kenny weir Posted August 7, 2003 Report Posted August 7, 2003 I own quite a few Grant Green albums and albums on which he plays, but far from all. Until quite recently I would have named Idle Moments as his greatest recording. Fine as it is, though, it is more of ensemble thing, with Green sharing the limelight with others, particularly Joe Henderson. Green Street has been on very high rotation at our joint for a few weeks now. I just love it to pieces. The sound is just so big and warm and open. The interplay with Ben Dixon and Dave Bailey is subtle yet swigning and ON. Is the Standards album as good? I'm looking forward to Grandstand. Quote
Rooster_Ties Posted August 7, 2003 Report Posted August 7, 2003 Hands down, my favorite Grant Green album is "Solid". But there are many Green albums that are nearly as good - probably at least 1/4th of his entire BN catalog. Quote
connoisseur series500 Posted August 7, 2003 Report Posted August 7, 2003 Grant Green was one of those incredibly consistent musicians. My personal favorite is "Street of Dreams," but there are many others that are great as well. To name a few: "Solid," "I Wanna Hold your Hand," "Born to be Blue," "Complete quartets with Sonny Clark," "Matador," "Grantstand," "Talking Bout." The list is endless. Quote
danasgoodstuff Posted August 7, 2003 Report Posted August 7, 2003 I don't think the band 'gells' quite as well on Standards; and while the playing is certainly v. good on a moment to moment basis, it doesn't quite add up to a great album for me. Well worth getting but best approached without unrealistic expectations... Quote
BruceH Posted August 7, 2003 Report Posted August 7, 2003 Green Street and Solid are my two favorite Grant Green albums lately! (Aside from the Sonny Clark stuff, that is.) Quote
Jazzdog Posted August 7, 2003 Report Posted August 7, 2003 Grant Green Hoooooo doggie, where to start. Or perhaps more importantly, where to stop (though conventional wisdom would surely say, "About 1969")! I fluctuate between Solid and Idle Moments as my favs so far. Anything he did with John Patton or Larry Young is also strong!!!! Not to mention the Sonny Clark sides...aww hell!!! Beautiful stuff. Quote
pryan Posted August 7, 2003 Report Posted August 7, 2003 GREEN STREET is a mighty fine album, that's for sure. I find that I dig Grant's playing on standards a lot, moreso that "original" material. Love those versions of "Round Midnight" and "Alone Together". So for me, I guess the COMPLETE QUARTETS WITH SONNY CLARK is my "favorite" Green, at least of what I've heard. That STANDARDS album is high on my list of stuff to get. Quote
DrJ Posted August 7, 2003 Report Posted August 7, 2003 (edited) I'm with Rooster Ties, SOLID is my favorite Green - I sure wish he would have played in that bag and in that kind of company (and on those types of tunes) more often. After that, TALKIN' ABOUT and the other dates with Larry Young are next on my list - a match made in heaven, with Elvin on TALKIN' giving that one just a little more edge ("I'm an Old Cowhand" - ah, give me that one on the proverbial desert island). And then next for me are the dates with Sonny Clark, and then IDLE MOMENTS, MATADOR, and GOIN' WEST. All this is desert island material for me. The rest are all great - GREEN STREET, STANDARDS, GRANTSTAND, SUNDAY MORNIN', FEELIN' THE SPIRIT, BLUES FOR LOU, and his later years material - but not at quite the level of the "first grouping" for me. I enjoy GREEN STREET, very fine stuff, but honestly it's a little TOO open and spare for my liking, to the point of being a little on the boring side. Green has great ideas and plays well, but the accompaniment borders on the metronomic, and because Green is so much into the single-note style, I long for a little more filling in with some well-placed chords. STANDARDS lacks even the edge GREEN STREET has - again enjoyable, I listen to it quite often, but it's not up to the same standard as GREEN STREET and neither would top my personal fave list. Prediction: when GOIN' WEST comes out in a remastered version, that one is gonna move toward the top of a lot of lists. Superb. Like an even better execution of the type of thing they went for on FEELIN' THE SPIRIT (with Country in place of spirituals). But then again, to me Green never made a truly bad album. I even enjoy the later BNs (with GREEN IS BEAUTIFUL a personal fave). Edited August 7, 2003 by DrJ Quote
