Jump to content

AOW, July 11-17: Johnny Griffin, J.G. (Argo)


mikeweil

Recommended Posts

B00026YO18.03.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

This has always been my favourite Johnny Griffin album, and I consider it one of the most amazing LP debut albums as a leader ever.

It was his first 12" LP as a leader, his first recording as a leader besides four sides for Okeh, probably in 1954, as "Little Johnny Griffin". It was recorded for the small Chicago-based Parrott label, and scheduled for release, but the label was sold to the Chess brothers before it was issued. The only Parrott LP ever issued was the Ahmad Jamal Trio's famous "Chamber Music of the New Jazz", so this album is in some fast company. It was finally issued as Argo LP 624 and is pretty rare. A friend of mine had some tracks on a German Chess tenor sax anthology, and I taped them and hunted for this LP; I finally scored a copy at an auction.

It was recorded as early as 1953 (!!!) - click here for the story about the label and determination of the recording date (you will have to scroll pretty far down the page) - I will get the new Verve LPR reissue sometime next week and wonder if they have corrected the recording date. The Argo LP was issued in 1958.

Johnny Griffin - tenor sax

Junior Mance - piano

Wilbur Ware - bass

Buddy Smith - drums

Chicago, probably August, 1953

I Cried for You

Satin Wrap

Yesterdays

Riff-Raff

Bee-Ees

The Boy Next Door

These Foolish Things

Lollypop

I prefer this a lot to his first Blue Note LP from April 17, 1956 Introducing Johnny Griffin, it is mellower, groovier, his conception is totally developped, virtuosic without being beeing to flashy or showing off, bluesy, and the sound is much better as the RVG recording, IMHO.

Very curious to read what you think about this album. :tup

griffin1.jpg

Edited by mikeweil
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great album- got it a couple of years ago when Universal issued it in Japan - the Japanese reproduced the "Kangaroo Pak" packaging - it opens in the middle like a pair of double doors.

Great fun to read what you all have to say about it - there was a lot written in the package, but all in Japanese.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great album- got it a couple of years ago when Universal issued it in Japan - the Japanese reproduced the "Kangaroo Pak" packaging - it opens in the middle like a pair of double doors.

That is why my LP must be a later reissue - it is not a Kangaroo Pak. AFAIK the opening cover was the first LP issue. This was discussed somewhere in the obscure album covers thread.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Seize the opportunity and buy it, you won't be disappointed. It's a reall goodun! :tup Junior Mance plays really well on it, too!

BTW, the copies I saw in a German retailer on Monday were digipaks like the Verve by Request series, not mini-LPs - can't see why they still call it LPR series :wacko: .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've never seen it either. :(

it has recently (last week) been reissued in the Verve LPR series.

Hoo-boy! I saw it just today when I went to buy the Serenade To A Soul Sister and Black Fire RVG's. Grabbed it! Very nice album; and it may be a digipak, but at least they didn't put that "Don't Copy" crap on the back cover.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've never seen it either. :(

it has recently (last week) been reissued in the Verve LPR series.

Hoo-boy! I saw it just today when I went to buy the Serenade To A Soul Sister and Black Fire RVG's. Grabbed it! Very nice album; and it may be a digipak, but at least they didn't put that "Don't Copy" crap on the back cover.

I was WRONG----they DID put an anti-piracy badge on the back. It was hidden behind the gold, stick-on obi-strip thing. Still a good album, though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice to hear you like it! Do you have his first Blue Note, and if so, how do you think they compare?

Yeah, I have Introducing Johnny Griffin. Good as it is, I'd have to say that the Argo/Parrot album seems warmer and more relaxed, somehow, the playing more straight ahead and soulful. The BN debut seems flashier, though that's NOT to say that the earlier album lacks at all for technical grace, at least to these ears. Of course, I'm a non-musician, so we're talking 100% subjective here. Also, the earlier album has surprisingly good sound---you really here that bass, and the tenor sounds like you could touch it. I'm so glad they re-issued it! (By the way, Introducing J. G. shares two song selections with the Argo: "The Boy Next Door," and "These Foolish Things." Griffin must have like them.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

(By the way, Introducing J. G. shares two song selections with the Argo: "The Boy Next Door," and "These Foolish Things." Griffin must have like them.)

It is these two tracks that make comparison so interesting!

Maybe the first pressing of the Argo was sold out by the time he recorded the Blue Note.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

I have this on a Japanese LP, and every time I play it I expect to be disappointed by the length of the tunes, but I never am. Everyone plays well, and everyone seems to have enough time to say what they have to say.

A couple of thoughts:

Wilbur Ware's "Riff Raff" is fun to listen to. I'm not a musician, so perhaps for the players it was fun mixed with difficulty.

When I was listening to "The Boy Next Door", I felt that for the first time I was hearing the connection between Johnny Griffin and Von Freeman. I don't know who was influenced by whom, or even if that was the case. Perhaps it was just something in the Chicago milieu. I imagine that others have commented on this connection, but it was the first time I heard it for myself.

An unusual AOW choice - but a very good one.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It was recorded as early as 1953 (!!!) - click here for the story about the label and determination of the recording date (you will have to scroll pretty far down the page) - I will get the new Verve LPR reissue sometime next week and wonder if they have corrected the recording date.

Of course they didn't - careful research of dedicated jazz lovers is the last thing those reissue producers seem to care for.

The liner says "recorded in 1956" - as I said, it was August 1953! (If in doubt, follow the link in the quote.)

Edited by mikeweil
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...