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I'd pay the full price just for that one song, but the others don't disappoint. My wife doesn't particularly care for jazz, but this song is one of her favorites too, and we have put it to good use on the upstairs CD player, if you know what I mean.The rest of the album is excellent, too. Of course, nothing on it is as good as that perfect 15 minute title track, but how could it be. I'm speaking of course of the title track of Idle Moments. As has been noted, the remastering sounds great, I can't recommend this disc enough. The beginning of Joe Henderson's sax solo is one of my favorite moments in recorded music. It's a slow, bluesy, dreamy number, but at the same time it smolders with intensity. His tone is so warm and enveloping, it's like he reached out and put his arms around you.
His unusual phrasing makes for a most enjoyable listening experience. His intricate musings sound fresh amid todays strident sound displays. A fresh sound. You can tell the artist enjoys the sound stylings of brass horns.
Don't plan on listening to this disc in a single session. Moreover, two takes of "Django" will seem excessive to anyone who has heard its composer, John Lewis, play it repeatedly throughout his career--even if Green can make a string throb with the same passion as Django. After the 15-minute title tune, the two alternate takes contribute to a long program that cannot help but sound anticlimactic.
It's some of the most relaxed, unforced playing on record, the musicians all sharing an empathetic wave length in a kind of suspended telepathic or mystical state. It's the most uncharacteristic Van Gelder or Blue Note recording I've ever heard, at times making the similar-sounding, sedate and classical Modern Jazz Quartet sound aggressive by comparison.Give pianist Duke Pearson credit for taming these guys, and Grant Green all the praise for this rare, unexpected combination of deep and peaceful soul jazz. The title track is likely to hit the listener with the force of Hera's heavenly ethers seducing Zeus.
Hutcherson's vibes and Henderson's tenor pick up the spirit, and the result is some of the most productive idle moments one could possibly share with an ensemble of musicians fully communicative with the music and one another.Sometimes you wish musicians would cut their losses, but in this case it's more a matter of cutting their winnings. It's best saved for an idle moment and savored one track at a time. Coming as the last tune of the recording session, the musicians were tired but primed, ready to create with the jitters long gone and with exclusive concentration on each other and the music.
Less than "perform," they seem to be meditating out loud, or telling stories to one another in hushed tones so the children won't awaken.
I ashamed to admit that until yesterday, I did not own ANY Grant Green music even though I'd seen him as part of a CTI musicians tour back in 1976. I can tell you that as much as I know about jazz and jazz guitar (which after 30 years of serious listening and playing I think I know quite a bit) I'm now going to have to rethink everything as far as who the "mutha" players are. My listening is tuned into Kenny Burrell, Jim Hall, Pat Martino, Pat Metheny, and Wes Montgomery (though I still don't "get" this guy). Well This session is on par with say that great Oliver Nelson release I just noted. I'm a jazz guitar player.
I always thought he was a 2nd tier player. I have to rethink that guy too. I used the adjective wonderfully rich to describe this music, that's the only thing I can think of. especially Henderson. There are few releases that I can say I feel are perfect. Green is fantastic but so are Pearson, Hutcherson, and Henderson. All the guys show up and the chemistry is fantastic (just read the Duke Pearson liner notes as he describes how the title track at a whopping 14:50 ended up being selected as the "master" take despite its length). does that make me some sort of jazz guitar heretic.If you like nice, laid back jazz with exceptional musicianship then you want Idle Moments.
Not great, not too bad either. Everybody likes to talk about Wes and his soul but I have to tell you that after hearing Idle Moments, I prefer Grant to Wes. WRONG. I seriously didn't know what I was missing.Idle Moments is a wonderfully rich CD. Obviously Kind of Blue and A Love Supreme, perhaps Blues and the Abstract Truth come to mind.
Even if jazz is not particularly your genre, this is a wonderful recording from a "slightly" lesser know jazz guitarist. For me this is definitely the best Grant Green album. One of those "must haves".
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