All of
Bennie Green's
Blue Note records were rich with joyously swinging blues and bop, highlighted by his warm, friendly tone and good humor.
Walkin' & Talkin'
, his third record for the label, was no exception to the rule. Leading a quintet that features tenor saxophonist
Eddy Williams
, pianist
Gildo Mahones
, bassist
George Tucker
and drummer
Al Dreares
,
Green
keeps things light, swinging and immensely entertaining.
Mahones
wrote three of the six songs, including the swinging opener
"The Shouter"
and the Latin-tinged "Green Leaves";
contributed the bluesy title track, and the group offers two standards -- engaging, lightly swinging readings of "This Love of Mine" and "All I Do is Dream of You." The result is no different than
Green's
two previous Blue Note records, but it's no less satisfying, and fans of swinging bop should be contented with
. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine