Gigi Gryce

[Tom 1960]

I've been listening to the excellent archived programs by "Ghost Of Miles" of Gigi Gryce. I did a search to see if there has been any substantial discussion of Gigi in the past. While there are a number of threads, very little serious discussion. Underappreciated artist? I was curious because only recently I've become interested in his recordings. After listening to David's program, my interest is peaked. How about it guys? I'm very interested in reading your thoughts. Thanks.

Edited January 27, 2008 by Tom 1960

[Guest Bill Barton]

Quick answer is: Yes!

And be sure to check out the Noal Cohen/Michael Fitzgerald bio Rat Race Blues if you haven't already.

[seeline]

Quick answer is: Yes!

Ditto here, though it's been a while since I last listened to him. Time to go digging in the stacks, I guess! (For Tadd Dameron, too.)

[jlhoots]

The New Jazz albums are all worthwhile.

[street singer]

Grab those OJC's before they're gone!

[BillF]

Three Lone Hill vols of Donald Byrd/Gigi Gryce Jazz Lab material are currently available.

[Big Beat Steve]

I second the vote for the Byrd/Gryce Jazz Lab albums.

And then there is his album on Signal (later Savoy) as well as "When Famer met Gryce".

A particular favorite of mine (though slighted by some) is his work with Clifford Brown on those 1953 Paris sessions.

Gryce always had a knack of coming up with very ear-catching arrangements.

[John L]

Grab those OJC's before they're gone!

Yes! That working band with Richard Wiliams, Richard Wyands, and Mickey Roker was really beatiful.

I agree that Gigi Gryce seems to be under-appreciated. He had it all: composing, arranging, band leading, and a very distinctive approach to the alto sax.

[BillF]

Yes, When Farmer Met Gryce is nice.

Gryce is in very exalted company on Monk's Music (OJC/Riverside). Not just Thelonious, but Coltrane, Hawkins and Blakey, too.

[Tom 1960]

I found it very interesting when Gryce retired from jazz in the early 60's to become a music teacher, he completely cut his ties with the jazz world. So much so, his 2'nd wife didn't even know he was at one time a jazz musician.

[T.D.]

Gryce was a big (one of the biggest) discovery for me during '07, though I'd of course been familiar with Monk's Music. I also find him an excellent arranger, and am inclined to get any album featuring Gryce for that reason.

Meaning to read the bio mentioned above (very interesting life story), but haven't gotten around to it.

Mal-1 (Waldron), with Gryce and which I recommend, just so happens to be playing now. In case you don't have it yet, I strongly recommend the Art Farmer Quintet (OJC) with Gigi Gryce; slightly prefer this to When Farmer Met Gryce, though both are excellent. I have ethical problems re. purchasing Lonehill and that ilk, but the OJC Jazz Lab album I have is primo.

[sidewinder]

Another big for the small-group material Gryce recorded with Brownie in Paris for Vogue. 'Strictly Romantic' etc. Still wonderfully fresh !

Not forgetting the arrangements either for Lee Morgan on his early Blue Notes.

Edited January 27, 2008 by sidewinder

[JohnS]

Definitely yes, the Jazz Labs are among my favourites but I'm especially fond of the side with Monk on Savoy.

[Larry Kart]

Some of the nicest Gryce is on Dutch accordionist Mat Mathews' Dawn album "The Modern Art of Jazz," with Art Farmer, Dick Katz, Oscar Pettiford, and Kenny Clarke. Mmmm -- Pettiford and Clarke. And Mathews was a nice player. Just a beautifully relaxed date, though it doesn't take up the whole album. It's available here:

http://www.freshsoundrecords.com/catalogue...label_id=10#874

[garthsj]

Some of the nicest Gryce is on Dutch accordionist Mat Mathews' Dawn album "The Modern Art of Jazz," with Art Farmer, Dick Katz, Oscar Pettiford, and Kenny Clarke. Mmmm -- Pettiford and Clarke. And Mathews was a nice player. Just a beautifully relaxed date, though it doesn't take up the whole album. It's available here:

http://www.freshsoundrecords.com/catalogue...label_id=10#874

As usual I agree with Larry about the Mat Mathews album. However, there is one really fine Gigi Gryce Quartet album with Hank Jones, Milt Hinton, and Osie Johnson on Metrojazz (S) E1006 (1958) that sorely needs reissuing. I have never even seen this available as a Japanese reissue ... my LP is long gone unfortunately.

