# CD review: Johnny Griffin – Live at Ronnie Scott’s, 1964 – 2023: Video, CD cover

- Link: https://jazzblues.eu/2023/11/12/cd-review-johnny-griffin-live-at-ronnie-scotts-1964-2023-video-cd-cover/
- Published: 2023-11-12T00:04:34+01:00
- Author: https://JazzBlues.EU

**This never-heard-before recording of the legendary tenor sax “Little Giant” Johnny
Griffin playing at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club and backed by members of Ronnie’s House
Band (Stan Tracey, Malcolm Cecil and Jackie Dougan) sees a AAA vinyl release. **

The album was mastered at Gearbox Records using an all-analogue signal chain and
cut directly from the original tapes, which were recorded at the club by Les Tomkins
in 1964.

Hearing Chicago saxist Johnny Griffin solo at hurricane speed in his heyday was 
like watching a snooker player intent on clearing the table in one break. He was
also one of the few saxophonists (Coltrane was one of this elite group) who could
negotiate Thelonious Monk’s musical mazes.

Griffin is 80 on this set, recorded in London in May – and long-time fans of the
Little Giant are the most likely customers for his last recording, but trumpeter
Roy Hargrove’s admirers are, too, since the latter plays some blistering solos in
an impromptu Anglo-American band featuring Billy Cobham on drums and some inspired
contributions from British pianist David Newton.

Fast tracks like Lester Leaps In and Blues Walk find Griffin soloing in sketchy 
brushstrokes – vocalised growls, slurs and mock-grumpy warbles linked by the occasional
skimming run – but he locks confidently into the groove on the closing Hot Sake,
and is very affecting in the ballad duet with Hargrove on When We Were One.

A guest appearance from veteran German singer/pianist Paul Kuhn is more of a distraction
than an asset, but otherwise this set catches the kind of jam-session atmosphere
Griffin loved for 60-odd years.

1. The Girl Next Door (14:52)
 2. (Back Home Again In) Indiana (21:48) 3. Blues 
In Twos (15:50) 4. The Theme (1:24)

**Johnny Griffin – tenor saxophone**
 **Stan Tracey – piano** **Malcolm Cecil – 
double bass** **Jackie Dougan – drums**

![71n2kKTniSL._SL1500_.jpg](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71n2kKTniSL._SL1500_.
jpg)

### _Related_