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Grant's First Stand
Grant Green
Grant's First Stand
Genres: Jazz, Pop
 
  •  Track Listings (6) - Disc #1

Grant Green first came to Blue Note founder Alfred Lion's attention when the guitarist was a member of Lou Donaldson's working band, and Lion rapidly scheduled this session for Green in January of 1961. It stands as Green'...  more »

     
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CD Details

All Artists: Grant Green
Title: Grant's First Stand
Members Wishing: 4
Total Copies: 0
Label: Blue Note Records
Original Release Date: 11/16/1999
Release Date: 11/16/1999
Genres: Jazz, Pop
Styles: Soul-Jazz & Boogaloo, Bebop
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPC: 724352195923

Synopsis

Amazon.com
Grant Green first came to Blue Note founder Alfred Lion's attention when the guitarist was a member of Lou Donaldson's working band, and Lion rapidly scheduled this session for Green in January of 1961. It stands as Green's first as a leader and the beginning of a string of fine Blue Note albums. Emphasizing single-note lines, Green had a gift for fluent, melodic invention, playing lean, horn-like phrases with shifting accents and a full, expressive sound that was all his own. He's joined here by the other members of Donaldson's rhythm section, organist Baby Face Willette and drummer Ben Dixon, and their familiarity shows in the relaxed intimacy and potent swing of the music, from slow tempos to fast. The instrumentation and musical personalities emphasize the blues-drenched, soulful side of Green's playing, and Willette, a flexible and relatively subdued organist, is a fine complement throughout. Green's skill with standards is apparent on "Lullaby of the Leaves," a favorite of guitarists from Tal Farlow to the Ventures. It was a remarkable debut for a musician whose reputation as one of the most significant players in the pantheon of jazz guitarists continues to grow. --Stuart Broomer

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CD Reviews

Solid Blue Note Debut
Anders Jonasson | 12/03/1999
(4 out of 5 stars)

"This album shows that Grant Green came roaring out of the gate a fully-formed talent; he already sounds amazingly self-assured considering this is one of his earliest recordings. If you're a fan of Green's straight-ahead Blue Note dates, get this."
An important recording
Anders Jonasson | Bankeryd Sweden | 11/08/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)

"For Green fans this one would be pretty important to have. It is one of his very first.if not the first, as a leader.
The organplayer is here "Babyface" Wilette that only made a few recordings in the beginning of the sixties for Blue Note. Wilette is easy to recognise, he plays with a tremendous blues feel.and have a kind of "staccato way" of playing that I never heard before.. and his playing fits very well with Green.
Green is just awesome on the nowadays classic "Miss Ann s Tempo"
his playing is so flawless and everything seems to be a piece of cake to him.
Wilette disappeared from the scene shortly after this..The organ wizzard Pete Fallico have tried to locate him.. but without results as far as I know.
Get this recording and dig Greens solo on "Blues for Willarene"
it is a "bluesmaster" you hear playing!!!"
A virtual textbook of jazz/blues guitar
Ben Fernandez | 05/28/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)

"I can't say enough how great this album is. Grant Green was one of the most soulful jazz guitarists who ever graced the planet. His soloing on this CD is filled with beautiful melodicism matched with a bluesy grit that is such a pleasure to listen to. And for me as a guitarist it has been an encyclopedia of how to play blues from a jazz perspective. My favorites are "Miss Ann's Tempo" and "Blues for Willarene". It is such a shame that he died so young and never collected his just due."