Feelin' the Spirit
Grant Green · 1963
47 min · 6 tracks · jazz
Soulful jazz interpretations of traditional spirituals intertwine with Grant Green's expressive guitar work and deep groove rhythms.
Top tracks — play these first
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Just a Closer Walk With Thee — This track opens the album with a deeply resonant arrangement that highlights Green's smooth guitar lines intertwined with soulful rhythms, setting a reflective tone.
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Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen — Green's interpretation imbues this classic with a sense of longing and sorrow, utilizing subtle melodic variations that elevate the traditional piece into an emotional journey.
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Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child — The song captures vulnerability through its haunting melody and Green’s expressive playing, which conveys the weight of loss and isolation beautifully.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
InstrumentalThe album blends jazz and spirituals through expressive guitar work and strong rhythmic foundations.
What we noticed
- Each track features a prominent guitar melody that is supported by a steady rhythm section, creating a deep groove throughout.
- The album consists entirely of instrumental interpretations, with no vocal elements present in the arrangements.
- The tracks vary in tempo, with some maintaining a slow, contemplative pace while others build to more energetic grooves.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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8/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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8/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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7/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Significant within its genre. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- meditative afternoon listening experience
- uplifting spiritual reflection moments
- steady pacing for deep focus
- soulful guitar for quiet contemplation
Maybe skip if you
- seekers of fast-paced tracks
- prefer standalone energetic songs
Where this album fits
- Career context
- When Feelin' the Spirit was released in 1963, Grant Green was establishing himself as a prominent figure in jazz, following his debut album, Green Street, in 1961. This album marked his exploration of gospel and spiritual themes, showcasing his versatility beyond hard bop into more soulful territory.
- Stylistic neighbors
- George Benson· Kenny Burrell· Jimmy Ponder
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 Just a Closer Walk With Thee 7:27
- 2 Joshua Fit de Battle ob Jericho 8:04
- 3 Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen 6:10
- 4 Go Down Moses 7:30
- 5 Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child 9:04
- 6 Deep River 8:56
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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