pryan Posted August 7, 2003 Report Posted August 7, 2003 Another good one, IMHO, with Elvin and Larry on board (and Hank Mobley), is I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND. Sure, some might want to write it off because of the more pop-oriented title track, but there's some damn fine playing by all of the musicians. They do a version of "Stella by Starlight" also, which is one of my favorite tunes. Quote
Jim Alfredson Posted August 21, 2003 Report Posted August 21, 2003 Oh yeah... diggin' on an mp3 of "Fancy Free" on my computer (how'd that get there) from the Live at the Lighthouse record with my man Vibrations on drums! Fun stuff... Quote
jazzbo Posted August 21, 2003 Report Posted August 21, 2003 "Feelin' the Spirit" is the one for me. Quote
Guy Berger Posted May 26, 2005 Report Posted May 26, 2005 I wouldn't say it's his best, but I listened to it yesterday for the first time in a few years and it's pretty darn good. Grant's limitations as a guitarist are a little more exposed than usual in this setting, but the music turned out excellent in the end. Guy Quote
sidewinder Posted May 27, 2005 Report Posted May 27, 2005 The stuff with Larry Young and Sonny Clark is amazing (the Clark/Green Mosaic is musical heaven) but not to forget the very fine sessions with George Braith. Some of Grant's finest playing on the Braith Blue Notes. Quote
John L Posted May 27, 2005 Report Posted May 27, 2005 Grant Green made a lot of good ones. If I had to choose one, it would be the first disc of the Complete Quartets with Sonny Clark. It don't get much better than that. Quote
jbs-tom Posted May 27, 2005 Report Posted May 27, 2005 "Feelin the Spirit" - it's so wonderful and soulful but i think he has also some great funky groove sides rec for blue note like "alive" or "carryin on" or "live at the lighthouse"... also very fine the japan only release "matador" Quote
Jazz Kat Posted May 27, 2005 Report Posted May 27, 2005 NAH-jee! I dig I Want To Hold Your Hand. It's odd, I know... Quote
Soulstation1 Posted July 18, 2005 Report Posted July 18, 2005 i need to buy solid, borders has 2 copies in stock ss1 Quote
Hardbopjazz Posted July 20, 2005 Report Posted July 20, 2005 i need to buy solid, borders has 2 copies in stock ss1 ← Plus Boarders buy 3 get the 4 one free sale. http://f.chtah.com/i/9/276579820/071905_coupon.htm Quote
ralphie_boy Posted July 20, 2005 Report Posted July 20, 2005 "Feelin' the Spirit" is the one for me. ← Love that one too! I'm also partial to MATADOR and IWTHYH. I like GRANT'S FIRST STAND also. Quote
J Larsen Posted July 21, 2005 Report Posted July 21, 2005 I like Sunday Monrnin' and Solid. To be perfectly honest, Green Street isn't a favorite of mine. Quote
marcoliv Posted July 21, 2005 Report Posted July 21, 2005 i think Green Street is fantastic Street Dreams is one that i'm constantly visiting and after each audition i'm more convinced that it's a wonderful record. what a great lineup too Marcus Quote
Kalo Posted July 21, 2005 Report Posted July 21, 2005 I'm still in the Idle Moments camp. Though the Sonny Clark stuff comes close. I need to listen to Street of Dreams some more. This thread provides the perfect occasion. Quote
Kalo Posted July 21, 2005 Report Posted July 21, 2005 (edited) Just listened to Street of Dreams again, as promised. Nice record, but with that instrumental line-up and the tunes they play, it all sounds a bit too "loungey" for peak flavor, IMHO. Don't get me wrong. Those are GREAT players and that is ONE HIP LOUNGE; and if it was in my neighborhood I would be a regular. Still, I'll stick with Idle Moments, which is simply a great record, and an undersung one to boot. Edited July 21, 2005 by Kalo Quote
Kalo Posted July 21, 2005 Report Posted July 21, 2005 I will say that Street of Dreams sports the hippest Charles Trenet cover this side of Barney Wilen's Jazz sur Seine. Quote
_forumlogo.png.a607ef20a6e0c299ab2aa6443aa1f32e.png)
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.