Blowin Session [Original recording remastered]

Amazon.com
This freewheeling 1957 session features three of the finest tenor saxophonists of the hard-bop genre--Johnny Griffin, Hank Mobley, and John Coltrane. While tenor battles have been a feature of jazz since the '30s, the three here are so distinctive in their approaches that it's musicality that reigns and even the new listener will soon identify the three saxophonists' sounds. Griffin has been billed as the world's fastest saxophonist, a hard claim to verify, but few would argue with his aplomb as he tears off electrifying solos, negotiating quicksilver arpeggios with a gruff sound and the blues-tinged wail that he had mastered in Joe Morris's rhythm & blues band. Mobley's approach was more subdued, producing inventive streams of melody even in these heated circumstances, while Coltrane was already the most adventurous of the three, pressing the changes for new harmonic extensions. Bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Art Blakey are both supportive and forceful, while trumpeter Lee Morgan and pianist Wynton Kelly add some variety to the dominant tenor voices. --Stuart Broomer

Tracks:

The Way You Look Tonight
Ball Bearing
All The Things You Are
Smoke Stack
Smoke Stack (Alternate Take)

Amazon.com

This freewheeling 1957 session features three of the finest tenor saxophonists of the hard-bop genre--Johnny Griffin, Hank Mobley, and John Coltrane. While tenor battles have been a feature of jazz since the '30s, the three here are so distinctive in their approaches that it's musicality that reigns and even the new listener will soon identify the three saxophonists' sounds. Griffin has been billed as the world's fastest saxophonist, a hard claim to verify, but few would argue with his aplomb as he tears off electrifying solos, negotiating quicksilver arpeggios with a gruff sound and the blues-tinged wail that he had mastered in Joe Morris's rhythm & blues band. Mobley's approach was more subdued, producing inventive streams of melody even in these heated circumstances, while Coltrane was already the most adventurous of the three, pressing the changes for new harmonic extensions. Bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Art Blakey are both supportive and forceful, while trumpeter Lee Morgan and pianist Wynton Kelly add some variety to the dominant tenor voices. --Stuart Broomer

Customer Reviews:

Overrated, IMHO..........2006-03-15

Though this CD gets 5 stars from most of your reviewers, and appears on a number of "best ever" lists, I'd like to offer an emphatic dissent.First the good things. The rhythm section is excellent,(even if Art Blakey is typically a bit overpowering), both generally and in its limited solo space. And Lee Morgan's playing is excellent. I've never heard him play less than well; he had it all--ideas,tone,technique,fire,taste.Mobley and Coltrane play well, though nothing here will startle or excite anyone familiar with their work around this time.
As for the Johnny Griffin of the 50's:sure,he's one of the fastest horns in the West,but as a musician his talent ended at the wrists.Endless cockroach-on-the-keys scrambling up and down his horn,very little in the way of ideas,a harsh and at times plain out-of-tune upper register that sometimes sounded like somebody had stepped on a poodle. If you want to hear the difference between a real improvising musician and a cram-everything-in speed demon, compare the Monk-Sonny Rollins version of "Misterioso" with the Monk-Griffin version (each recorded right around this time). But JG is the dominant force/voice on this album,unfortunately. Sheer technical virtuosity has always played a role in jazz, but in the best jazz there's always a lot else besides. That's not the case here.

Heated session, overly hot mic.......2005-12-11

Few occasions can produce as much musical excitement as a gladiatoral meeting of tough tenors. An all too rare event these days, if you came of age in Chicago in the '60's and '70's you had bountiful opportunities both on the South Side (McKee's Show Lounge) and North (Joe Segal's Jazz Showcase) to hear the strongest and most personal voices on the instrument--Stitt, Jug, Dex, Moody, Jaws, Cohn, Sims, Turrentine, Ira, and Griff-- taking after each other in pairs, threes, and sometimes in fours. No recording can do justice to capturing such moments, but few, in my (apparently minority) opinion, fall as short as "Blowin' Session."

Some of the blame lies with the programming. There's no shortage of Griffin to be heard, but the presence of Lee Morgan simply deprives both Mobley and Trane of comparable blowing time. But the real downer on this session is the quality of the audio. Who would have ever thought it possible to practically "homogenize" voices as distinctive as those of Griffin, Mobley, and Coltrane? The sonic canvas is depthless and dimensionless, the horns miked so closely that each is constantly on the verge of breaking up. Griffin's sound, in fact, is distorted throughout much of the program, a relentlessly grating roughness that makes it difficult to appreciate his normally crisp articulations and fluent melodic lines. Mobley and Coltrane, though artificially boosted in the sonic mix, come off better, thanks to Hank's less aggressive approach and to Trane's characteristically unforced use of the altissimo register. Overall, Coltrane's playing is surprisingly conservative on this session and his role quite limited. Of the three players, the real surprise, for some listeners, may be Mobley, who eschews charging ahead like a locomotive in favor of some thoughtful, "reactive" musical ideas. (Dig, especially, his masterfully constructed solo on the "Alternate Take" of ""Smoke Stack," which also features the best Coltrane on the date.) Unfortunately, Blakey's drums take their place in the foreground with the horns on Van Gelder's flat aural canvas, overshadowing both Paul Chambers' bass and Wynton Kelly's piano except for the solos.

If you really want to compare the different and utterly unique sounds of Coltrane and Mobley, pick up "Someday My Prince Will Come," the Miles Davis session on Columbia that features both tenor players. If you want to hear the undistorted, "natural" sound of Johnny Griffin, go to his work on Riverside with Monk or on Jazzland with Lockjaw Davis or on Delmark with Ira Sullivan.

