibility for discussion, oh well... 

Oh, PLEASE...

[Ed S]

I've revisited this one more than a few times since I spotted this thread. I really do not like "Take These Chains From My Heart" at all. I do enjoy the rest of the album though. Laid back, late night listening probably nails it for me - along the lines of Blue Hour as some have mentioned. Maybe I'll burn a copy for myself without Chains.