Grant Green: Live At The Lighthouse

Douglas Payne

Contributor since 1999

Doug has produced CDs for such artists as Peter Thomas, Lalo Schifrin, Ennio Morricone and Cal Tjader.

Recent articles (260 total)

Published: May 1, 1998

This less-than-stellar collection of medium and up-tempo groovers from 1972 was Grant Green's last record for Blue Note after a decade of many often stupendous records. He would record only intermittently hereafter until his death in 1979: live in 1973 with Houston Person, and in disco-oriented studio sessions for Kudu in 1976 and CTI-clone Versatile in 1978. While the guitarist sounds as robust as ever here, the numbingly repetitive vamps are clearly beneath his abilities and hardly inspiring or memorable. The tunes drone on much longer than necessary and virtually nothing of substance or interest occurs over the disc's 72 minutes. None of the players stands out either, despite the generous space allotted to saxman Claude Bartee (surprisingly, the keyboardist and vibesman are kept in the background). The recording quality is top notch, but only completists will want to hear it. (Formerly a double album on one CD).

Tracks:Introduction by Hank Stewart; Windjammer; Betcha By Golly Wow; Flood in Franklin Park; Jan Jan; Walk in the Night.

Personnel: Grant Green: guitar; Claude Bartee: soprano and tenor saxophones; Gary Coleman: vibes; Shelton Laster: organ; Wilton Felder: electric bass; Greg Williams: drums; Bobbye Porter Hall: congas, percussion.

Record Label: Blue Note Records
Style: Straight-ahead/Mainstream