Soul Groove Explained

Soul Groove
Type:	Studio
Artist:	Johnny Griffin and Matthew Gee
Cover:	Soul Groove.jpg
Released:	1964
Recorded:	May 14 & 16, 1963 New York City
Genre:	Jazz
Label:	Atlantic LP-1431
Chronology:	Matthew Gee
Prev Title:	Jazz by Gee
Prev Year:	1956

Soul Groove is an album by saxophonist Johnny Griffin and trombonist Matthew Gee recorded in 1963 and released on the Atlantic label.^[1]

Reception

AllMusic awarded the album 3 stars stating "The music seldom reaches ignition point on this undistinguished 1965 session... Soul Groove disappoints in several areas, including the writing that seldom surpasses head-arrangement status... The co-leaders' contributions also pass in a blur. Tenor and trombone front lines can work, but here the tone of the two instruments is too similar; Griffin and Gee's solos tend to drift and smear over one another".^[2]

Track listing

All compositions by Matthew Gee except as indicated

1. "Oh Gee" - 2:21
2. "Here" - 5:10
3. "At Sundown" (Lou Donaldson) - 4:51
4. "The Swingers Get the Blues, Too" - 8:00
5. "Twist City" - 5:22
6. "Poor Butterfly" (John Golden, Raymond Hubbell) - 4:59
7. "Mood for Cryin'" (Aaron Bell) - 4:42
8. "Renee" - 5:18

Personnel

• Johnny Griffin - tenor saxophone
• Matthew Gee - trombone
• "Big" John Patton - organ (tracks 1, 5 & 8)
• Hank Jones - piano, organ (tracks 2-4, 6 & 7)
• Aaron Bell - bass, tuba
• Art Taylor - drums
• Carlos "Patato" Valdes - congas, bongos

Notes and References

1. http://www.jazzdisco.org/johnny-griffin/catalog/#atlantic-lp-1431 Johnny Griffin discography
2. Todd, J. Allmusic Review accessed October 25, 2012