I Want to Hold Your Hand

by Grant Green

Overview

The third of three sessions Grant Green co-led with modal organist Larry Young and Coltrane drummer Elvin Jones, I Want to Hold Your Hand continues in the soft, easy style of its predecessor, Street of Dreams. This time, however -- as one might guess from the title and cover photo -- the flavor is less reflective and more romantic and outwardly engaging. Part of the reason is tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley, who takes Bobby Hutcherson's place accompanying the core trio. His breathy, sensuous warmth keeps the album simmering at a low boil, and some of the repertoire helps as well, mixing romantic ballad standards (often associated with vocalists) and gently undulating bossa novas. The title track -- yes, the Beatles tune -- is one of the latter, cleverly adapted and arranged into perfectly viable jazz that suits Green's elegant touch with pop standards; the other bossa nova, Jobim's "Corcovado," is given a wonderfully caressing treatment. Even with all the straightforward pop overtones of much of the material, the quartet's playing is still very subtly advanced, both in its rhythmic interaction and the soloists' harmonic choices. Whether augmented by an extra voice or sticking to the basic trio format, the Green/Young/Jones team produced some of the most sophisticated organ/guitar combo music ever waxed, and I Want to Hold Your Hand is the loveliest of the bunch. ~ Steve Huey

Product Details

Release Date:	12/01/2023
Label:	Blue Note
UPC:	0602445092604
Rank:	33871

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Grant Green   Primary Artist,Guitar
Elvin Jones   Guest Artist,Drums
Larry Young   Guest Artist,Organ
Hank Mobley   Guest Artist,Sax (Tenor)

Technical Credits

Grant Green   Composer
Alfred Lion   Producer
Antonio Carlos Jobim   Composer
Gene Lees   Composer
Patrick Roques   Redesign
Victor Young   Composer
Reid Miles   Design,Photography
Kenji Sazanami   Translation
Steve Allen   Composer
Paul McCartney   Composer
Ogden Nash   Composer
Ira Gitler   Liner Notes
Cole Porter   Composer
John Lennon   Composer
Kurt Weill   Composer
Ron McMaster   Mastering
Rudy Van Gelder   Engineer
Ned Washington   Composer