GRANT GREEN — Street of Dreams (review)

GRANT GREEN — Street of Dreams album cover Album · 1967 · Hard Bop Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
Abraxas
Blue Note-addict, Grant Green, released dozens of albums throughout the 60s showing clearly his evolution and diversity in different contexts, having played with lots of renowned musicians. In Street of Dreams we got the trio that played in Talkin’ About which is Larry Young on organ, Elvin Jones on drums and Green on guitar, plus the addition of vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson on this session.

The unision of B3 Hammond Organ and jazz guitar is not something new at all, but Grant Green probably made my favourite album featuring this unision, which is this. But that's only telling half of the story, since actually I love this album also because of the combination of vibraphone and organ, the former playing the upper keys while the organ does the lower register, as a whole creating a fantastic sound which isn’t common in jazz (or elsewhere).

Street of Dreams is in its essence a dreamy and night-mood album, as the title suggests. And that's actually surprising since Larry is not actually known for being a calm organist, neither is Jones' drum-kit accustomed to playing gently nor much of Bobby's vibes.

What is also surprising is that all four compositions are covers, mainly popular early 50s songs (sang). But Green & Co. really make these compositions their own, as great jazz musicians are known of doing. It's in the case of 'Lazy Afternoon' that the band even turns the original 4/4 into a 5/4 tune! But mind you, it's a slow-paced 5/4 unlike 'Take Five'. Yes, the four compositions are mainly slow-driven tunes with no real need of power; it's the whole subtlety and dreaminess that makes this album so enjoyable, and of course the exquisite solos of each of the members.

Although many will object of considering this a great Green record, since the guitarist's classic features are not present, I still think this is an excellent album, and like I said at the beginning, one of the best in combining guitar and organ, even though those particular instruments don’t actually show-off, they’re simply joined as one within the whole flow of the album.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Jazz Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

JMA TOP 5 Jazz ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
A Love Supreme Post Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
Kind of Blue Cool Jazz
MILES DAVIS
Buy this album from our partners
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Progressive Big Band
CHARLES MINGUS
Buy this album from our partners
Blue Train Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
My Favorite Things Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners

New Jazz Artists

New Jazz Releases

6 Eclectic Fusion
KROKOFANT
Buy this album from MMA partners
Spring In Stockholm Live At Konserthuset, 1959 Cool Jazz
GERRY MULLIGAN
Buy this album from MMA partners
Mikolaj Trzaska, Ingebrigt Haker Flaten, Paal Nilssen-Love : The Last Temple vol.3 Avant-Garde Jazz
MIKOŁAJ TRZASKA
Buy this album from MMA partners
Mikolaj Trzaska, Ingebrigt Haker Flaten, Paal Nilssen-Love : The Last Temple, Vol.1 Avant-Garde Jazz
MIKOŁAJ TRZASKA
Buy this album from MMA partners
Mikołaj Trzaska / Ingebrigt Håker Flaten / Paal Nilssen-Love : The Last Temple Vol.2 Avant-Garde Jazz
MIKOŁAJ TRZASKA
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

FASCINATING RHYTHM - The Amazing Keystone Big Band feat. Neima Naouri
THE AMAZING KEYSTONE BIG BAND
snobb· 1 day ago
Alicante
RENAUD GARCIA-FONS
js· 1 day ago
She's Forty with Me
WILTON CRAWLEY
js· 1 day ago
Tall Tillie's Too Tight
WILTON CRAWLEY
js· 1 day ago
Rhoda Scott Ladies and Gentlemen - special guest : David Linx
RHODA SCOTT
snobb· 1 day ago
More videos

New JMA Jazz Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Jazz News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed