Reference: TDJ-24
Tracklisting:
JOHNNY GRIFFIN QUARTET
Johnny Griffin (ts), Ronnie Matthews (p), Ray Drummond (b), Kenny Washington (d).
01. Opening & Blues For Gonzi
02. A Monks Dream
03. 56 & Closing
RICHIE COLE GROUP
Richie Cole (ts), Bruce Forman (g), Bobby Enriquez (p), Marshall Hawkins (b), Scott Morris (d).
04. Opening & Hi Fly
05. I Cant Get Started
06. Punishment Blues
07. Yard Bird Suite
08. Red Top
Total running time: 62 min.
Genre: Jazz
Stereo Color.
Johnny Griffin was born in Chicago April 24, 1928. He played clarinet and alto saxophone but changed to tenor when he got his first professional job with Lionel Hampton when he was 17 years old. He later played with Art Blakeys Jazz Messengers and replaced John Coltrane in 1958 in Thelonious Monks Quartet. From 1960 - 1962 he co-lead the famous and much recorded Tough Tenors quintet with Eddie Lockjaw Davis. In 1963 he moved to Europe where he has been living ever since. He is now living in France - south of Paris. He still goes to USA once a year and plays at all the famous clubs. On this video he plays three of his own compositions. The first one called Blues for Gonzo is dedicated to his very good friend, the singer Babs Gonzalez the composer of Oop-Pop-A-Da. The next title A Monks Dream is Griffins tribute to Thelonious Monk. You will always hear a few compositions by Monk whenever you hear Johnny Griffin in person. The last number he calls 56 which is the number of bars in the composition. The tune is based on - as Johnny Griffin says almost - The Masquerade Is Over.
Alto saxophonist Richie Cole was born in 1928. After playing in Buddy Richs big band and with Lionel Hampton, he formed his own group,Alto Madness, in 1972. In the period 1974 - 1979 he also worked with the great bop singer Eddie Jefferson. Coles video opens with Randy Westons classic,Hi Fly, followed by the beautiful standard,I Cant Get Started. After Coles own heart-rending Punishment Blues comes an inevitable Charlie Parker tribute - Yard Bird Suite. The set is rounded out with Coles bop interpretation of Count Basie's Red Top.
Layout: Chrisna Morten
TECHNICAL NOTE: Picture, sound scratches and dropouts can happen during viewing.
