Sa 24th April – 14:00 Concertzender Live.
Tenor player Johnny Griffin stokes the fires again.
Griffin was feared by many bass players and drummers – the timekeepers – because of his very fast tempi. You hear that immediately in the standard Autumn Leaves. The speed with which the autumn leaves fall down cannot be explained by their weight, nor by the original emotion of the song. Melody and in particular chord schemes are nothing more than vehicles for lengthy improvisations. The next song Prelude To A Kiss allows for welcome cooling down. Then it’s off again with Blues For Gonzi. Timekeepers are Ray Drummond (bass) and Kenny Washington (drums). The piano is played by Ronnie Mathews, described by the New York Times as “… a constant and provocative challenge to Mr. Griffin…”
Griffin (1928-2008) was small. His nickname: The Little Giant.
Concertzender Live – a programme by Jaap van de Klomp
