Jump to content

Grant Green: under-estimated as Jazz artist, and Blue Note to blame?


Milestones

Recommended Posts

10 hours ago, Dub Modal said:

By chance I came across this discogs review of Sunday Mornin' by Jenell Kesler(?), which somewhat parallels the original post of this thread. 

"Norman Weinstein said of the record, “Green had the misfortune of being saddled by his record company with painfully stupid concept albums that may have contributed to his depression and drug abuse. Imagine if Impulse Records had asked Archie Shepp to do a country and western collection or a cliche-laden gospel set? Green suffered these indignities and more. Sunday Mornin' suggests just how consistently great he would have been if Blue Note had permitted him to do no-nonsense, mainstream jazz sessions.” As to this comment, I can see both sides, yet we all don’t become drug addicted because of our jobs, and Green could have easily refused to lay down these tracks, and no, I don’t think this Sunday Mornin’ is a shining hour for Grant Green."

There's more at the link. I have no idea if this critique is accurate at all. 

I think Weinstein is fantasizing to fit his narrative.  Goin' West is an utterly joyful record, most likely inspired by Sonny's Way Out West.  And Archie Shepp's gospel album Goin' Home is one of the best things in his discography, as is 4 for Trane which may very well have been Impulse's idea.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 117
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

2 minutes ago, danasgoodstuff said:

I think Weinstein is fantasizing to fit his narrative.  Goin' West is an utterly joyful record, most likely inspired by Sonny's Way Out West.  And Archie Shepp's gospel album Goin' Home is one of the best things in his discography, as is 4 for Trane which may very well have been Impulse's idea.

THIS!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, Ken Dryden said:

I would rather listen to any of Grant Green’s recordings made for Alfred Lion than the post-Lion funk made after Blue Note was sold.

While I generally prefer the earlier era, I wouldn't go that far - I'd take most of the later era over Am I Blue.  I particularly enjoy Green is Beautiful and all of the live dates made for BN.  And comparisons like that seem pointless to me, the only real question to me is do I enjoy something enough to buy and keep a hard copy around the house.  There might be two albums under Grant's name where I would answer 'no' to that question.  More interesting to me is my observation that I really only hear one guy playing across all of Grant's various eras and settings.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, danasgoodstuff said:

While I generally prefer the earlier era, I wouldn't go that far - I'd take most of the later era over Am I Blue.

I think Am I Blue might be just about THE sleepiest jazz record I’ve ever heard.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Rooster_Ties said:

I think Am I Blue might be just about THE sleepiest jazz record I’ve ever heard.

It took me awhile to "get" it. But I finally did.

I would now substitute "super chill" for "sleepy".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, danasgoodstuff said:

The only real question to me is do I enjoy something enough to buy and keep a hard copy around the house.  There might be two albums under Grant's name where I would answer 'no' to that question. 

The Main Attraction and Easy?  Those are the two I have chosen not to own.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, felser said:

The Main Attraction and Easy?  Those are the two I have chosen not to own.

I actually own both of those, although they aren't big favorites, I was thinking Final Comedown (where he hardly gets to play) and the first of the two Revenant live titles.

22 minutes ago, JSngry said:

It took me awhile to "get" it. But I finally did.

I would now substitute "super chill" for "sleepy".

Idle Moments is 'chill', Am I Blue barely has a pulse, IMHO YMMV etc.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, danasgoodstuff said:

I was thinking Final Comedown (where he hardly gets to play) and the first of the two Revenant live titles.

I forgot about Final Comedown - I also have passed on that one, especially at the prices it goes for.  It's really a Wade Marcus soundtrack album, and I haven't heard it in 45 years,  I like the Resonance sides.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, felser said:

I forgot about Final Comedown - I also have passed on that one, especially at the prices it goes for.  It's really a Wade Marcus soundtrack album, and I haven't heard it in 45 years,  I like the Resonance sides.

I found them to be decidedly a mixed bag, but I'll possibly pick them up if I see them cheap when I've got $ in my pocket.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, danasgoodstuff said:

I found them to be decidedly a mixed bag, but I'll possibly pick them up if I see them cheap when I've got $ in my pocket.

That's how I got them, the label had a sale a few years ago, about which some board member notified us.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The more I listen to Green the more I think that the main reason he does those repetitive riffs and runs is that he is mimicking horns and even horn sections. I listened to "Oh Baby" this morning and there are portions where Green and Patton are emulating sections in a swing orchestra backing the soloists and where Green's chords do so as well for Patton and other soloists. And Green's own solos sound as if they are structured and shaped similar to a saxophonist's.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

His first gig was playing Gospel. He played in bar bands in St. Louis until he was 28. He was living in a racially segregated culture. It's not hyperbole to say that he played American Black Music (varieties of which there are many) and never did otherwise.

As that man says, do the math.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.

×
×
  • Create New...