| Jazz |
Summary: Barry Greene’s Giants is a modern jazz album that blends tradition, fusion, and rich ensemble interplay into a nuanced tribute to the genre’s enduring influences.
Barry Greene’s “Giants”: A Modern Jazz Tribute That Bridges Tradition and Innovation
Barry Greene’s Giants poses its central question before a single note has fully settled: to whom, exactly, does this title refer? The answer, as the album gradually reveals, is less a declaration of stature than an act of reverence. Greene, an accomplished guitarist and composer, has neither the inclination nor the ego to cast himself or his collaborators as “giants.” Instead, the title reads as a tribute to the enduring figures of jazz history, those whose influence continues to ripple through the music in ways both subtle and profound.
From the outset, Greene situates himself within that lineage while refusing to be confined by it. The album’s compositions are unmistakably modern, at times brushing against the contours of jazz fusion, yet they remain deeply rooted in the language of the tradition. What emerges is not a stylistic compromise but a synthesis, an approach shaped as much by canonical voices as by Greene’s extensive collaborations with fellow musicians, including Pat Bianchi, David Kikoski, Steve Nelson, Paul Bollenback, Gene Bertoncini, Danny Gottlieb, Adam Nussbaum, Mark Whitfield, Rodney Jones, Dave Stryker, Reuben Rogers, Joel Frahm, Seamus Blake, and Ulysses Owens Jr.. This extended musical network informs Giants at every turn, lending it a sense of dialogue across generations.
The album unfolds as a carefully structured yet emotionally fluid journey. Greene’s long tenure as a jazz guitar professor at the University of North Florida, where he has taught since 1995, appears to have sharpened not only his technical command but also his architectural sense of composition. Some pieces adhere to a clear, almost classical framework, while others open into freer, more exploratory terrain. This interplay between form and freedom gives the record its distinctive character: a cohesive whole that nonetheless accommodates a wide range of expressive impulses.
A few moments stand out for their clarity of intent. In the organ trio setting, Greene’s interplay with Pat Bianchi on Hammond B-3 is marked by a supple responsiveness, phrases are exchanged with an ease that suggests long familiarity, yet never lapses into predictability. On several tracks, Greene’s solos unfold with a deliberate patience, allowing harmonic ideas to breathe before resolving into blues-inflected lines that feel both grounded and expansive. Meanwhile, Ulysses Owens Jr. brings a rhythmic intelligence that is as precise as it is dynamic, shifting seamlessly between understated support and propulsive drive.
The album’s expanded ensemble further enriches its sonic palette. With David Kikoski and Steve Nelson joining bassist Marco Panascia and Owens, the music takes on an added dimensionality. Here, textures become denser, harmonies more layered, and the interplay more intricate. The quintet passages, in particular, achieve a compelling balance between lyricism and intensity, suggesting a group attuned not only to individual expression but to collective nuance.
If Giants occasionally reveals a certain tension, it lies in its very abundance of influences. At times, the sheer breadth of stylistic references, ranging from post-bop to fusion and Latin idioms, can feel almost too generous, as though Greene is reluctant to leave any facet of his musical identity unexplored. Yet this is also one of the album’s strengths: its refusal to settle into a single aesthetic lane ensures a listening experience that remains engaging, even unpredictable.
The closing track, “El Hombre,” encapsulates this approach with particular clarity. Rooted in a post-bop framework yet infused with Latin rhythmic accents, the piece builds to a conclusion that feels both logical and surprising. Owens, once again, anchors the performance with a rhythmic sensibility that is at once assertive and nuanced, guiding the ensemble toward a finish that resonates long after the final notes fade.
For advanced guitarists, Giants offers a wealth of material, an informal masterclass in composition, phrasing and ensemble dynamics. Greene demonstrates how to construct a piece with depth, how to create space within a group setting, and how to balance technical sophistication with emotional clarity. More broadly, the album positions itself as an ideal festival offering: versatile enough to bridge the gap between avant-garde experimentation and more traditional jazz programming.
In the end, Giants circles back to its title with quiet conviction. These are not proclamations of greatness, but acknowledgments of it, reflections of a musician deeply aware of the shoulders upon which he stands. Greene does not attempt to rival the giants he invokes; instead, he extends their conversation, adding a voice that is thoughtful, assured and, above all, distinctly his own.
Thierry De Clemensat
Member at Jazz Journalists Association
USA correspondent for Paris-Move and ABS magazine
Editor in chief – Bayou Blue Radio, Bayou Blue News
PARIS-MOVE, March 26th 2026
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Musicians:
Barry Greene – guitar
David Kikoski – piano (2, 4, 5, 7, 8)
Steve Nelson – vibraphone (2, 4, 5, 8)
Pat Bianchi – B3 organ (1, 3, 9, 10)
Marco Panascia – bass (2, 4, 5, 7, 8)
Ulysses Owens Jr. – drums (except 6)
Track Listing:
1 Backtrack Lonnie Smith 9:41
2 Unit 7 Sam Jones 7:14
3 Green Street Grant Green 3:54
4 Question and Answer Pat Metheny 12:49
5 SOS Wes Montgomery 6:44
6 My One and Only Love Guy Wood 3:02
7 Mugshot Russell Malone 5:51
8 In Her Room Barry Greene 6:29
9 Jingles Wes Montgomery 6:10
10 El Hombre Pat Martino 6:41
Production Info:
Produced by Ulysses Owens Jr.
Recorded October 17-18, 2025 by Chris Sulit at Trading 8’s Recording Studio
Mixed & mastered by Dave Darlington at Bass Hit Productions, New York City
Cover design & layout by John Bishop