Wes Montgomery & The Wynton Kelly Trio - The Unissued 1965 Half Note Broadcasts

Styles: Guitar And Piano Jazz
Year: 1965
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:25
Size: 145,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:11) 1. Impressions
(3:34) 2. Mi Cosa [unaccompanied guitar]
(5:45) 3. Blues #1
(5:41) 4. Birks' Works
(6:46) 5. Laura
(8:42) 6. Cariba
(3:04) 7. Blues #2
(8:07) 8. Four On Six
(1:26) 9. Blues #3 / Closing Announcements
(6:43) 10. All The Things You Are
(7:21) 11. I Remember You

It never ceases to amaze what previously unheard recordings suddenly pop up. Take this pair of Station WABC Portraits In Jazz broadcasts which predate this lineup's must-have Smokin' At The Half Note taped by the same personnel (except for Carter and Ridley subbing for Paul Chambers). These half-hour broadcasts are presented replete with announcements thereby giving the proceedings a sense of immediacy.

The CD opens with Coltrane's ‘Impressions’ during which Wes runs through his entire bag of tricks with the kind of ease that one has come to expect. An unaccompanied ‘Mi Cosa’ follows before a further nine selections that take in three variations of the blues, a couple more originals (‘Cariba’ and ‘Four On Six’) a look at Dizzy's ‘Birk's Works’ and a trio of standards of which ‘Laura’ is the highlight, are done and dusted.

While Wes is in command of a truly remarkable technique he never grandstands or allows things to get out of control, even when during ‘Four On Six’ he offers up complex runs that other guitarists can only aspire to but seldom manage to replicate. The only drawback is that on some performances Wynton Kelly's is under-recorded, apart from that it's Wes close to his best.
https://www.jazzwise.com/review/wes-montgomery-and-the-wynton-kelly-trio-the-unissued-1965-half-note-broadcasts

The Unissued Half Note Broadcasts

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Conte Candoli & Lee Morgan - Double Or Nothin'

Styles: Post Bop, Cool Jazz
Year: 1957
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:56
Size: 108,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:38) 1. Reggie Of Chester
(5:11) 2. Stablemates
(4:43) 3. Celedia
(5:44) 4. Moto
(4:43) 5. The Champ
(7:49) 6. Blues After Dark
(5:55) 7. Wildwood
(4:00) 8. Quicksilver
(4:09) 9. Bye Bye Blues

Rare recordings produced by Howard Rumsey with his incredible Howard Rumsey's Lighthouse All Stars and Charles Persip's Jazz Statesmen.

"There was only a short week in which to record, so we made a date for a double session at Liberty's fabulous new studios... Lee Morgan and Frank Rosolino flipped into some original dance steps at the sound of the playbacks. It was a happy date."
https://www.freshsoundrecords.com/conte-candoli-lee-morgan-albums/2427-double-or-nothin-.html

Personnel: Lee Morgan, Conte Candoli (tp), Frank Rosolino (tb), Benny Golson, Bob Cooper (ts), Wynton Kelly, Dick Shreve (p), Red Mitchell, Wilfred Middlebrooks (b), Charles Persip, Stan Levey (d)

Double Or Nothin'

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Joe Henderson - Four!

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1968
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:45
Size: 165,9 MB
Art: Front

(13:37)  1. Autumn Leaves
(12:18)  2. Four
(14:57)  3. On The Trail
(11:46)  4. Star Dust / Old Folks
(16:04)  5. On Green Dolphin Street
( 3:00)  6. The Theme

This live session from 1968 features the great tenor Joe Henderson (who was then just a few days short of turning 31) playing for the first and possibly only time with the Wynton Kelly Trio. Henderson, pianist Kelly, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Jimmy Cobb really stretch out on six standards (including a two-song medley), all of which clock in between 11:47 and 16:05 (except for a three-minute "Theme"). Henderson really pushes the rhythm section (which, although they had not played with the tenor previously, had been together for a decade) and he is certainly inspired by their presence. This is a frequently exciting performance by some of the modern bop greats of the era. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/four-mw0000120886

Personnel:  Joe Henderson – tenor saxophone;  Wynton Kelly – piano;  Paul Chambers – bass;  Jimmy Cobb – drums

