“Social Call” is a jazz classic composed by Gigi Gryce and recorded by many jazz musicians over the years such as trumpeters Art Farmer and Donald Byrd and saxophonists Houston Person and Walter Smith III. Lyrics were added by Jon Hendricks, and vocalists who recorded it have included Ernestine Anderson, Betty Carter, and Jazzmeia Horn. So, when alto saxophonist Bruce Williams (photo above) introduced it at the February 2nd Jersey Jazz LIVE! concert presented by the NJ Jazz Society in Madison, NJ, he said, “So many people have done it, I really didn’t remember who wrote it.” When Betty Carter recorded it, she was accompanied by pianist Hank Jones and a big band arranged by Gryce.
The occasion was a tribute to Gryce, a composer who never received the recognition he deserved. Williams’ quintet with trumpeter Freddie Hendrix, pianist Elliot Bernard, bassist Chris Berger, and drummer Alvester Garnett, played a variety of Gryce’s tunes including “Minority”, “Nica’s Tempo”, and “Blue Concept”.
The concert was preceded by a presentation on Gryce by jazz historian Noal Cohen, co-author (with Michael Fitzgerald) of Rat Race Blues: The Musical Life of Gigi Gryce. Cohen produced and generously sponsored this event.
Photo by Marguerite La Fountaine