Grant Green - Feelin' The Spirit (1963)

Note: the CD I listened to was the 2005 Rudy Van Gelder Edition which includes a bonus track.

In which one of my favorite jazz guitarists leads a group of great musicians through a set of traditional spirituals and gospel tracks. It sounds like the band is having a great time revisiting songs they grew up learning. Herbie Hancock, in particular, sounds like he'd been listening to a lot of Horace Silver and tried to incorporate some of Silver's sound and grooves into these arrangements. And Green brings beauty to everything he plays, as usual. Perfect for any Sunday morning.

Green - guitar
Herbie Hancock - piano
Butch Warren - bass
Billy Higgins - drums
Garvin Masseaux - tambourine

Original 1963 liner notes written by Joe Goldberg, noted jazz author, and 2004 reissue liner notes by Bob Blumenthal.

Reviews/ratings:

• Downbeat (★★): "The music poses no challenges to the musicians and, as a result, holds no surprises for the listener."
• HiFi/Stereo Review: "too casual"
• Billboard: "could prove to be one of Grant Green's best sellers to date."
• CashBox: "Feelingful"
• The Penguin Guide to Jazz (5th ed., 2000): ★★★½
• The Rolling Stone Jazz & Blues Album Guide (1999): ★★★★
• The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz (1999): ★★★

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks: Only five tracks on the original album, my top picks are Just A Closer Walk With Thee and Joshua Fit De Battle Ob Jericho. The bonus track, Deep River, certainly fits the theme of the album - maybe at almost nine minutes in length there simply wasn't room for it?

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None

Previously revisited for the blog:
Sunday Mornin'/Grantstand/Grant's First Stand/Green Blues (2012)
Talkin' About (1965)
Green Street (1961)