Unless I simply received a bad pressing (from BMG), "Blowin' Session," especially after all the hype that it's received, is one of the most overblown recordings I've ever come across.

Blowin Session will Blow you Away.......2005-08-17

Starting off with a feiry version of "The Way You Look Tonight" Griffin cooks like mad running up and down scales and arpeggios not only showing off his harmonic sense but using his ability to play at very fast tempos. Lee Morgan somewhat equals Griffin on their quest to what seems like Out-blow each other yet that wasn't the case as Griffin quotes in liner notes "Everybody wins here". Coltrane was put as the only other tenor player who could match Griffins speed which is not true because you must not forget Sonny Rollins. Just think if Mobley had been replaced by Rollins then it really would be a battle!!! Actually, though, Mobely adds nice contrast to the setting; while not able to handle the fast tempos as well as the others, Hank is full of fluid and lyrical playing. The monster Rhythmn section is one to die for! Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers and Art "buhaina" Blakey himself.

The atmosphere is pure Jam Session. It's easy to tell that everyone is having a good time, despite the fact the any number of them could have been on dope. The tunes are made up of two standards ["The Way You Look Tonight", "All The Things You Are"] and two Griffin originals ["Ball Barings", "Smoke Stack"]
This a true Blowin Session!

Great intro to Johnny Griffin!.......2004-01-18

This album is a great first choice for those looking to get into Johnny Griffin's work. The RVG sound is pristine. The band members enjoy each other's company. Griffin gets enough space to show his lightning fast chops in a casual setting that highlights his virtues against some of the top players Blue Note has to offer. The choice of material and the tempos indicate that Griffin is in charge of the proceedings; he's pretty much a pure tenor giant, not as much a composer or arranger of ensembles and standards are his thing. But in Mobley, Lee Morgan, and John Coltrane he has the type of bandmembers that challenge him to put his avalanche of ideas into a concise space. Griffin always plays for the crowd and you get his speed and it's always fun to see which tunes he's quoting in his solos. As an added plus, you get a rare sighting of Coltrane in the Blue Note Studios blowing some magesterial solos. [Sonny's Crib by Sonny Clark is another overlooked Trane as blue note side note session.] But everybody here can wail.

I'd strongly recommend this album to young tenor saxophonists. They're playing standards that you'd typically see at jam sessions. Besides that, you get exposure to three of the giants of the instrument in one place. This is the type of album that can help those new to jazz learn how players have a particular style and approach to changes and a definitive tone. Trane's water dancing to Mobley's molasses to Griffin's avalanche gives you so much of the history of the saxophone with just a single performance.

This kind of session is what Griffin is all about; lightning fast playing on standards and positive hard bop stuff. I particularly enjoy "All the Things You Are" and "Just the Way You Look Tonight."

Those who dig Griffin's playing would be wise to check out his live work with Monk "Thelonious in Action" and "Misterioso".

I could go on and on about this album but I'll cut things off here. Just buy it!

5 stars!

A Blowin' Session if there ever was one.......2003-06-07

There could not have been a better name for this album. The line-up includes some of the very best saxophonists to ever play jazz. Not only that but you have one of the most talented trumpeters and one of the most well established drummers known for leading the Jazz Messengers. And of course how could you go wrong with Mr. P.C. If you are not familiar with any of the tunes, which by the way are some of the most fast paced swingin' version of these tunes I have ever heard, then the line up should convince you to buy it. Lee Morgan, Johnny Griffin, Hank Mobley, John Coltrane, Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers, and Art Blakey all truly define this Blowin' Session. This is an essential for any jazz lover.

Average customer rating:

A Blowing Session...
Great Jazz by Great Artists

A Blowin' Session
Johnny Griffin
Manufacturer: Blue Note Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

Hard Bop | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Blue Note Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000005HBZ
Release Date: 1991-07-01

Tracks:

The Way You Look Tonight
Ball Bearing
All The Things You Are
Smoke Stack

Customer Reviews:

A Blowing Session..........2005-03-31

This session not only was a 'blowing one,' a term applied to a successful session, but a very unique one. Very rarely is there an album with three tenor saxophonists on one single cut. And with the addition to the three tenor man is a trumpeter which makes it even more intense.

Leading the session was Johnny Griffin. I dig Griffin, but he didn't have the warmest sound in the world, which makes me prefer other warm tenor players as Sonny Rollins, Stan Getz, and Zoot Sims. Joining Griffin is tenor star John Coltrane and underrated tenor men Hank Mobley. In addition to all three tenor man is Lee Morgan, trumpet virtuoso.

The rhythm section includes Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and the fireous drumming of Art Blakey, who's drum solos add to the delight of the recording.

Sometimes, the intensity of this disk, overwhelmes me, which is why I gave this review only 4 stars. Except for the solos, there isn't much change from song to song, and tenor sound starts getting on your nerves, if not in the right mood for it.

The album starts off with the standard The Way You Look Tonight, which isn't usually taken at the tempo it's taken at here, but it's good anyway. The standard All The Things You Are swings. Ball Bearing and Smoke Stack are the two Griffin originals.

If you dig really intense hard bop, this album is for you. Art Blakey was in good company. His albums were usually like this. Fireous, and intense!

Great Jazz by Great Artists.......2000-06-11

I've been a jazz fan for a long time. I bought "A blowing Season" because, not only do I love Johnny Griffin, but the album had "All the Things you Are" on it, which is my favorite jazz tune. I listened, and the whole album was amazing. Griffin has very beutifully constructed solos, and eveything on this album seems to fit together near perfectly. This is a great jazz cd, so I reccomend it to all fans of Jazz.