Gigi Gryce Nica's Tempo CD

 Excellent Savoy recording by Gryce
I first heard Gigi Gryce as a sideman,arranger or co-leader on other artist's records. Like Benny Golson, he is perhaps recognized more as a composer/arranger, but like Benny, that does'nt mean he can't blow. His own version of his classic original composition "Nica's tempo" is the best I've heard. Even better than the one with Donald Byrd on the Jazz Lab record. It is truly one of the greatest and most unique jazz compositions of the period- ingenious. This cd contains 3 different bands all with Gryce on alto recorded in 1955 by Rudy Van Gelder. 4 are with a quartet which features Thelonious Monk on piano, they complement each other perfectly. Then there are some with a larger ensemble, and a couple tracks with vocalist Ernestine Andrews. This makes for a shift in continuity and once you hear the tracks with Monk, you'll wish there were more. But the title track alone makes the disc worth having. The arrangements and playing on the nonet tracks is still to a high standard. Throughout, gigi's alto playing is articulate. The mono recording quality is good and the digital transfer is clean, with maybe a few clicks here and there which indicate it might have received some type of noise removal process (CEDAR?). This disc belongs in any jazz lover's collection.
Submitted by chris henrici (washington dc)
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