Regular LondonJazz reader Frank Griffith , who also has a show on new internet radio station UKJAZZRADIO – has written in about a gig he’s looking forward to by Steve Grossman (above- photo by Ezio Zaia)

“Tenor saxophonist Grossman, got his start with Miles Davis in 1970 on the innovator’s seminal Jack Johnson album. He then moved on to Elvin Jones’ group alongside Dave Liebman followed by the trail blazing ensemble, Stone Alliance, in the late 1970s.

Steve’s initial Coltrane influences were tempered with his own anguished and wiry sound bouyed up with even more modern melodic vocabulary. During the 1980s he cultivated a deep interest and influence of Sonny Rollins to which he still aspires to today. I had the pleasure of playing with him a few times, one of which when he was hornless and played mine instead sounding completely like himself. I haven’t changed my reed since…”

STEVE GROSSMAN WITH DAMON BROWN QUINTET AT PIZZA EXPRESS ON 15 SEPTEMBER 2009

UKJAZZRADIO