Wynton Kelly Trio & Wes Montgomery - Smokin' at the Half Note [Universal Japan 200g LP] 24-bit/96kHz & CD-format

“

Smokin' at the Half Note is essential listening for anyone who wants to hear why Wes Montgomery's dynamic live shows were considered the pinnacle of his brilliant and incredibly influential guitar playing. - Jim Smith/AMG (5/5 Stars)

”

Smokin' at the Half Note is a jazz album recorded by Wes Montgomery and the Wynton Kelly Trio and released in 1965.

History

The album is considered important to the history of jazz because it paired Miles Davis's rhythm section, Paul Chambers and Jimmy Cobb, with Montgomery. The album's versions of "Unit 7" and "Four on Six" have helped to establish these songs as jazz standards, and remain important references for their interpretation.

Although Montgomery had performed numerous times previously with Kelly, he began his association with the Wynton Kelly Trio in the summer of 1965. Together they toured the major jazz clubs in the US and also appeared at the Newport Jazz Festival on the afternoon of Sunday, 4 July. Drummer Jimmy Cobb had previously toured briefly with Montgomery in an organ trio with Melvin Rhyne in 1963. The trio of Kelly, Cobb and bassist Paul Chambers had already appeared on other Montgomery albums for Riverside Records such as Bags Meets Wes and Full House.

It was recorded live in late June 1965 at the Half Note Club in New York City, and September 22, 1965 at Van Gelder Studios, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.

Only two of the original LP's five tracks were recorded at the Half Note ("No Blues" and "If You Could See Me Now.") At the behest of producer Creed Taylor, the other three were re-recorded three months later at Rudy Van Gelder's studio in New Jersey.

Pat Metheny has said, "I learned to play listening to Wes Montgomery's Smokin' at The Half Note." In addition, Metheny stated to the New York Times in 2005 that the solo on "If You Could See Me Now," from this album is his favorite of all time.

Reception

Allmusic jazz critic Jim Smith called the album "essential listening for anyone who wants to hear why Montgomery's dynamic live shows were considered the pinnacle of his brilliant and incredibly influential guitar playing." and wrote that "Montgomery never played with more drive and confidence, and he's supported every step of the way by a genuinely smokin' Wynton Kelly Trio."

In his review for the Jazz Institute of Chicago, jazz author Stuart Nicolson extensively reviewed each song. He praised the album in general, writing "it was in jazz where his impact was most powerfully felt. His style and sound became the role-model for subsequent generations of guitar players and can be heard echoed in the playing of George Benson, Emily Remler, Bruce Forman, Pat Metheny, Mark Whitfield, Kevin Eubanks, and a host of others. These recordings go some way to illustrate why Montgomery turned the jazz world on its collective ear, the effects of which are still with us today."



Track listing

Side A

"No Blues" (Miles Davis) – 13:00
"If You Could See Me Now" (Tadd Dameron, Carl Sigman) – 6:45

Side B

"Unit 7" (Sam Jones) – 7:30
"Four on Six" (Wes Montgomery) – 6:45
"What's New?" (Bob Haggart, Johnny Burke) – 6:00

Personnel

Wes Montgomery – guitar
Wynton Kelly – piano
Paul Chambers – bass
Jimmy Cobb – drums
Rudy Van Gelder – engineer
Val Valentin – engineering director