The Rat Race Blues is an album by American saxophonist Gigi Gryce recorded in 1960 for the New Jazz label.[1][2]

The Rat Race Blues
Studio album by
Released1960
RecordedJune 7, 1960 (1960-06-07)
StudioVan Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey
GenreJazz
Length40:11
LabelNew Jazz
ProducerEsmond Edwards
Gigi Gryce chronology
The Hap'nin's
(1960)
The Rat Race Blues
(1960)
Reminiscin'
(1960)

Reception edit

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [3]
Down Beat     [4]
The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide     [5]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings    [6]

Harvey Pekar, writing in his four star review in the August 10, 1962 issue of Down Beat stated: "Gryce's major contributions to jazz have been made as an outstanding composer-arranger. But his writing ability notwithstanding... this is primarily a blowing session."[4] AllMusic reviewer Scott Yanow awarded the album 4 stars stating "The group swings its way through two of Gryce's lesser-known originals and three then-recent obscurities. Interesting and generally fresh straight-ahead jazz."[3]

Track listing edit

All compositions by Gigi Gryce except where noted

  1. "The Rat Race Blues" – 6:35
  2. "Strange Feelin'" (Sam Finch) – 7:45
  3. "Boxer's Blues" – 6:58
  4. "Blues in Bloom" (Norman Mapp) – 7:44
  5. "Monday Through Sunday" (Mapp) – 11:09

Personnel edit

References edit

  1. ^ Gigi Gryce discography accessed May 31, 2013
  2. ^ New Jazz Records discography accessed May 31, 2013
  3. ^ a b Yanow, S. AllMusic Review accessed May 31, 2013
  4. ^ a b Down Beat: August 16, 1962 vol. 29, no. 22
  5. ^ Swenson, J., ed. (1985). The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide. USA: Random House/Rolling Stone. pp. 90. ISBN 0-394-72643-X.
  6. ^ Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 613. ISBN 978-0-141-03401-0.