"Nice and Easy" is a Griffin original blues recorded in 1956 for Introducing Johnny Griffin on Blue Note Records. Set in the key of F with a 12-bar blues form at a comfortable medium swing tempo of around 131 beats per minute, the track lives up to its title with a laid-back groove that lets the musicians settle into the blues tradition. Griffin takes three choruses on tenor saxophone, demonstrating his deep connection to the blues as a foundational language of jazz. His lines are peppered with bluesy bends, honks, and gospel-tinged phrases that reveal his roots in the Chicago music scene, where blues and jazz intermingled freely. Pianist Wynton Kelly follows with three equally engaging choruses, deploying his signature blend of rhythmic vitality and melodic grace. Kelly was one of the great blues pianists in jazz, and his solo here is a masterclass in economical, swinging improvisation. Bassist Curly Russell then steps forward for a rare solo chorus, adding a deeper textural dimension to the performance. The track provides a welcome change of pace on an album that also includes several high-speed showcases, proving that Griffin and his bandmates could create compelling music at any tempo through sheer musicality and feeling.
