Walk Into The Woods

by Scott YanowThis quintet date by guitarist Grant Green was one of the last of his Blue Note albums to be reissued on CD, and it is somewhat clear why. The musicians (Green, trumpeter Johnny Coles, tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson, organist John Patton, and drummer Ben Dixon) play well enough, but there are few inspiring moments. The material is not all that exciting, and the laid-back feeling sometimes leads to dull moments. Most of the fire is provided by Henderson, but such songs as "Am I Blue," "I Wanna Be Loved," and a nearly 14-minute version of "For All We Know" are a bit sleepy. Although certainly listenable enough, this is one of Grant Green's lesser efforts from the 1960s.