Customer Reviews

Sunday Mornin'

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This was Grant Geen's third Blue Note album (out of 6 he would record for the year, 1961), and his first non-trio release. The addition of Kenny Drew on piano is a big plus, I think. Drew is a terrific pianist and his added voice is a delight. FREEDOM MARCH is a medium blues, with muted emphasis on the march aspect of the tune; the opening theme is very tense, but it opens up into a wonderful swinger during the solos, perhaps the reason for Freedom in the title. SUNDAY MORNIN' has a very attractive theme, and the church-influenced shouting feeling is maintained throughout. Ever since Billie Holidy first sang her GOD BLESS THE CHILD it's had a blues ambiance about it, though it's not a blues, and Grant and Kenny keep that tradition going here. Doubling the tempo for part of his solo was a good idea by Green. Grant plays Miles Davis's SO WHAT pretty straightforwardly - it's Drew who comes closest to Miles's modal feel. As usual the rhythm section (Ben Tucker and Ben Dixon) is solid. Grant Green has a number of outstanding CDs under his belt; this has to rank up there with the best of them. Definitely recommended.

This is another of Grant Green's theme albums. Here the inspiration is Gospel music. If you like gospel (without the words) and jazz, you will like this. The exception is "So What" which really doesn't fit with the rest of the cd, but is still a great song that Grant does well.

Originally available on CD in Blue Note's limited edition Connoisseur Series, Grant Green's "Sunday Mornin'" makes a permanent return to the catalog via this RVG Edition reissue. Recorded on June 4, 1961, this session features Green on guitar, Kenny Drew on piano, Ben Tucker on bass and Ben Dixon on drums. However, contrary to the information above, this was not Grant's first foray outside of the organ trio setting -- that would be "First Session," though it was never released until 2001, and "Green Street" (see my reviews for both). In fact I don't even find it to be his best collaboration with a pianist up until that time, as I prefer the material with Wynton Kelly despite the fact that it sat in the vaults for 40 years. That being said, I certainly enjoy "Sunday Mornin'" more than his early organ trio work with "Baby Face" Willette, or his later theme albums like "The Latin Bit" or "Feelin' the Spirit." However, if I were to sit back and relax on a Sunday morning with Grant Green, I'd rather listen to "Idle Moments" or "Born to be Blue."