 During
his 1960s prime, jazz guitarist Grant Green was overshadowed by rivals Wes Montgomery and
George Benson, two immensely talented players who made successful forays into the pop
world. But although Green passed away in 1979, the 1990s have seen a Grant Green
renaissance, thanks to the birth of acid jazz, the reemergence of soul jazz, the
jazz-reissue boom, and, most importantly, Green's distinctive guitar style--steeped in his
R&B roots and boasting a clear, biting, soulful tone that makes him attractive to rock
fans. When she met and later married Grant's youngest son, journalist Sharony Andrews
Green stumbled into an admirable mission: to shed light on the life and music of her
cult-favorite father-in-law. Green-the-author delivers an engaging, casual remembrance
that adeptly balances many aspects of Green's life while never delving deeply into any of
them. Green-the-guitarist lived in service to an uneasy triumvirate--music, Islam, and
heroin--and the author, despite her ties to her subject, pulls no punches in detailing his
drug habit and dark side. The book relies on heartfelt anecdotes from friends, family,
musicians, and historians to tell his story and provide a clear and compelling picture of
the mindset of a black jazz musician. We learn, for example, how many St. Louis jazzmen
began to use heroin in admiration of Midwestern idols (and users) such as Charlie Parker
and Miles Davis, and how Green himself yearned for a wider audience in the late 1960s and
changed musical directions in search of it (only to be even more frustrated when it did
not come). The easy-going, conversational writing style mostly makes for a warm, emotional
memoir, though it loses sophistication when the focus moves toward the author and her
biography process. Still, adding a comprehensive sessionography, Green offers a useful
primer for a talented musician, opening the door for more thorough investigations of Grant
Green's unique guitar technique and stylistic innovations. --Marc Greilsamer |