March 7, 2019
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”; Green 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 Walkin’ & Talkin’. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine
