€ 14.95 (USD 17.78)

PR LP 7138

Status LP 8318

PR LP 7144

SV LP 2002

Blues Groove 1958-1959 (3 Lps On 2 Cds)

Tiny Grimes

Legendary guitarist Tiny Grimes made his big comeback to the jazz/blues recording field in 1958 with these three albums he made for the Prestige/Swingville series. Jazzwise, he had stayed away from the studios for a long time, playing rock ‘n’ roll in Midwestern nightclubs.

In these fine sessions, the beat and blues-drenched, dirty sound of Tiny’s guitar is escorted by a group of outstanding jazzmen including pianist Ray Bryant, tenors Coleman Hawkins and Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis, reedman Jerome Richardson, trombonist J.C. Higginbotham, bassist Wendell Marshall, and drummer Osie Johnson. Where most—if not all—guitarists were using six-string models, Tiny continued to use a four-string box. “There’s nothing I can’t do with the four except maybe in playing rhythm. A lot of the cats today are only using four of their six strings anyway.”

This is blues guitar with a fine, rousing sound and the kind of beat that colored the early rock ‘n’ roll bands, assembled, for the first time ever on CD, as the complete 1958-1959 Tiny Grimes sessions. Enjoy.


Tracklisting:

CD 1
01. Soul Station (Grimes) 7:47
02. Blues Wail (Grimes) 6:44
03. A Smooth One (Goodman) 5:55
04. April in Paris (Duke-Harburg) 6:39
05. Marchin’ Along (Grimes) 17:37
06. Tiny Bean (Grimes) 4:58
07. Dood I Did (Grimes) 5:15
08. Lost Weekend (Grimes) 10:40
09. Grimes Times (Grimes) 11:20

CD 2
01. Airmail Special (Goodman-Mundy-Christian) 7:33
02. Callin’ the Blues (Grimes) 8:42
03. Blue Tiny (Grimes) 11:34
04. Ain’t Misbehavin (Waller-Razaf-Brooks) 7:03
05. Down with It (Grimes-Crawley) 8:56
06. Durn Tootin’ (Grimes) 4:27
07. Annie Laurie (Traditional) 6:57
08. Homesick (Grimes-Crawley) 8:52
09. Frankie and Johnny (Traditional) 3:48


Sources CD 1:

Tracks #1-5 originally issued on
Tiny Grimes with Coleman Hawkins "Blues Groove"
(Prestige PR 7138)

Track #6 originally issued on Coleman Hawkins
with Tiny Grimes & Ray Bryant "Blues Groove"
(Prestige PR 7753)

Tracks #7-8 originally issued on
"Guitar Soul" (Status LP 8318)

Track #9 originally issued on Tiny Grimes
"Callin' the Blues" (Prestige PR 7144)


Sources CD 2:

Tracks #1-3 originally issued on Tiny Grimes
"Callin' the Blues" (Prestige PR 7144)

Tracks #4-9 originally issued on Tiny Grimes with
Jerome Richardson "Tiny in Swingville"
(Swingville SV LP 2002)




Personnel on "Blues Groove" (CD 1, #1-6):

Tiny Grimes (g), Coleman Hawkins (ts), Musa Kaleem (fl), Ray Bryant (p), Earl Wormack (b), Teagle Fleming Jr. (d).

Recorded at Hackensack, New Jersey, on February 28, 1958.


Personnel on "Guitar Soul" (CD 1, #7-9):

Tiny Grimes (g), J.C. Higginbotham (tb), Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis (ts), Ray Bryant (p), Wendell Marshall (b), Osie Johnson (d).

Recorded at Hackensack, New Jersey, on July 18, 1958.


Personnel on "Callin' the Blues" (CD 1, #9 & CD 2, #1-3):

Tiny Grimes (g), J.C. Higginbotham (tb), Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis (ts), Ray Bryant (p), Wendell Marshall (b), Osie Johnson (d).

Recorded at Hackensack, New Jersey, on July 18, 1958.


Personnel on "Tiny in Swingville" (CD 2, #4-9):

Tiny Grimes (g), Jerome Richardson (ts on #4,6 & 9, bs on #7 & 8, fl on #5), Ray Bryant (p), Wendell Marshall (b), Arthur Taylor (d).

Recorded at Hackensack, New Jersey, on August 13, 1959.




Original recordings produced by Bob Weinstock (Blues Groove), and Esmond Edwards (Callin' the Blues & Tiny in Swingville).

Reissue produced by Jordi Pujol and "Beethoven" Jean-Michel Reisser.

Stereo 24-Bit Digitally Remastered


---------------------------------------------------------

Notes:

-Blues Groove

"True to its title, the focus here is the blues, as played by a group with an encyclopedic mastery of the genre and an equally impressive depth in swing styles. Leader Tiny Grimes may be playing a four-string guitar, but his Charlie Christian-influenced sound is big, fluid, and expressive. Teamed with Coleman Hawkins' timeless tenor, Grimes performs with passion, skill, and down-home joy.

The impressive lineup also includes pianist Ray Bryant, whose supple technique and easygoing virtuosity fuel the music with relentless drive and eloquent, bluesy solos. Four of the five tracks include Musa Kaleem on flute. Kaleem, known as Gonga Musa when he worked as a tenor player with Art Blakey in the late '40s, contributes an effective counter to Hawkins' smoky tone. Bassist Earl Wormack and drummer Teagle Fleming Jr. are the well-recorded heartbeat in these blues grooves.

The set opens with the leader's 17-minute-plus "Marchin' Along," a mid-tempo blues that affords Grimes, Hawkins, and Bryant each a lengthy stretch of choruses on the tune's basic riff structure. The performances are rounded out by two more good blues from Grimes, Benny Goodman's "A Smooth One" and a memorable version of "April in Paris" that is executed with a light, swinging touch.

This music will appeal to fans of Grimes' vintage electric guitar and to those interested in an opportunity to hear Hawkins take an extended foray into the blues."

Jim Todd -All Music Guide


-Callin' the Blues

"Guitarist Tiny Grimes, who led three albums for Prestige and Swingville from 1958-59, welcomed two extroverted horn players (tenor saxophonist Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis and veteran trombonist J.C. Higginbotham), plus pianist Ray Bryant, bassist Wendell Marshall and drummer Osie Johnson, to his heated session. The group plays three original blues and "Airmail Special." Although J.C., who had a long decline, sounds a bit past his prime, plenty of sparks fly throughout the date, particularly from Grimes and Lockjaw."

Scott Yanow -All Music Guide


-Tiny in Swingville

"Guitarist Tiny Grimes was in a bit of obscurity when he had the opportunity to first record for Prestige in 1958. This particular set was the final of his three Prestige albums and it really puts the focus on Grimes' bluish but swinging guitar playing. With the strong assistance of Jerome Richardson (who is in top form on flute, tenor, and baritone), pianist Ray Bryant, bassist Wendell Marshall, and drummer Art Taylor, Grimes is heard in excellent form on "Annie Laurie," his "Durn Tootin'," "Ain't Misbehavin'," "Frankie and Johnnie," and a couple of original blues."

Scott Yanow -All Music Guide

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