JOHNNY GRIFFIN - THE BIG SOUL - BAND

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Johnny Griffin - The Big Soul-Band

Johnny Griffin
The Big Soul-Band
RLP 331

Plaza Sound Studios, NYC, May 24, 1960
Personnel:
Bob Bryant (tp)
Clark Terry (flh, tp)
Matthew Gee, Julian Priester (tb)
Pat Patrick (as)
Johnny Griffin, Edwin Williams (ts)
Charles Davis (bars)
Harold Mabern (p)
Bob Cranshaw (b)
Charlie Persip (d)
Norman Simmons (arr)

Wade In The Water
Panic Room Blues
Deep River

Plaza Sound Studios, NYC, May 31, 1960
Personnel:
Bob Bryant (tp)
Clark Terry (flh, tp)
Matthew Gee, Julian Priester (tb)
Frank Strozier (as)
Johnny Griffin, Edwin Williams (ts)
Charles Davis (bars)
Harold Mabern (p)
Victor Sproles (b)
Charlie Persip (d)
Norman Simmons (arr)

Holla
Jubilation
So Tired

Plaza Sound Studios, NYC, June 3, 1960
Personnel:
Bob Bryant (tp)
Clark Terry (flh, tp)
Matthew Gee, Julian Priester (tb)
Frank Strozier (as)
Johnny Griffin, Edwin Williams (ts)
Charles Davis (bars)
Bobby Timmons (p, cel)
Victor Sproles (b)
Charlie Persip (d)
Norman Simmons (arr)

Meditation
Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen
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Tracks
1. Wade in the Water [Traditional] 3:47
2. Panic Room Blues [Simmons] 4:37
3. Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen [Traditional] 2:43
4. Meditation [Simmons] 8:21
5. Holla [Simmons ] 3:39
6. So Tired [Timmons] 6:38
7. Deep River [Traditional] 5:29
8. Jubilation [Mance] 3:57

A sweet little album from Johnny – quite different than most of his other sessions at the time, as this one features a big band – a "Big Soul Band", as the title says – filled with some strong Chicago and soul jazz players, and featuring killer arrangements by the great Norman Simmons! Simmons' was just bubbling up at the time – and he had a sock soul jazz sound that was part of his time on the Chicago scene, and which, unfortunately, rarely achieved as strong of recorded expression as it did on this album. Griffin's a heck of a great player, even at this age, and the strength of his horn sits nicely in the front of a great ensemble that also includes Pat Patrick, Matthew Gee, Julian Priester, Frank Strozier, Bobby Timmons, Harold Mabern, Vic Sproles, and Charlie Persip. Titles include a number of Simmons originals – like "Meditation", "Panic Room Blues", and "Holla" – plus a great reading of Timmons' "So Tired", and traditionals like "Deep River", "Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen" and "Wade In The Water" and Junior Mance's "Jubilation".
© 1996-2012, Dusty Groove America, Inc.

Review by Scott Yanow
Tenor-saxophonist Johnny Griffin is showcased with a ten-piece group on this Riverside LP The repertoire is a bit unusual with some spirituals (including "Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen" and "Deep River"), a tune apiece by Bobby Timmons ("So Tired") and Junior Mance, and three originals from Norman Simmons who arranged all of the selections. Since this was the very first time Riverside had been involved in anything as complex as eleven men and fully worked-out arrangements, and some of the musicians we had called were not all that experienced in that area, some of the ensemble passages are less than totally smooth. But it does provide a striking example of how strongly Johnny Griffin was playing and how imaginative were his improvisations over the full band background.Trumpeter Clark Terry and trombonists Matthew Gee and Julian Priester have some short solos but the emphasis is on the leader who is in typically spirited and passionate form.
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