1958 · Album
Johnny Griffin Sextet
Recorded 1958 · Riverside · Produced by Not specified in provided source
A Sextet in Perfect Balance
Griffin's first Riverside date as leader, recorded with an all-star lineup ready to match his intensity.
When Johnny Griffin Sextet arrived in 1958, it landed quietly enough—a first leadership outing on Riverside, recorded the day before Griffin and his group went in to cut Way Out!. But the album found its audience steadily. AllMusic gave it four stars, and The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings matched that with a perfect four-out-of-four, the kind of ratings that signal real substance rather than novelty. This wasn't a record that needed to shout; the music spoke clearly enough.
What makes it hold up is Griffin's refusal to overshadow his bandmates. The saxophonist was a firebrand—fast, aggressive, always pushing—but here he sits inside an ensemble rather than dominating it. The sextet format gives him room to stretch without the weight of carrying every solo. There's conversation happening, actual dialogue, which was less common in hard bop than you might think. The all-star lineup meant everyone arrived ready to listen as well as play.
This is solid, swinging stuff that doesn't pretend to be more than what it is. It's also early enough in Griffin's Riverside tenure that it marks the beginning of a productive stretch, a leader establishing his voice on his own terms. If you're coming to Griffin, this is a good entry point—no excess, no historical baggage, just a saxophonist with something to say and musicians who knew how to listen.
Who's playing
Wilbur Warebass
Kenny Drewpiano
Pepper Adamsbaritone saxophone
Johnny Griffintenor saxophone
Donald Byrdtrumpet
Philly Joe Jonesdrums
Where next?
More by Johnny Griffin
All 43 albums →
The musicians on this record
Byrd in Flight 1960
Donald Byrd
plays trumpet here
plays trumpet here
Kenny Drew Trio 1957
Philly Joe Jones
plays drums (drum set) here
plays drums (drum set) here
