Home » Jazz Musicians » Bennie Green

Bennie Green

Bennie Green was one of the few trombonists of the 1950s who played in a style not influenced by J.J. Johnson (Bill Harris was another). His witty sound and full tone looked backwards to the swing era yet was open to the influence of R&B. After playing locally in Chicago, he was with the Earl Hines Orchestra during 1942-1948 (except for two years in the military).

Green gained some fame for his work with Charlie Ventura (1948-1950) before joining Earl Hines' small group (1951-1953). He then led his own group throughout the 1950s and '60s, using such sidemen as Cliff Smalls, Charlie Rouse, Eric Dixon, Paul Chambers, Louis Hayes, Sonny Clark, Gildo Mahones, and Jimmy Forrest. Green recorded regularly as a leader for Prestige, Decca, Blue Note, Vee-Jay, Time, Bethlehem, and Jazzland during 1951-1961, although only one further session (a matchup with Sonny Stitt on Cadet in 1964) took place.

Bennie Green was with Duke Ellington for a few months in 1968-1969 and then moved to Las Vegas, where he spent his last years working in hotel bands, although he did emerge to play quite well at the 1972 Newport Jazz Festival and in New York jam sessions.

Tags

15
My Blue Note Obsession

Bennie Green: Soul Stirrin’ - 1958

Read "Bennie Green: Soul Stirrin’ - 1958" reviewed by Marc Davis


In the 1950s, Blue Note was a reliable bastion of hard bop. Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers set the tone, and dozens of artists--some famous, some not--followed. But Blue Note also had small oases of not-bop, often by artists you've never heard of. Bennie Green is one of those guys, and if you haven't heard him, you should. Specifically, you should hear Soul Stirrin'. This is a bluesy, almost pre-bop record. Green plays trombone, but ...

269
Album Review

Bennie Green: Mosaic Select 3: Bennie Green

Read "Mosaic Select 3: Bennie Green" reviewed by C. Andrew Hovan


As Mosaic’s ingenious new series of reissues continues, we come to an artist where the approach seems certainly tailor made. Trombone man Bennie Green bridged the gap between swing era stylists and bop practitioners, making him somewhat of an enigma in the eyes and ears of the casual jazz follower. As such, he has not received recognition commensurate with his undeniable talents.

It’s even curious that Blue Note front man Alfred Lion stuck with Green for as ...

Read more articles

Recording

Bennie Green: The Swingin'est

Bennie Green: The Swingin'est

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers

Bennie Green had a distinctive trombone. He played in a powdery, insistent staccato style seasoned with the Chicago blues. A member of the challenging Earl “Fatha" Hines and Charlie Ventura bands in the 1940s, he also recorded in bop ensembles. In the 1950s, Green was a sideman on numerous sessions, including the Miles Davis Sextet with Sonny Rollins in 1951, the year he began recording as a leader. One of his best jazz-blues albums is The Swingin'est, recorded for Vee-Jay ...

Recording

Eddy Williams and Bennie Green

Eddy Williams and Bennie Green

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers

So little is known about tenor saxophonist Eddie Williams that his Wikipedia entry simply lists his birth date as “(ca. 1910)." It doesn't help that Williams appeared on only 21 known jazz recording sessions—from 1927 to 1961. But the jazz albums on which Williams appeared are uniformly superb, particularly the two he made with trombonist Bennie Green. [Photo above of Eddy Williams by Francis Wolff] Williams was paired with Green on Green's Minor Revalation (November 1958) and Walkin' and Talkin' ...

“His execution is clearly defined, non-exhibitionistic and liberally impregnated with the devices and characteristic phrasing of the be-bop style, yet he always manages to retain something of the real jam session atmosphere."
Raymond Horricks

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

The 45 Session

Your Servant Records
2017

buy

Mosaic Select 3:...

Mosaic Records
2003

buy

Walking Down

Enja Records
1990

buy

Blows His Horn

Enja Records
1989

buy

Minor Revelation

Enja Records
1980

buy

The Best Of

Enja Records
1970

buy

Videos

Similar

Stan Getz
saxophone, tenor
Zoot Sims
saxophone, tenor
Johnny Griffin
saxophone, tenor
Hank Mobley
saxophone, tenor
Jackie McLean
saxophone, alto
Phil Woods
saxophone, alto
Al Cohn
saxophone, tenor
Cecil Payne
saxophone, baritone

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.