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"The Little Giant" Plays Big

Michael B. Richman | Portland, Maine USA | 04/03/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The follow-up to the magnificent Johnny Griffin Sextet (see my review), "The Little Giant" was recorded in August 1959, almost a year and a half after "Sextet" -- an eternity between sessions by jazz standards of the late 50s. Well, I suppose Griffin had a good excuse, as he did a little gigging from coast to coast, and played several months with some guy named Monk at the Five Spot. Anyway, "The Little Giant" was worth the wait. Griffin again employs a sextet for this date -- Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Julian Priester on trombone, Wynton Kelly on piano, Sam Jones on bass and "Tootie" Heath on drums. This time, however, the formula doesn't quite reach the dizzying heights of "Sextet," though the disc does feature some very nice original compositions by a virtually unknown Chicago pianist named Norman Simmons ("Olive Refractions," "The Message," and "Venus and the Moon"). However, when all is said and done "The Little Giant" does play big."