Eddie Green: This One’s For You

Green’s career has included gigs with Dexter Gordon, Slide Hampton, and Max Roach, among others, as well as gold records with Billy Paul and Lou Rawls. The veteran Philadelphia pianist’s belated debut has a lot going for it: a pronounced feeling of bop-oriented swing, a well-integrated trio (with bassist Tyrone Brown and drummer Jim Miller), a good mix of standards and originals, and a classic sense of form to most performances. The only drag is several unsatisfactory endings: “Lift Ev’ry Voice & Swing” disappears abruptly, “All The Things You Are” ends during a bass solo, and a couple of others fade out. Surely such a fine trio can be more imaginative than this.

Green has a bluesy touch that occasionally recalls Ramsey Lewis (“Unit 7”), Wynton Kelly (“Skeeter’s Kitchen”), and Ahmad Jamal. Brown’s propulsive walk and Miller’s synchronized drum kicks give the group a concerted, infectious lift. As an extra asset, percussionist William “Duke” Wilson appears on two tracks, one of which is Horace Silver’s “Silver’s Serenade,” where someone (presumably Wilson) plays nice, mellow vibes.

Originally Published April 1, 1997