Two Tenors, No Backup Plan
Griffin and Ammons locked in together is about as good as hard bop gets.
By 1960, Johnny Griffin had already established himself as one of the fastest tenors in the business — the guy who could run changes at a tempo that left other players shaking their heads. Gene Ammons was a different kind of player: bigger tone, more deliberate, the kind of saxophonist who made you feel every note before he moved to the next one. Putting them together on Griff 'n' Bags (1960) was a genuinely smart idea, and it works because their styles actually contrast rather than duplicate each other.
The rhythm section holding things together is solid throughout. The session swings consistently, and neither Griffin nor Ammons wastes time trying to outshine the other — they trade, they comp behind one another, and they keep the whole thing feeling like a conversation rather than a competition. That balance is harder to pull off than it sounds, especially when you put two strong personalities on the same bandstand. The blues sensibility Ammons brings keeps Griffin from getting too acrobatic, and Griffin's speed keeps Ammons from settling into anything too comfortable.
This isn't a record that's going to rearrange how you think about jazz. What it is: a very enjoyable, well-paced hard bop session that does exactly what it sets out to do. If you already like either of these players, hearing them work together is genuinely satisfying. If you're newer to either one, this is actually a reasonable place to start with Ammons in particular, since the interplay gives you a clear sense of what makes his approach distinctive. Worth your time.
Who's playing
Jimmy Woodedouble bass
Francy Bolandpiano
Johnny Griffintenor saxophone
Sahib Shihabbaritone saxophone, flute
Benny Baileyflugelhorn, trumpet
Idrees Suliemantrumpet
Åke Perssontrombone
Kenny Clarkedrums
Milt Jacksonvibraphone
Where next?
More by Johnny Griffin
All 43 albums →
The musicians on this record
Their own records, close in time
