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Grant Green: I Want to Hold Your Hand
Blue Note/Virgin Records; CD,
Rs. 295
In his relatively brief life, Grant Green (1931-1979) established himself as one of the leading jazz guitarists of his time. On this album recorded in 1965, he leads a quartet in jazz versions of pop standards. While it has always been common for jazz musicians to interpret pop, the quartet doing so here is in a sense an unusual line-up. Hank Mobley contributes his beautiful sound on the tenor saxophone, Larry Young handles the (Hammond B-3 electric) organ, and Elvin Jones, who had achieved fame backing John Coltrane, is the outstanding drummer on this session.
If Young had been the leader, this would have been a fairly common organ-led quartet, but with a guitarist in the lead it almost becomes unique.
The difference lies chiefly in the subdued sound of the organ and the obviously stellar role of the guitar.On the fastish-paced “Speak Low”, which actually starts with a solo by Jones, Green renders the theme with strong support from Jones. There follows a series of terrific solos by Mobley, Green, Jones and, after he reprises the theme, Green again. Together and in solos, this quartet offers a menu of beautiful music.
Bobby Hutcherson: Happenings
Blue Note/Virgin Records; CD,
Rs. 295
Born in 1941, Bobby Hutcherson is one of the leading vibraphonists in jazz, a worthy successor to such pioneers as Lionel Hampton and Milt Jackson. Equally facile on the marimba, a larger sibling of the vibraphone, he switches to it on “The Omen”, the last track of this album.
Hutcherson is an almost exact contemporary of Herbie Hancock, who shot to fame a few years earlier and is featured on piano on this 1966 album. The idea presumably was that Hancock’s name, and indeed his music, would give Hutcherson a leg-up. Keeping them company are the equally youthful Bob Cranshaw on bass and Joe Chambers on drums.
Despite Hancock’s leg-up to him, the album is meant to showcase Hutcherson’s talents both as a performer and as a composer. Altogether a very satisfying package of music.
JAZZEBEL
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