A low point for bassist Ron Carter, this aimless set suffers from the malaise that hit the jazz scene after the fusion boom of the late '60s and early '70s. Somewhere about the time of this 1976 release, fusion's creative energies were being overtaken by a new drive to blend jazz with pop music. The theory was this would expand the jazz audience. The reality was music that only alienated jazz fans and held limited appeal to pop audiences. Yellow and Green is a representative product of this era. For the most part, it's a hollow, pointless exercise, afflicted by the stylistic tug of war inherent in the jazz-pop hybrids of the late '70s. The writing is directionless and the playing mainly indifferent. The LP chiefly serves as a showcase for Carter's overdubbed piccolo and acoustic basses. Unfortunately, the performances are too often a clutter of busy fingers, with the bassist's overly enthusiastic virtuosity getting in the way of any chance for musical dialogue between his instruments. Not surprisingly, the best tracks -- the respectable ballad "Opus 1.5" and a jaunty version of Thelonious Monk's "Epistrophy" -- are the most straight-ahead, done without overdubbing and with some decent piano from Kenny Barron. Elsewhere, Don Grolnick chimes blandly on electric piano and Hugh McCracken contributes wispy guitar accompaniment that serves no purpose, while drummer Billy Cobham tries to keep from being overwhelmed by the dullness of it all. An episode best forgotten. Jim Todd
Tracklist :
1 Tenaj 7:44
Composed By – Ron Carter
2 Receipt, Please 7:05
Composed By – Ron Carter
3 Willow Weep For Me 2:39
Composed By – Ann Ronell
4 Yellow & Green 6:13
Composed By – Ron Carter
Electric Bass – Ron Carter
Harmonica – Hugh McCracken
5 Opus 1.5 6:54
Composed By – Ron Carter
6 Epistrophy 6:08
Composed By – Kenny Clarke, Thelonious Monk
Drums – Ben Riley
– BONUS TRACK – (Alternate Takes)
7 Receipt, Please 5:25
Composed By – R. Carter
8 Yellow & Green 5:03
Composed By – R. Carter
Credits :
Acoustic Bass – Ron Carter (tracks: 1, 2, 4 to 8)
Arranged By – Ron Carter
Bass [Piccolo Bass] – Ron Carter (tracks: 2 to 4)
Cowbell, Tambourine – Ron Carter (tracks: 2, 4)
Drums – Billy Cobham (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 5), Steve Gadd (tracks: 7, 8)
Electric Piano – Don Grolnick (tracks: 2, 4), Richard Tee (tracks: 7, 8)
Engineer – Rudy Van Gelder
Flute – Hubert Laws (tracks: 7, 8)
Guitar – Eric Gale (tracks: 7, 8), Hugh McCracken (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 5)
Percussion – Arthur Jenkins (tracks: 7, 8), Dom Um Romao (tracks: 2, 5), George Devens (tracks: 7, 8), Ralph MacDonald (tracks: 7, 8)
Piano – Don Grolnick (tracks: 2), Kenny Barron (tracks: 1, 5, 6)
Producer – Creed Taylor
Saxophone – Dave Sanborn (tracks: 7, 8), Mike Brecker (tracks: 7, 8), Phil Woods (tracks: 7, 8)
Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Alan Rubin (tracks: 7, 8), Randy Brecker (tracks: 7, 8)
