Gigi Gryce - The Rat Race Blues (1960)

Tracklist

1 The Rat Race Blues 6:35
2 Strange Feelin' 7:45
3 Boxer's Blues 6:58
4 Blues in Bloom 7:44
5 Monday Through Sunday 11:09



Altoist Gigi Gryce's next to last album before permanently dropping out of jazz has been reissued on this CD. With trumpeter Richard Williams, pianist Richard Wyands, bassist Julian Euell, and drummer Mickey Roker also part of what was a working quintet, Gryce (underrated as a soloist and a particularly strong composer) had one of his finest bands. The group swings its way through two of Gryce's lesser-known originals and three then-recent obscurities. Interesting and generally fresh straight-ahead jazz.