Giants

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Giants, from Barry Greene and it's killer. Opening with Lonnie Smith's, Backtrack, Barry Greene really picked a smart track with a solid blues base. Excellent guitar work by Greene illustrates the body of the composition with a smart B3 solo by Pat Bianchi and hot and heavy drum work by Ulysses Owens Jr. Excellent opener. Grant Green's Green Street is up next with Bianchi setting the background on B3 and Owens Jr on drums. Greene on guitar really has a nice hand trading lead phrases with Bianchi on this Latin infused number. Wes Montgomery's fleet footed, SOS really hums along with Green taking the lead on guitar and David Kikoski really chasing on piano. Owens Jr. drum work is light and tight with Marco Panascia on bass and Steve Nelson on vibes is spot on with Kikoski really working the 88's over. Wow! Greene original, In Her Room, is a solid blues opening with duet with Nelson on vibes. Kikoski's piano is always at the ready for elegant punctuation on piano and Panascia on bass contributes nicely. Strolling nicely on solo guitar, Greene really squeezes the blues out of the strings with beautiful spiritual like chords for the piano by Kikoski and perfect punctuation by Owens Jr. on drums. Very very nice. Wrapping the release is Pat Martino's El Hombre. Greene takes the master's work and illustrates it like it's his own. With light Latin flavor by Owens Jr. on drums, and warm punctuation by Bianchi on B3 Greene literally sails. An energetic, Latin salted B3 solo by Bianchi really hits the spot but it's the crisp articulation of Greene that floats this boat. Masterful!