Green, Grant

Green, Grant, jazz guitarist, b. St. Louis, June 6, 1931; d. N.Y., Jan. 31, 1979. He began studying guitar while still in grade school; by 1944, he was gigging with local groups. He worked in both R&B and jazz groups through the 1950s, including recordings and performances with Jack McDuff. He was invited to N.Y. by Lou Donaldson in 1960 and recorded prolifically for Blue Note, both as a leader and sideman. For his first group of recordings he worked with Donaldson, Lee Morgan, Stanley Turrentine, Jimmy Forrest, Jack McDuff, and Larry Young. His later work moved from post-bop to a danceable style. His “street” funk cuts from this period have been widely sampled by recent rap and dance acts, evidence of his popularity amongst acid jazz audiences. His career was hampered from the late 1960s on due to drug addiction. His ex-daughter-in-law wrote a biography.

Discography

Sunday Mornin’ (1961); Remembering (1961); Reaching Out (1961); Green Street (1961); Born to Be Blue (1961); Feelin’ the Spirit (1962); Coin’ West (1962); Oleo (1962); Am I Blue? (1963); Idle Moments (with J. Henderson, B. Hutcherson; 1963); Solid (1964); Street of Dreams (1964); Alive! (1970); Green Is Beautiful (1970); Live at the Lighthouse (1972); Main Attraction (1976); Easy (1978). J. Forrest: Black Forrest (1959); All the Gin Is Gone (1959).

Bibliography

S. A. Green, G. G.: Rediscovering the Forgotten Genius of Jazz Guitar (San Francisco, 1999).

—Music Master Jazz and Blues Catalogue/Lewis Porter