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In the mid-1960s, the Beatles' hits and bossa novas were all the rage among jazz musicians, too. On his album “I Want To Hold Your Hand”, guitarist Grant Green paid tribute to this trend, while also interpreting some jazz standards with his all-star quartet. Green, organist Larry Young and drummer Elvin Jones proved that they had an extraordinary sound alchemy as early as their first appearance together on “Talkin' About”. A few months later, the trio became a quartet when vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson joined them for the recording of the album “Street Of Dreams”. A year later, for the recording of the album “I Want to Hold Your Hand”, the band changed its line-up again, bringing legendary tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley on board. This recording session produced a very rousing album, imbued with a very sophisticated soul vein.
Green's quartet knew how to interpret a program of well-known pieces with their well-known elegance at the highest level – from the brilliant bossa nova reinterpretation of the title track to the timeless “Corcovado” by Antonio Carlos Jobim. The essential album also includes a number of legendary interpretations such as “Speak Low” by Kurt Waill, “Stella By Starlight” by Victor Young and “At Long Last Love” by Cole Porter. “I Want To Hold Your Hand” crowned an extraordinarily productive year for Green, during which the great guitarist recorded over 20 hard bop and soul jazz sessions for Blue Note. The recording sessions for “I Want To Hold Your Hand” took place on March 31, 1964 at the Rudy Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. “Even though much of the material has obvious pop overtones, the quartet sounds subtly modern in the way the band members interact rhythmically and the way the soloists choose to harmonize.” (AllMusic)
As part of the extremely popular “Blue Note 85th Anniversary Reissue Series”, Universal Music Japan presents the sonically impressive remastering of this jazz classic by the legendary Kevin Gray, who is also responsible for the analog reissues of Blue Note US such as “Tone Poet” and “Classic Vinyl” – as a limited-edition UHQCD.
1. I Want To Hold Your Hand
2. Speak Low
3. Stella By Starlight
4. Corcovado (Quiet Nights)
5. This Could Be The Start Of Something
6. At Long Last Love