Jazz Articles about Jimmy Greene
About Jimmy Greene
Instrument: Saxophone
Article Coverage | Calendar | Albums | Photos | Similar ArtistsJimmy Greene: Gifts and Givers

by C. Andrew Hovan
The two-tenor battle is not a new idea, with iconic pairings from the jazz pantheon running the gamut from Dexter Gordon and Wardell Gray to Eddie “Lockjaw" Davis and Johnny Griffin. In more recent times, Eric Alexander and Grant Stewart have fueled the fire with their own incendiary adventures as heard on the current albums Wailin' (Criss 1258) and Cookin' (Criss 1283). As with any healthy blowing session, the idea is to keep each player on his toes while pushing ...
read moreJimmy Greene: Beautiful Life

by John Wesley Reed Jr.
Love Wins," says Jimmy Greene, Saxophonist, Newtown, Connecticut. Inspired by his daughter, Ana, Beautiful Life is emotionally fulfilling towards remembrance of all things for the love of Ana. The children's choir made up of Ana's and her brother, Isaiah's friends from when the family lived in Canada, exemplifies the spirit of joy in which Ana lived. Isaiah, Nelba, her mother, and Jimmy hold a candlelight in their hearts for Ana and the children killed in the ...
read moreJimmy Greene: A Beautiful Life

by Patricia Myers
Phoenix-born jazz drummer Lewis Nash was the drummer on tenor saxophonist Jimmy Greene's newly released tribute album, A Beautiful Life (Mack Avenue Records, 2014). The CD is a remembrance celebration of Greene's 6-year-old daughter, Ana Márquez-Greene, who was among the 20 children and six educators killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT, on December 14, 2012. The rhythm section has Nash on drums, Renee Rosnes on piano and Christian McBride on bass. Guest musicians are guitarists ...
read moreJimmy Greene: Mission Statement

by Elliott Simon
Possessing a concise pithy tone on his tenor sax that at times can be reverential, Jimmy Greene also surprises with an ability to translate that same depth to soprano, when making the switch for the odd tune. Greene's quartet consists of pianist Xavier Davis, bassist Reuben Rogers and drummer Eric Harland, and, while this ensemble fits squarely in the world of precise modern jazz, the tunesdue in equal measure to Greene's respect for melody and compositional skillstand on their own ...
read moreJimmy Greene: The Overcomer's Suite

by John Barron
Since turning heads at the 1996 Thelonious Monk Saxophone Competition, saxophonist/composer Jimmy Greene has been making a name for himself as a prominent voice in the jazz world. Recorded live at the Firehouse 12, in Greene's hometown of Hartford, Connecticut, the music consists of the four-part title track ("Nelba's Victory," Song for Isaiah," Gethsemane" and David Undaunted") as well as tributes to Ornette Coleman ("Anthem of Hope") and Jackie Mclean ("I'll Keep Loving You"). The emphasis on rhythm ...
read moreJimmy Greene: The Overcomer's Suite

by David Adler
If you compose a suite kindled by a big idea, it's best to front a band with a big sound. That's what tenor/soprano saxophonist Jimmy Greene does on The Overcomer's Suite, his sixth title as a leader and his first for the digital-only Nu Jazz label. Recorded live at Firehouse 12 in New Haven, the session documents a quartet in excellent form, well-rehearsed but ready to improvise. Bassist Luques Curtis and drummer Kendrick Scott bring torrents of rhythm and a ...
read moreJimmy Greene: Gifts and Givers

by Joel Roberts
It's probably time to cast aside labels like up-and-coming" and rising star" when describing Jimmy Greene. As Gifts and Givers makes clear, the Connecticut-born tenor saxophonist has definitely arrived. An inventive, technically-advanced mainstreamer, Greene made his mark in the bands of Horace Silver, Tom Harrell and Harry Connick Jr., as well as with younger studs like Jason Lindner and Avishai Cohen. On his fifth effort as a leader, he's paired with another young tenor titan, Marcus Strickland. ...
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