THIS man is coming to T.Dot on April 11th... Exclaim! (Canada, 2009): Henry Grimes’ re-entry into the world of music in 2003 has been near-miraculous. Listening to him play live a year after his return from a 35-year absence was like entering a time warp; he played like he never left, with his Taylor-ian grasp of Ellington’s propositions,coupled with a full, rich sound. His double-CD of solo bass and violin [on the Danish ILK label] is a flash forward to 2009, and a senior bassist in full command of his instrument and concepts of playing. The CDs are uninterrupted documents of Grimes flowing from arco to pizzicato, from bass to violin, with blurs of dense complexity folded into the melodic simplicity of nursery rhymes. It’s a stream-of-consciousness that’s unmarred by affectation, uncertainty or a lack of clarity, and, yes, it has a story (albeit a long one) to tell, with theme and narrative intact. This is a stunning piece of work! (ILK label, #151 CD set, Denmark).” > Ashante Infantry wrote in The Toronto Star (Canada, 2010): “He’s probably the most legendary bass player in the world — just the whole realm of music that he encompasses,” said musician Jane Bunnett, who met Grimes at the Litchfield Jazz Festival. On the phone from Michigan while on tour, Grimes, 74, is the model of brevity. His answers are delivered in a gentle, hesitant manner, in generalities and parables. Since his reemergence, Grimes has made his professional debut on violin (he studied the instrument, along with tuba, English horn and percussion, in junior high) and published a volume of poetry, Signs Along the Road. In his absence from playing bass, penning verses was his sole creative outlet. Although he wanted his poems to be heard, The people that I was around were not exactly up to par on musical or literary things. I was living in a hotel that was pretty bad; the people would steal your shoes. What Grimes lacks in conversation, he makes up on stage, Bunnett said. He’s got a really deep sound, from the very bottom of the bass, she explained. He swings like crazy, but he’s also incredibly intense for a man of his age. His stamina is unbelievable. After 35 years off the scene, he’s come back, making up for lost time.”
Posted on: Sat, 29 Mar 2014 23:57:41 +0000
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