Nice and Easy is a blues composition by tenor saxophonist Johnny Griffin, written during the early period of his recording career. The tune was first recorded for Griffin's debut album Introducing Johnny Griffin on Blue Note Records, captured at Rudy Van Gelder's studio in 1956 with Wynton Kelly on piano, Curly Russell on acoustic bass, and Max Roach on drums. Cast in a 12-bar blues form, the composition lives up to its title with a relaxed, unhurried approach that contrasts with the more hard-charging bebop numbers on the same session. The blues framework provides a natural vehicle for soulful, melodically grounded improvisation, allowing each member of the group to stretch out over the familiar harmonic cycle. Griffin's writing here reveals his deep affinity for the blues tradition that underpins much of the hard bop idiom, demonstrating that his artistry extended well beyond the blazing speed for which he was best known. The tune has been published by Second Floor Music in a jazz series arrangement by Don Sickler for sextet and combo instrumentation, suggesting its utility as an ensemble piece beyond the original small group context. Nice and Easy remains primarily associated with its original recording and has not become a widely covered standard, but it stands as an effective example of Griffin's compositional voice in the blues form.
