What makes Hornful of Soul by Bennie Green notable?

This album is notable for its critical reception and influence on the jazz genre, showcasing Green's unique trombone style. It helped solidify his reputation, leading to further opportunities in both recording and live performances throughout the 1960s. Hornful of Soul marks Bennie Green's first album as a bandleader, following his tenure as a sideman with prominent jazz artists. Released in 1961, this album established him as a significant voice in the jazz scene, particularly within the hard bop movement.

How many songs are on Hornful of Soul?

Hornful of Soul has 8 tracks, running approximately 38 minutes.

Hornful of Soul

Bennie Green · 1961

38 min · 8 tracks · jazz

A vibrant fusion of hard bop and soulful melodies showcasing rich brass arrangements and intricate rhythms.

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Top tracks — play these first

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Summertime — The opening track reinterprets Gershwin's classic with a sultry groove that highlights Green's expressive trombone playing and sets the album's tone.
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Groove One — This track features a captivating rhythm section that complements Green's improvisational flair and showcases the band's cohesive sound.
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Foolish Heart — With its emotive melody, this piece allows Green to explore deeper tonal variations, illustrating his lyrical approach to the trombone.

Elevation

Our rating, out of 100 — and why.

AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.

Instrumental

59 /100

Treeline

Higher than 57% of albums we've rated

Hornful of Soul showcases strong brass arrangements and intricate rhythms, establishing Bennie Green's voice in jazz.

What we noticed

The album opens with a well-known standard, 'Summertime', which sets a laid-back yet sophisticated tone for the record.
Each track features intricate brass arrangements, often highlighting the trombone in both lead and supportive roles.
The rhythm section employs complex syncopation, particularly evident in tracks like 'Groove One' and 'Dibblin' and Dabblin'.
The final track, 'Dee Dee', concludes with a gradual decrescendo, allowing the listener to absorb the album's overall vibe.

Composition 25% of the score: 7/10
Craft 20% of the score: 8/10
Durability 25% of the score: 6/10
Distinctiveness 18% of the score: 6/10
Sequencing 12% of the score: 7/10

Influence 4/10

Known within its scene. 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.

Tracklist

Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.

1 Summertime 4:51
2 Groove One 4:57
3 Lowland-Ism 6:21
4 Dibblin' and Dabblin' 2:52
5 Foolish Heart 4:00
6 Indiana 4:31
7 Catwalk 5:34
8 Dee Dee 5:22

What to play next

Listen next

Glidin' Along

1961

Go back to

Walkin' & Talkin'

1959

Full Bennie Green discography Artists like Bennie Green

jazz

Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata