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The tour that led to Coltrane’s ultimate departure from Miles’ quintet; the developing tension between Coltrane and the rest of the band as he starts staking out his own more adventurous style can really be heard on these dates and makes for some very interesting listening.

Recognizable melodies, catchy hooks, soul-tinged grooves...wait, are you sure this is an Andrew Hill album? Surprisingly, the answer is yes. Proving that the cerebral Hill could be accessible when he wanted to be, "Grass Roots" finds him shedding the abstract experimentation he is best known for and putting down a set of straightforward late-60s Hard Bop more akin to Herbie Hancock's early work than his own. Sure, some of Booker Ervin's and Lee Morgan's licks are still loose and fiery, and every now and then a flourish of Hill's esoterica on the piano comes to the fore, but for the most part "Grass Roots" sets aside the avant-garde affectations in favor of lyricism and melodic simplicity. Die-hard Hill fans might feel unchallenged, but to dwell too much on this set's lack of complexity would be to miss out not just on the point, but on some truly enjoyable music as well.

The later re-issues also feature the same set of songs performed by a different ensemble (which also adds Jimmy Ponder's guitar work to the mix), giving the listener a chance to hear how two different groups of musicians approached the same material. So, while it might not be one of Hill's most thought-provoking albums, it is still a quite satisfying set that it would be a shame for anyone to miss out on just because they turned their nose up at the idea of Hill stepping out of his wheelhouse and going for something more mainstream.