Steve Wyzard RAINY DAY MASTERPIECE

Taking into account that all Grant Green albums are unfairly marginalized in the shadow of the previously recorded Idle Moments, let's take a look at some of the myths and assumptions that have arisen regarding his 1967 release, Street of Dreams:

1) "It's quiet and dreamy": Don't take the title too seriously. Loaded with that intangible quality known as "atmosphere", Larry Young's brooding organ chords push this album far closer to noir than to "dreaminess". All of the players are motivated, and absolutely no one is sleep-walking through this session.

2) "It's far too simple and laid back": Street of Dreams can be described as low-key, contemplative, or even nostalgic, but any "easy listening" accusations can be immediately dispelled with the first track, the Latin-flavored "I Wish You Love". Grant's fluid picking/soloing is downright inspired, and not just on this track but throughout the entire album. Then Larry Young's intense performance on the title track will help you understand why he has sometimes been called the "Coltrane of the organ".

3) "Is that really Elvin Jones on drums?": Yes, it's really him on drums, but don't expect the fireworks he contributed to the John Coltrane Quartet. Elvin shows himself to be a master of restraint on this album, with just the right percussion for each and every track. His famous polyrhythms do make an appearance on the title track.

4) "Bobby Hutcherson is relegated to the background": While Bobby had led a few sessions by the time this album was recorded, none had yet been released to the music-listening public. But to call him a "supporting" player here is just wrong. He is given extensive solos on 3 of the 4 tracks, and he even doubles the melody line with Grant to open and close "Somewhere in the Night".

Recorded in November 1964, Street of Dreams does have to answer to one accusation made against it that costs it half-a-star. At 33:37, this album, as good as it is, is over far too soon. Nor have any alternative takes or extra tracks ever turned up on CD/boxset re-releases. It would have been exquisite if this session had lasted just a little bit longer, and yet the flawless performances do not indicate someone was hurrying to finish and catch the next train to who-knows-where. It's best to think of this album as a passing cloudburst that briefly drops everything it has before quickly moving on. And while nothing will stop you from enjoying this little masterpiece at noon on the brightest day of the year, it seems to become that much more magical on days and times when it's anything but.

js Green is Beautiful” is a transitional album for Grant Green as it finds him moving more from the hard bop of his early career and more towards a funk/RnB sound. Like a lot of soul jazz LPs form this era. ‘Beautiful’ is kind of hit and miss with about one half good RnB jazz grooves, and about one half pop ditties that are forgettable. Side one opens with a cover of James Brown’s “Aint it Funky Now”, and it’s a solid cooker with great solos from the whole crew, including saxophonist Claude Bartee, who might remind some of Eddie Harris. This side closes out with the Beatles’ “A Day in the Life”. This song was popular with soul jazz musicians, but it never works well. Although it’s a good song in its original format, the different changes in the arrangement don’t lend itself very well to jazz or RnB solos.

Side two opens with another JB’s style groove, “The Windjammer”, which is followed by a very lackluster “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again”. I’m not sure whose idea it was to include this very cheesy pop song, but it sticks out like the sorest of thumbs. It’s a bad song to begin with and there is no way to save it, or make it better. The album closes with the best track, “Dracula”, another funk number and one of the few tracks with a very strong melody. If you keep the three best tracks on “Green is Beautiful”, you have a decent funk jazz album, albeit one that mostly sounds like a jam session. It doesn’t hurt that Green in his crew know how to turn in hot solos over an infectious groove.

dreadpirateroberts Much has been said about the original intended length of the title track, so I’ll just repeat it once – what a fantastic mistake! ‘Idle Moments’ as a fourteen minute bluesy exploration is cool – even silky – giving everyone a chance to stretch out and solo on a piece that I find myself chucking on repeat more often than not. Not to say that up-tempo numbers like ‘Jean De Fleur’ (or the rest of the album) aren’t enjoyable, but the opening cut sets a high bar.

