The Rat Race Blues

The Rat Race Blues
Studio album by Gigi Gryce
Released	1960
Recorded	June 7, 1960 (1960-06-07)
Studio	Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey
Genre	Jazz
Length	40:11
Label	New Jazz
Producer	Esmond Edwards
Gigi Gryce chronology
The Hap'nin's (1960) The Rat Race Blues (1960) Reminiscin' (1960)

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

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
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

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

• Gigi Gryce – alto saxophone
• Richard Williams – trumpet
• Richard Wyands – piano
• Julian Euell – bass
• Mickey Roker – drums

References

1. Gigi Gryce discography accessed May 31, 2013
2. New Jazz Records discography accessed May 31, 2013
3. Yanow, S. AllMusic Review accessed May 31, 2013
4. 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.