Jimmy Greene: Introducing Jimmy Greene

Introducing Jimmy Greene has all the earmarks to suggest that Greene is a new voice that demands our attention, yet I’m sure that he’d freely admit he’s made strides since this set. His bold tone and broad range leads to an almost liquid-like conception that comes through with deceptive ease. He’s not a bad writer to boot and his arrangements here are workmanlike, if not downright catchy. “Con Alma” gets a sprightly treatment not unlike a classic version from Wes Montgomery’s Bumpin’. The standard “I Love You” also gets a new facade via its rich three-horn voicings, although one would have hoped to hear both Swana and Davis utilized more throughout. Greene’s one ballad statement, “Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most,” is a real beauty, complete with extended cadenza at the close.

As for the rest of Greene’s cohorts, Swana and Davis are already well- known, while pianist Aaron Goldberg and bassist Darrell Hall are two up-and-comers. Rounding out the group, Eric McPherson is a fellow Hartt grad that has been tearing things up as of late. Keep an eye and ear out for Greene and these guys, we’re sure to hear a lot from them in the future.