SONNY GREY

Jamaican born Sonny Grey is one of those guys like Dizzy Reece and Joe Harriott who were impressive on the trumpet, but never got top billing. Grey spent his time with the Kenny Clarke-Francy Boland Big Band in Europe, but set out on his own for these two big bands from 1967-68. The big bands don’t include anyone you might be familiar with, but the charts, some by Herb Geller, are quite impressive. And Grey had big ears. The band sounds hip on a take of “Work Song” and an arrangement of Charles Mingus’ “Nostalgia In Time Square” sparks with excitement. You get some swinging little ditties such as Neal Hefti’s “Cute” or Bud Powell’s “Budo,” and then Grey pulls the plug and has the band go wild on a ten minute gallop on “Tenor Madness” with some wild sax work. Grey’s own “Antony” shows some muscle as well, and Grey’s read more...