Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZGREEN, Bennie(b 16 April '23, Chicago) Trombone. From musical family; brother Elbert played tenor sax with Roy Eldridge. With Earl Hines '42--7 except for two years in US Army band; played with Gene Ammons, Charlie Ventura, Hines combo; gigged in NYC with quintet '53--7, then less active in music for a while. Played with another quintet '68, several months with Duke Ellington '69 incl. Sacred Concert, Newport Jazz Festival '69, then played in Las Vegas show bands; Newport/NYC '72. Very highly regarded bop-infl. musician on an instrument which became unfashionable in modern jazz; never really received his due. Played on Sep. '53 Charles Mingus Jazz Workshop with Mingus, John Lewis, Art Taylor, three other trombones: J. J. Johnson, Kai Winding, Willie Dennis; on Vanguard LP Jo Jones Special c'56. Own recordings incl. Prestige sessions from '51 with Lockjaw Davis, Art Blakey etc; part of '55 sessions issued as Bennie Green Blows His Horn; also on Prestige: Bennie Green With Strings '52, Bennie Green And Art Farmer and Walkin' Down, both '56. On Blue Note: Back On The Scene and Soul Stirrin' '58, Walkin' And Talkin' '59. Chicago sessions '58 for Vee-Jay with Sonny Clark, Paul Chambers etc (and a vocal by Babs Gonzales) were on Affinity UK; '59--60 sessions for several labels incl. Bethlehem; Gliding Along '61 on Jazzland; LP '64 for Argo/Cadet also appeared on Chess. Played on The George Benson Cookbook. |