Customer Rating: 
Summary: Unsung Hero
Comment: I find Jazz, as a genre, difficult to review. I mean I know why I like a Jazz CD, but getting that over into the written word, especially as I am far from a Jazz critic per se, has proved difficult to me over the years. But I couldn't let the chance of not expressing my delight in this CD pass by, so please excuse my ignorant with regard jazz terms and icons. The first reason why I was drawn to Mr. Grant Green, is, after reading his bio, he seems a un heard of name. I mean I have heard of Charlie Christian, Wes Montgomery, George Benson, and the like, but not Mr. Green. Upon discovering him, I choose this 1965 release to start my education. And what a education it is. As one of my fellow reviewers mentions else where it sounds like he is singing on his guitar playing. You can hear that most clearly on 'Matador'. I feel he was brave to want to venture onto a song that Mr. Coltrane had his own 'My favorite Things. I'll leave it up to you to decide if it holds it's own, but being a Jazz guitar lover, over the saxophone, I must say I prefer the version on offer here.
Things continue in the same vein with' Green Jeans', and 'Bedouin'. Words can't describe the beauty, at least not this reviewer, but trust me here's an artist in full control of his art. If that's not all, we also have the pleasure of the bonus cut 'Wives and Lovers'.
Mr. Green has remained in the shadows of the aforementioned jazz greats (especially Mr. Montgomery) and died in obscurity in 1979, at the age of 43, after battling a drug problem for many years, but left a body of work that all lovers of the jazz guitar should check out & see that he truly was the unsung hero of his generation. This is an excellent place to start. I doubt that you'll be disappointed
Customer Rating:
Summary: Powerful music.
Comment: At the risk of sounding silly...
This album can be likened to those oriental paintings of fierce dragons weaving in and out of the clouds.
It sounds to me like the musicians are riding the same energy and translating it back through their instruments. Of course these guys are great musicans but on this date the music was(is) way greater than the individuals.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Grant Green's Best
Comment: This cd and "Solid" are two of Grant Green's best cd's. Both were recorded with Coltrane's rhythm section, and both are classics. On this one, Grant does his own rendition of "My Favorite Things," and it's great. If you like jazz guitar, this is a must have cd!
Customer Rating:
Summary: Guitar Virtuoso
Comment: The focus on this brilliant record is squarley on Grant Green who plays magnificent guitar throughout this quartet date. The tiltle track "The Matador", "My Favorite Things" and "Wives and Lovers" are the stand outs.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Green light for Grant Green
Comment: Over the last few months I have been buying various CDs featuring Grant Green as leader after hearing him as side man on many sessions. On the whole I have been a bit disappointed. He seems to get lost amongst the organ, or when he improvises he could be described as liking his own sound too much for his combos as though he was playing at a gig.
On this Cd, however, he is completely in balence. Only going too far for 10 seconds in the whole session. This CD was released on vinyl in Japan in the 80's but apart from that rare item, we can only wonder why this was not released at the time of recording. It is a marvellous trip into a liberal, but not free kind of jazz, indeed the enjoyment of the combo improvisations seem tangible, the tracks the right length, and the tunes sometimes harping back to the classics, sometimes original, always at the top of the game. His sidemen are of extremely high quality and the CD xfer sounds well done too.
I cannot recommend this guitar led combo more.
|
