Grant Green • I Want To Hold Your Hand

Review by Steve Huey

The third of three sessions Grant Green co-led with modal organist Larry Young and Coltrane drummer Elvin Jones, I Want to Hold Your Hand continues in the soft, easy style of its predecessor, Street of Dreams. This time, however -- as one might guess from the title and cover photo -- the flavor is less reflective and more romantic and outwardly engaging. Part of the reason is tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley, who takes Bobby Hutcherson's place accompanying the core trio. His breathy, sensuous warmth keeps the album simmering at a low boil, and some of the repertoire helps as well, mixing romantic ballad standards (often associated with vocalists) and gently undulating bossa novas. The title track -- yes, the Beatles tune -- is one of the latter, cleverly adapted and arranged into perfectly viable jazz that suits Green's elegant touch with pop standards; the other bossa nova, Jobim's "Corcovado," is given a wonderfully caressing treatment. Even with all the straightforward pop overtones of much of the material, the quartet's playing is still very subtly advanced, both in its rhythmic interaction and the soloists' harmonic choices. Whether augmented by an extra voice or sticking to the basic trio format, the Green/Young/Jones team produced some of the most sophisticated organ/guitar combo music ever waxed, and I Want to Hold Your Hand is the loveliest of the bunch.

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Reseña de Steve Huey

La tercera de las tres sesiones de Grant Green, co-liderada por el organista Larry Young y el baterista de Coltrane Elvin Jones, I Want to Hold Your Hand continúa en el estilo suave y fácil de su predecesor, Street of Dreams. Esta vez, sin embargo, como se puede adivinar por el título y la foto de la portada, el sabor es menos reflexivo y más romántico y atractivo desde el punto de vista externo. Parte de la razón es el saxofonista tenor Hank Mobley, que ocupa el lugar de Bobby Hutcherson acompañando al trío principal. Su calidez sensual y respiratoria mantiene el álbum a fuego lento, y parte del repertorio también ayuda, mezclando estándares románticos de baladas (a menudo asociados con vocalistas) y bossa novas suavemente ondulantes. El tema que da título a la canción -sí, la melodía de los Beatles- es uno de estos últimos, hábilmente adaptado y arreglado en un jazz perfectamente viable que se adapta al toque elegante de Green con los estándares del pop; al otro bossa nova, "Corcovado" de Jobim, se le da un tratamiento maravillosamente acariciante. A pesar de todos los claros matices pop de gran parte del material, la interpretación del cuarteto sigue siendo muy sutilmente avanzada, tanto en su interacción rítmica como en las opciones armónicas de los solistas. Ya sea con una voz extra o con el formato de trío básico, el equipo de Green/Young/Jones produjo algunos de los más sofisticados combo de órgano/guitarra jamás encerados, y I Want to Hold Your Hand es el más encantador del grupo.

Tracklist
1 I Want To Hold Your Hand
2 Speak Low
3 Stella By Starlight
4 Corcovado (Quiet Nights)
5 This Could Be The Start Of Something
6 At Long Last Love

Grant Green - guitar
Hank Mobley - tenor saxophone (tracks 1-4 & 6)
Larry Young - organ
Elvin Jones - drums

Released: Late May 1966
Recorded: March 31, 1965
Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs
Recorded By [Recording Engineer] – Rudy Van Gelder
Genre: Jazz
Length: 41:30
Label: Blue Note





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