[Larry Kart]

....However, there is one really fine Gigi Gryce Quartet album with Hank Jones, Milt Hinton, and Osie Johnson on Metrojazz (S) E1006 (1958) that sorely needs reissuing. I have never even seen this available as a Japanese reissue ... my LP is long gone unfortunately.

Never even heard of that one. I'm interested.

[ghost of miles]

REMINISCIN' is a very good album also worthy of CD reissue--and almost the last time one hears Gryce on record, I believe. (My copy of RAT RACE BLUES is at the office...and btw, that book seems to be getting rather scarce these days, so grab it if you see it anywhere...unless that anywhere is my office.) Mike and Noal's bio makes a strong case for Gryce not only as player and writer, but also as an early advocate of musicians controlling and owning the music that they write.

Re: collaborations with Monk, the session that came out on the mini-LP NICA'S TEMPO is another one well worth picking up.

Links for anybody interested in the Night Lights programs that Tom mentioned:

Gigi Gryce, Part 1: Social Call

Gigi Gryce, Part 2: Rat Race Blues

[Chas]

....However, there is one really fine Gigi Gryce Quartet album with Hank Jones, Milt Hinton, and Osie Johnson on Metrojazz (S) E1006 (1958) that sorely needs reissuing. I have never even seen this available as a Japanese reissue ... my LP is long gone unfortunately.

Never even heard of that one. I'm interested.

That one's noteworthy both for its rarity ( I only have a cassette copy ) and for the opportunity it affords to hear Gryce on clarinet , tenor and baritone . While I enjoy the playing on the Metrojazz and the Mercury mentioned above , I get more enjoyment out of some of Gryce's earlier recordings , most especially those done with Art Farmer . Don't know whether that's a function of having been exposed to those first , but that's always a possibility isn't it ?

Here's the cover of the Metrojazz :

And as long as we're talking rare Gryce , did someone from this community take possession of those rare Gryce acetates discussed here ?

[ghost of miles]

I think Gryce also plays clarinet on a track from the Oscar Pettiford album ANOTHER ONE.

[garthsj]

I think Gryce also plays clarinet on a track from the Oscar Pettiford album ANOTHER ONE.

You are right, Sir! Both Gigi Gryce and Jerome Richardson are featured on clarinets on Mary Lou Williams's tune "Scorpio" ... This is a GREAT album (recently reissued on Fresh Sound), but playing it always makes me rather sad ... For fifteen years I used the "Bohema After Dark" from this album as my theme song for my radio radio, "The Sounds Of Jazz" ... I used to get lots of calls about that theme. Maybe I am biased, but I like this version better than the one that Cannonball did.

Edited January 28, 2008 by garthsj

[ghost of miles]

Ah, that's why I remember it--I used "Scorpio" on a program about MLW's Zodiac Suite. That's one of the few instances of somebody else interpreting anything from the suite... at least, in the years and decades immediately following MLW's recording of it.

[Peter Friedman]

I received this CD in the mail a couple of days ago:

The Rein de Graaff Trio with Herb Geller & John Marshall - Blue Lights : The Music Of Gigi Gryce -

Blue Jack 042

[alocispepraluger102]

....However, there is one really fine Gigi Gryce Quartet album with Hank Jones, Milt Hinton, and Osie Johnson on Metrojazz (S) E1006 (1958) that sorely needs reissuing. I have never even seen this available as a Japanese reissue ... my LP is long gone unfortunately.

Never even heard of that one. I'm interested.

....nor can i find my copy.

[Kalo]

Gryce is nice!

[BillF]

Gryce was a big (one of the biggest) discovery for me during '07, though I'd of course been familiar with Monk's Music. I also find him an excellent arranger, and am inclined to get any album featuring Gryce for that reason.

Meaning to read the bio mentioned above (very interesting life story), but haven't gotten around to it.

Mal-1 (Waldron), with Gryce and which I recommend, just so happens to be playing now. In case you don't have it yet, I strongly recommend the Art Farmer Quintet (OJC) with Gigi Gryce; slightly prefer this to When Farmer Met Gryce, though both are excellent. I have ethical problems re. purchasing Lonehill and that ilk, but the OJC Jazz Lab album I have is primo.

Have now bought the OJC Farmer Quartet with Gryce and, I agree, it has the edge on When Farmer Met Gryce, partly due to the very swinging presence of Philly Joe Jones , who by this time (late 1955) was truly on form and with the classic Miles Davis Quintet. Thanks for the recommendation.