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Ballads captures Grant Green in a mellow mood, offering something like a portrait of an artist as a young guitarist. All seven selections are from 1960 and 1961, mostly, as the liner notes state, because Green performed ballads less often as time went on (especially as a leader). It's instructive and gratifying, then, to have pieces like "My One and Only Love" and "Nancy (With the Laughing Face)" in one place. The personnel varies quite a bit since each cut originates from a different album, though pianist Sonny Clark plays on four cuts, including the lovely "Little Girl Blue." Flutist Yusef Lateef, organist Jack McDuff, and drummer Al Harewood join in for a delicate, impressionistic rendering of "My Funny Valentine," while bassist Ben Tucker and drummer Dave Bailey add minimalist support to a moody version of "'Round Midnight." On each tune, four of which exceed seven minutes, Green takes his time developing his ideas. He can dazzle, but he'd rather hold a note or allow a phrase to linger in the air for a moment. He'd rather wring a few more blue notes out of "God Bless the Child" than impress the listener with his speed and agility. For those unfamiliar with Green's softer side, Ballads offers a fine introduction. For those in the know, Ballads conveniently collects these pieces in the same place, creating an exquisite late-night disc.
© Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr. /TiVo
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Grant Green, Guitar, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Rudy Van Gelder, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Ron McMaster, Engineer, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Alfred Lion, Producer - Sonny Clark, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Sam Jones, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Ike Quebec, Tenor Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Robert Mellin, ComposerLyricist - Guy Wood, ComposerLyricist - Louis Hayes, Drums, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 2002 Blue Note Records ℗ 1962 Capitol Records, LLC
Arthur Herzog, Composer - Billie Holiday, Composer - Grant Green, Guitar, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Ben Tucker, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Rudy Van Gelder, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Ron McMaster, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Alfred Lion, Producer - Kenny Drew, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Ben Dixon, Drums, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 2002 Blue Note Records ℗ 1962 Capitol Records, LLC
Richard Rodgers, Composer - Lorenz Hart, Author - Grant Green, Guitar, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Al Harewood, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Michael Cuscuna, Producer - Rudy Van Gelder, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Ron McMaster, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Alfred Lion, Producer - Yusef Lateef, Flute, Tenor Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Jack McDuff, Organ, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 2002 Blue Note Records ℗ 1961 Blue Note Records
Richard Rodgers, Composer - Lorenz Hart, Composer - Grant Green, Guitar, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Rudy Van Gelder, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Ron McMaster, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Alfred Lion, Producer - Sonny Clark, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Sam Jones, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Louis Hayes, Drums, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 2002 Blue Note Records ℗ 1980 Capitol Records, LLC
Grant Green, Guitar, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Mel TORME, ComposerLyricist - Robert Wells, ComposerLyricist - Rudy Van Gelder, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Ron McMaster, Engineer, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Alfred Lion, Producer - Sonny Clark, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Sam Jones, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Ike Quebec, Tenor Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Louis Hayes, Drums, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 2002 Blue Note Records ℗ 1962 Capitol Records, LLC
Judy Lynn, ComposerLyricist - Grant Green, Guitar, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Rudy Van Gelder, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Ron McMaster, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Alfred Lion, Producer - Art Blakey, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Sonny Clark, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Sam Jones, Upright Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Jimmy Van Heusen, ComposerLyricist - Lindy Doherty, ComposerLyricist - Jack Albertson, ComposerLyricist - Rose Marie, ComposerLyricist
(C) 2002 Blue Note Records ℗ 1989 Capitol Records, LLC
Thelonious Monk, Composer - Grant Green, Guitar, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Ben Tucker, Upright Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Bernie Hanighen, Author - Cootie Williams, Composer - Rudy Van Gelder, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Alfred Lion, Producer - Dave Bailey, Drums, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 2002 Blue Note Records ℗ 1961 Blue Note Records
Album review
Ballads captures Grant Green in a mellow mood, offering something like a portrait of an artist as a young guitarist. All seven selections are from 1960 and 1961, mostly, as the liner notes state, because Green performed ballads less often as time went on (especially as a leader). It's instructive and gratifying, then, to have pieces like "My One and Only Love" and "Nancy (With the Laughing Face)" in one place. The personnel varies quite a bit since each cut originates from a different album, though pianist Sonny Clark plays on four cuts, including the lovely "Little Girl Blue." Flutist Yusef Lateef, organist Jack McDuff, and drummer Al Harewood join in for a delicate, impressionistic rendering of "My Funny Valentine," while bassist Ben Tucker and drummer Dave Bailey add minimalist support to a moody version of "'Round Midnight." On each tune, four of which exceed seven minutes, Green takes his time developing his ideas. He can dazzle, but he'd rather hold a note or allow a phrase to linger in the air for a moment. He'd rather wring a few more blue notes out of "God Bless the Child" than impress the listener with his speed and agility. For those unfamiliar with Green's softer side, Ballads offers a fine introduction. For those in the know, Ballads conveniently collects these pieces in the same place, creating an exquisite late-night disc.
© Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr. /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 7 track(s)
- Total length: 00:48:00
- Main artists: Grant Green
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Blue Note Records
- Genre: Jazz
© 2002 Blue Note Records This Compilation ℗ 2002 Blue Note Records
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