San Francisco Examiner
C.H. Garrigues : 06/14/1959

Walkin’ and Talkin’ shows Bennie Green as a soldier, more imaginative trombonist than I remembered him and, in addition displays an astonishingly competent new (to me) tenor in the person of Eddy Williams, plus a rhythm section (Gildo Mahones, piano; George Tucker, bass; Al Dreares, drums) from which much will be heard. This is music for those who “want to hear the tune” in jazz, but it is no less distinguished for that quality: listen, for example to the swinging ballad treatment given This Love of Mine.

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Westbury Times
Dick Levy : 07/16/1959

Trombonist Bennie Green teams up with a tasteful quartet in this strong and exuberant LP. The Shouter, a medium paced tune, gives Green and tenor saxist Eddy Williams a chance to let off some steam which they do with hearty aplomb. The gentle, Latin inspired Green Leaves is well rendered by Green. In the politely swinging This Love of Mine, Green and Williams again impressively show their worth. The title tune, another piece de resistance for the leader and Hoppin’ Johns a vigorous blues expertly performed also deserves your attention. Audition this soon. You won’t be sorry.

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Liner Notes by Robert Levin

Bennie Green in this, the third in a series of recent Blue Note albums on which he is the leader, sustains, with considerable freshness and apparently indefatigable energy, both the near raucous enthusiasm and openness of expression which characterized the others. Primarily as a result of his early association with Earl Hines and an extended period as a featured soloist with Charlie Ventura in the late forties, Green has long been identified with these qualities with which he has consistently revealed a sincere joy in playing and communicated a meaningful and often stirring musical message.

However, any discussion of Green should, of course, begin with his sound which has been simply, but accurately described as unusually “clean” and “smooth” and, as such, compared with that of Lawrence Brown. His delivery, uncluttered, strong and resonant, is remarkably free of the technical excesses which his extraordinary facility might have inclined him toward. Green knows better than that and has a particularly acute sense of note values and solo organization.

Occasionally, in the past and on this record as well, Green’s groups have ranged quite close (but generally with a sense of order and restraint) to the exuberant “rockhouse” styled excitement usually associated with rhythm and blues bands. Green has always worked, unselfconsciously and with an absence of contrivance, a mode of jazz with close and obvious ties to this idiom. And yet, what has frequently emerged from these excursions are collective statements which seem to be more in the realm of parody – a good natured “taking off” of the funky school in modern jazz – than of serious intrinsic purpose. And if this propensity sometimes takes on an inverted form it is, I think, further credit to Green’s open risibility which is another important and consistent facet of his music. Either way, other important and consistent facet of his music. Either way, however, no matter on what level such pieces are intended or received, they are generally tasteful and affecting musical statements.

Green has acknowledged Trummy Young as his earliest and most important influence. Later J.J. Johnson was to make a strong, and to a degree, style directing impression on him. But Gree, though he assimilated much of what he learned from close contact with Dizzy Gillespie and others of similar inclination (the Hines band) has roots in an earlier tradition than that which Johnson molded. Leonard Feather, not gratuitously, has called him a modern day Benny Morton.

Green was born in Chicago in 1923. Once of age and after listening with excited interest to the major trombonists of that period, Young, Lawrence Brown, Bobby Byrne, J.C. Higginbotham, etc., he began to gig with various local groups. In 1942 he caught on with the Earl Hines band which was passing through and remained with the “Fatha” until 1948, save for a two year hitch in the army. A short lived association with a combo fronted by Gene Ammons was followed by an extended period with Charlie Ventura with whom Green gained considerable notice and popularity. After leaving Ventura, Green again went with Hines, but in 1953 he left to form the first of his own units.

The group presented here under Green’s leadership is one with which he has recently begun working and is particularly attuned to his conception and manner. It is not likely that he could have found a more emphatic quartet of subordinates.

Eddy Williams is a Chicago born tenor saxophonist of talent and energy who is typical of the strong-toned, fluent tenors who have emerged from that area within the past few years. He played with, and apparently impressed, Green during one of the latter’s recent visits to Chicago. Until recently pianist Gildo Mahones was the Lester Young and before that with Milt Jackson. Bassist George Tucker has been exposed to Blue Note listeners on several previous LPs, including Bennie Green’s first for this label – Back On The Scene. Al Dreares is a local (N.Y.) drummer who makes his recording debut here. He has worked with Randy Weston among others.

The Shouter, by Mahones, which opens the session is fairly typical of what will be found in the Green repertoire. It is a simply, riff-styled opus containing solos of merit by Mahones, Green and Williams. Green Leaves, also credited to Mahones, has the inevitable Latin “head” to which no reference is made during the “swing” choruses, but which is unusually pretty. Green’s solo illustrates his capacity for lyricism without sacrificing a fine sense of swing and intrinsic drive. Williams and Mahones are also featured. This Love of Mine is swung at a relaxed medium tempo. Green and Williams solo with open ease and warmth.

Walkin’ and Talkin’, from which the album’s title is derived, is a rocking Green riff which contains shouting solos by both horns in which taste manages to restrain, but not inhibit, the strong, rhythmically infectious blowing. Mahones also contributes a typically swinging statement. The line of All I Do Is Dream of You is rendered in a straight-forward manner which, due to the “tongue in cheek” nature of the tune itself, emerges as cute. The solos (by Green, Williams and Mahones) while not in keeping with this mood, have qualities of their own and maintain a consistently engaging swing. There is a forceful and happy “rockhouse” ending. Mahones’ Hoppin’ Johns is a blues representative of today’s fashion, but of the kind which Green has long had a familiarity with and played. All the solos are properly vigorous and, as in most of the tunes here, Green’s enjoyment of the proceedings is audible even when he is not playing.

Shortly after this album was recorded, Green took the group on the road for what would seem, judging by the contents of this sleeve, to be the beginning of a long and lucrative (in a musical sense, at least) working association.