The bluesy swing of the title track is returned to on ‘Django’ and ‘Nomad’ is another harder piece where Henderson plays a little rougher, taking the spotlight. Hutcherson is a distinctive voice on all pieces, and of course Green leads everything with his lovely tone but like many of the greatest jazz albums, there seems to be no lone virtuoso. As a listener, the pieces feel as though everyone gets a say, that everyone is working together so damn well.

Perhaps Grant Green’s defining album, and a rewarding listen for fans of cool and hard bop.

Warthur Opening with the superb, laid back, bluesy epic which is the title track, Idle Moments is a great hard bop album which takes in moods from the sedate (as on the title track) to the energetic (as on the album closer Nomad). But it's the opener which listeners will keep coming back to, with excellent solos from Grant Green himself, Joe Henderson and Bobby Hutcherson being particularly standout moments. According to jazz legend, it's twice as long as intended because they accidentally played the baseline melody twice, but I think it needed to be that long to really get deep into the mellow mood the band try to evoke with it. Superb stuff.

Matt Shelved by Alfred Lion the producer at Blue Note records when this session was recorded in May 1965 but not actually released until 1979 in Japan and internationally in 1990. "Matador" is the name given to the album and Grant Green was in red hot form at this time in his career with his previous session being "Idle Moments" and the next "Solid". He was doing a plethora of material at Blue Note and not all could be released as not to flood the market. Alfred Lion one of the main partners at Blue Note produced nearly all the sessions for the label till 1967 and with Francis Wolff decicided what to release and one does wonder why this session was never placed on the market much earlier. One of the reasons may have been the inclusion of "My Favourite Things" in the session to which many of us would say that this is the pick of the album but repititon was not one thing that Alfred would have liked in his Jazz and one has to admit that there are points within the solo from Grant on guitar that does head that way at times. Still wonderful album with excellent picking from Grant Green but what about the band having McCoy Tyner on piano and Elvin Jones on drums who one could say are experts at "My Favourite Things" having been on the classic recording of the tune with John Coltrane and recently just recorded "Crescent" and "A Love Supreme" with him as well. You would be going to find any better musicians and also while talking about those better musicians Bob Cranshaw is on bass for just another session at Blue Note and Bob has pretty much played with Sonny Rollins for the last 50 years.

The title "Matador" is first with Grant on guitar soloing in that order also with his usual beautiful sharp presicion with McCoy Tyner following with that delightful touch he has on piano over the repeated rythmn structure in this lovely quick driver of a number. "My Favorite Things" is next and like the previous "Matador" is over ten minutes in length providing plenty of room for the musicians to stretch out with their solos and Grant Green takes the lion's share in both. Like any great McCoy Tyner does not play this tune the same as he did with John Coltrane previously and he is playing a bit more fill with his piano interruptation. Grant Green's solo is the let down. Why in two sections repeat the same chord 20 times in a row and then put as through it again a minute later? One could not be blamed for thinking the record is scratched or your cd is faulty. McCoy is great to follow but for me it spoiled what could have been something close to that other Coltrane version. As the first tune was, "Blue Jeans" as another Grant Green composition within the album with quite a nice jaunt put within the composition's structure having a great little call and response intro between Grant and McCoy and Grant takes the first solo with a much better approach but at times he still has that repitition thing happening again. McCoy is wonderful to follow with his piano input and often I have heard his tone described as joyous which is perhaps the best description for the touch that he has on the piano keys whilst playing. The rythmn section of Bob Cranshaw and Elvin Jones are simply superb throughout with neither putting a foot wrong with Elvin showing his stuff on drums in the next , "Bedouin" being techinically the last track on the album with him placing a lovely subdued one near the end of the composition. Grant plays the most interesting solo from him on the album within this track with McCoy of course doing it superbly again as well. "Wives and Lovers" is the bonus track with Grant sounding like his guitar is getting plenty of pluck on this jaunty version.

I found when I first heard the album years back now I absolutely loved it but over time that repitition from Grant Green in "My Favorite Things and Green Jeans" is a bit much for this old free flowing Jazz Head. Alfred Lion never inteferred with the music and let the musicians have their run with results that are legendary in Jazz today and this is one album if not for that point that I have previously made and still one you will want if you are a Grant fan like myself.