- His Majesty King Funk · 1965
- Idle Moments · 1965
- Green Street (The Rudy Van Gelder Edition) · 1961
- Grant's First Stand (The Rudy Van Gelder Edition) · 1961
- Idle Moments (The Rudy Van Gelder Edition) · 1965
- Street of Dreams · 1964
- Idle Moments · 1965
- The Latin Bit (The Rudy Van Gelder Edition) · 1962
- Alive! (Live) · 1970
- Grant's First Stand (The Rudy Van Gelder Edition) · 1961
- Visions · 1971
- Born To Be Blue · 1962
- Feelin' the Spirit (The Rudy Van Gelder Edition) · 1962
Essential Albums
- It’s amazing to consider how prolific guitarist Grant Green was on Blue Note, with albums spanning the entire ’60s into the early ’70s. Idle Moments, released in ’65, is easily one of his definitive statements, not to mention an LP that perfectly encapsulates the Blue Note aesthetic. To look at the cover art is almost to hear the music: the hazy blue patina, Green’s guitar about to sing out one of those tasty, blues-soaked phrases, with a feel that made him one of the most distinctive soloists in all of hard bop. But in contrast to some of Green’s dates with quartet, organ trio, or other small configurations, Idle Moments presents a somewhat broader ensemble texture thanks to Bobby Hutcherson’s vibes and Joe Henderson’s tenor sax alongside Green, with pianist Duke Pearson (composer of “Nomad” and the title track), bassist Bob Cranshaw, and drummer Al Harewood completing the lineup. The vibes-piano blend calls to mind the Modern Jazz Quartet, which makes John Lewis’ classic “Django” fit right in. But these formidable personalities bring something entirely their own to the lithe, dancing swing of Green’s “Jean de Fleur.” They’re especially effective sinking into the plush mattress of the title track, with its slower-than-slow swing tempo, for nearly 15 blissful, introspective minutes.
- 2001
- 1998
- 1980
- 1980
- 1978
- 1976
Artist Playlists
- A guitarist who excelled in bebop-influenced songs and in hard-funk grooves.
- Plugging soulful six-string style into standards and bop hits.
- Imaginative, swinging solos, perfectly crafted for each song.
Live Albums
Appears On
About Grant Green
St. Louis-born guitarist Grant Green was a giant of what came to be known as soul-jazz. His singular style incorporated the influences of Gospel, blues, and R&B, and defined a unique post-bop language for electric guitar. His classic early-1960s Blue Note recordings are high-water marks of both the soul-jazz sound and of jazz guitar in general. Drug abuse sadly hampered his later career; he died in 1979, but his son, the jazz guitarist Grant Green, Jr., continues his legacy.
- HOMETOWN
- St. Louis, MO, United States
- BORN
- June 6, 1935
- GENRE
- Jazz