Grant Green

Grant Green (* June 6, 1935 in St. Louis, Missouri, † January 31, 1979 in New York City, USA ) was an American jazz guitarist and composer.

Life

Green has appeared with 13 years as a musician. At a young age he was influenced by the music of Charlie Christian and Charlie Parker. He first played boogie -woogie, later moving to the rhythm and blues and jazz. His first recording in St. Louis, he recorded with tenor saxophonist Jimmy Forrest; the drummer of the band was Elvin Jones, pianist Harold Mabern. He also played in the bands of Sam Lazar (1960) and Jack Murphy. Eventually, he was discovered by Lou Donaldson, when he played in a bar in St. Louis. After a tour with Donaldson in the fall of 1960 he came to New York.

Donaldson introduced him to Alfred Lion of Blue Note Records. Lion was so impressed with Grant so that he hired him directly as a bandleader. This relationship held, with few exceptions, on the whole sixties. Between 1960 and 1965 he took on Blue Note as a leader or member of the band more records than anyone else; among his most outstanding albums were among his quartet recordings with Sonny Clark 1961/62, Blue and Sentimental by Ike Quebec and the album Idle Moments with Joe Henderson and Bobby Hutcherson. His first album as a leader was " Grant's First Stand ". His guitar work linear in the organ trio of Jack McDuff, John Patton and Larry Young was regarded as indicative. He played with jazz greats such as Lee Morgan ( Search for the New Land 1964), Hank Mobley, Ike Quebec, Stanley Turrentine and Harold Vick. Grant was chosen as the Best Newcomer of Down Beat in 1962.

In 1966 Grant left Blue Note to record boards for various other labels, including Verve Records. Between 1967 and 1969 due to personal problems and the side effects of his heroin addiction he took no plates.

In 1969, he came up with a more radio - oriented band returned to the stage. In this period also the commercial success of "Green is Beautiful " and the soundtrack was for the film " The Final Comedown ". Grant left Blue Note again in 1974 to pursue more commercial projects.

The 1978 Grant spent mostly in the hospital, and against the advice of his doctors he went back on tour. In New York, he played with George Benson. Grant died on January 31, 1979 of a heart attack. He was buried in his hometown of St. Louis, leaving six children.

Selected discography

  • The Holy Barbarian, St. Louis, 1959 ( Uptown, 1959), with Sam Lazar, Bob Graf, Chauncey Williams
  • Space Flight ( Cawthron, 1960), with Sam Lazar
  • Grant's First Stand (1961 ), Blue Note
  • Green Street (1961 ), Blue Note
  • Sunday Mornin ' (1961 ), Blue Note
  • Born to be Blue ( 1961) Blue Note
  • The Complete Quartets with Sonny Clark ( Blue Note, recorded 1961/62, ersch 1997)
  • Feelin ' The Spirit (1962), Blue Note
  • Idle Moments (1963 ), Blue Note
  • Talkin 'About! (1964 ), Blue Note
  • Street of Dreams (1964 ), Blue Note

Lexigraphic entries

  • Carlo Bohländer and Others, Loeb Classical Jazz guide. Stuttgart 1970
  • Ian Carr et al, Jazz Rough Guide. Stuttgart 1999; ISBN 3-476-01584- X
Street of Dreams (Grant Green album) Leonard Feather Discogs Integrated Authority File
277335
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