Jazz for aficionados

Frogman, that Bill Withers number may be one of the best combos of funk and soul in existence.

As far as the "Complete Quartets" compilation the original 3 albums that comprised the compilation were recorded in 3 sessions on 23 December 1961 titled "Nigeria", 13 January 1962 titled "Oleo", and 31 January 1962 titled "Gooden’s Corner"

There are a couple of different "speculations" as to why Blue Note shelved them until after Green’s death in 1979 when the 3 original albums were released in Japan on LP.

Some say Van Gelder was not happy with the way Green’s guitar was recorded. There was a problem with guitar distortion that manifested itself on the original analog tapes.

Another reason is that the 3 albums were all comprised of standards and not the Blues/gospel/funky Green albums that were popular sellers.

However these quartet sessions are the only ones in existence where it was just Green and Clark sharing solo’s without the brass on the 2 sessions with Ike Quebec and this is what makes them unique and important and "must haves" in any jazz collection.

Not to start an argument with our distinguished captain of the Jazz Police Orpheus 10 but his "review" that the compilation needed to be sold which would imply he considered the sonics sub par flies in the face of all popular opinion. I have nowhere read a review that the Blue Note remaster sounds poor. As a matter of fact, our local "audiophiles" over at the Steve Hoffman Music Forums concur that the Blue Note CD remaster cleared up the distorted and muddled sound of Green’s guitar and that the newer LP release of the same compilation on the Tone Poet Re - Issue Series sounds great but not head and shoulders above the CD.

Here is the link read the whole page if this interests you and may very well help decide whether or not you want this unique music in your collection.

’Tone Poet’ Jazz Reissue Series* | Page 376 | Steve Hoffman Music Forums

Grant Green: The Complete Quartets with Sonny Clark album review @ All About Jazz

keegiam here is Grant Green and Sonny Clark "Nigeria" Tone Poet release. I'm not an LP man but these are said to be excellent pressings. Nigeria was release on 28 February 2020.

TONE POET AUDIOPHILE VINYL REISSUE SERIES CONTINUES IN 2020 - Blue Note Records

From the Steve Hoffman Music Forums thread:

NorthNY Mark said: ↑

Listened to the first side of Nigeria last night (without having seen the last few pages of comments until now). I was struck by a number of things, especially on the second track. Number one: this performance blows the roof off the freaking house! Man, these guys were on fire at this session! Number two: The sound is unfortunately riddled with overload distortion, not just from Blakey, but from Green as well. Reading comments about non-fill, I would almost have wondered if some might not be mistaking the overload distortion for surface flaws, except that one commenter got a pristine replacement. I also wonder whether this overload distortion may have been the reason the release was shelved for many years, because it certainly isn't due to any lack of conviction in the performances. Number three: Aside from the distortion that I assume is on the master tape, the sonics are great, with dynamics that make you feel like these guys are playing in your room (and, as I wrote before, threatening to blow the roof right off).

Man, you sort of mirrored what I was going to write here. This is an amazing album, particularly It Ain't Necessarily So. This may be the best single cut of Grant Green's career, and perhaps his best solo. If I wanted to give an example of what Green does best, I'd play this cut. And yes, the exhortation from Blakey is great to hear.

The Complete Quartets of Grant Green w/Sonny Clark 2CD set sounds really good. And they have tamed a bit of that distortion on the CD set. On this LP, the transients and dynamics are untamed. You much more greatly feel the pluck of each note of the guitar, yet hear the slightly greater nuance of the individual notes of the phrasing. Blakey's drums have even greater impact.

But the sizzle of the cymbals and even sometimes Green's guitar overdrive the LP. And some have mentioned the cymbals on the MM 33 of Maiden Voyage vs the 45. They have cited that the cymbals on the 45 sound more rounded, more relaxed, less bright and harsh, more natural. I'm wondering if doing this at 45 would help, or at the very least, cut this lower on the SRX vinyl.

My copy is otherwise virtually perfect. No warble that I could detect, no ticks or pops, and pretty quiet vinyl. And overall, a great album.

Frogman, that Bill Withers number may be one of the best combos of funk and soul in existence.

Speaking of funky while I was perusing my Grant Green collection I came across this song on one of my disks titled "The Original Jam Master Volume 1 Ain't It Funky Now"

(1) Grant Green - Ain't It Funky Now - YouTube

Since we seem to be on a Cannonball binge:

"Work Song" (1963, live)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmwsQ_dHrFM

"Jazz Casual" (1961 - note Joe Zawinul on PIANO)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bi0OMG4xAko

"Jeannine" (1962, live)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mN1SwOdbdBU

"A Night in Tunisia" (1958)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iTFfTt0jN4