I was listening to Sonny Clark and Grant Green playing "Airgin", this is one of Grants favorite tunes; he played that for himself. I say that because before he went to Blue Note, I saw him at a club he went to informally, and played his guitar when he felt like it. There was no admission and me and my jazz buddies really dug Grant, naturally we were there.
His guitar certainly sounds nice with him and Sonny Clark; I was trying to see if I could remember when he played it back then, and the difference I'm hearing now. It's much more complex on this recording; the difference in time from then until now is not that great, now is 1961 and then was 1958; that's only 3 years but what a difference playing for yourself, and playing with guys of Sonny Clark's caliber would make.
The comments made by the peanut gallery rolled off my back like water off a duck. I'm listening to the real deal, "Grant Green", and he was idolized by us, just as much as Miles Davis. We never talked to Miles because he was in New York. They might as well say Miles is from New York, I only saw him at a show in Chicago. When he came to St. Louis on a visit, he stayed out at his fathers farm, he never came out to socialize and have a drink.
Naturally I feel closer to someone's music that I actually talked to, and heard up close and personal. Now don't misunderstand, I'm still a jazz "aficionado" and judging this music at the same time I'm listening to it. I don't say it's boss simply because I heard Grant live; but because it is. Although I talked to Grant, I can't say that I knew him, because that would mean we were friends, and seeing someone and talking to them is a long way from being friends; consequently, I'm giving this music my 'aficionado' judgment.
Right now I'm listening to "you tube", but this music will soon be in my collection. The fact that it's not in my collection is what hurts; it should have been in my collection from the time he made it. What I'm listening to at the moment has Sonny Clark piano; Sam Jones, bass; Art Blakey or Louis Hayes, drums, and of course Grant Green guitar.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFzKG6bIwJQ&list=PLC629098E62874E5F&index=7Now I can only get whatever they offer, when at that time I could have gotten an individual record, and not missed anything; but this is better than nothing.
Enjoy the music.