Unpretentious Delights

This nearly hour-long set by Johnny Griffin comes from a 1978 concert in Warsaw. The Little Giant is in great form, though the track listing on the rear of CD is bound to confuse first-time listeners. The opening set begins with a four minutes of a chant-like vamp, before segueing directly into a lively arrangement of "A Night in Tunisia," which will definitely surprise anyone expecting "Body and Soul" (which is incorrectly labeled as track one); both pianist Pat Coil and drummer Art Taylor are also featured to good effect. Griffin's explosive take of "All the Things You Are" takes no prisoners, following it with lyrical interpretation of "Body and Soul." Although Griffin's tenor sax is well recorded, both the piano and bass suffer from distortion at times, so that should be taken into account before purchasing this CD.