Four

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Helen Humes - Swingin' With Humes

Styles: Vocal, Swing
Year: 1961
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:37
Size: 96,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:29)  1. When Day Is Done
(3:55)  2. Home (When Shadows Fall)
(2:53)  3. There'll Be Some Changes Made
(3:36)  4. Some Day My Prince Will Come
(3:48)  5. I'm Confessin'
(3:09)  6. S'posin'
(3:19)  7. Pennies From Heaven
(3:17)  8. The Very Thought Of You
(3:27)  9. Baby Won't You Please Come Home
(4:01) 10. Solitude
(4:01) 11. I Surrender Dear
(2:35) 12. My Blue Heaven

The third of Helen Humes' three memorable Contemporary releases, all of which are out on CD, features the distinctive singer on a dozen standards that she had missed documenting thus far. With fine backup work by trumpeter Joe Gordon, tenor saxophonist Teddy Edwards, pianist Wynton Kelly, guitarist Al Viola, bassist Leroy Vinnegar and drummer Frank Butler, Humes is in top form on such tunes as "When Day Is Done," "There'll Be Some Changes Made," "Pennies From Heaven" and "The Very Thought of You." One of her better albums.
By Scott Yanow  https://www.allmusic.com/album/swingin-with-humes-mw0000691152

Personnel:  Vocals – Helen Humes;  Tenor Saxophone – Teddy Edwards;  Trumpet – Joe Gordon;   Bass – Leroy Vinnegar;  Drums – Frank Butler;  Guitar – Al Viola;  Piano – Wynton Kelly

Swingin' With Humes

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Eddie Harris - Cool Sax, Warm Heart

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 33:10

Size: 76.0 MB

Styles: Jazz-funk

Year: 1964/2002

Art: Front

[2:55] 1. Chicago Serenade

[3:51] 2. Since I Fell For You

[3:00] 3. Stum Stang

[2:20] 4. Django's Castle

[4:20] 5. More Soul, Than Soulful

[2:44] 6. Everthing Happens To Me

[4:23] 7. But Not For Me

[6:59] 8. Brother Ed

[2:33] 9. Hip Hoppin'

Eddie Harris – tenor saxophone; Wynton Kelly – piano (tracks 1, 2, 6 & 7); Warren Stephens – guitar; Melvin Jackson – bass; Bucky Taylor – drums; The Malcom Dodds Singers – vocals.

A really fantastic album that's one of Eddie Harris' most unique albums of the 60s! The record features Eddie blowing in that lean and soulful mode that he used on his best Vee Jay albums – a bit exotic, but never meandering, with impeccable placement in all his solos, and a tone that's probably one of the most revolutionary he ever used. Some tracks have a backing chorus of female voices, singing in a floating mode that's hip and easy – and others are straighter jazz tunes, with a nice little groove.

Cool Sax, Warm Heart  

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The Cannonball Adderley Quintet - Quintet Plus

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1961
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:23
Size: 125,3 MB
Art: Front

(8:08)  1. Arriving Soon
(6:25)  2. Well You Needn't
(6:55)  3. New Delhi
(6:56)  4. Winetone
(7:05)  5. Star Eyes
(6:40)  6. Lisa - Take 8
(6:59)  7. Lisa - Alternate Take
(5:12)  8. O.P.

For this CD reissue of a Riverside date, altoist Cannonball Adderley's 1961 Quintet (which includes cornetist Nat Adderley, pianist Victor Feldman, bassist Sam Jones and drummer Louis Hayes) is joined by guest pianist Wynton Kelly on five of the eight selections, during which Feldman switches quite effectively to vibes. The music falls between funky soul-jazz and hard bop, and each of the performances (particularly "Star Eyes" and "Well You Needn't") is enjoyable. The CD adds a new alternate take of "Lisa" and the previously unissued "O.P." to the original program. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-quintet-plus-mw0000584171

Personnel: Cannonball Adderley - alto saxophone; Nat Adderley - cornet; Wynton Kelly - piano; Victor Feldman - piano, vibes; Sam Jones - bass; Louis Hayes - drums

The Quintet Plus

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Joy Bryan – Make The Man Love Me

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1962
File: MP3@320K/s 
Art: Front

(2:59)  1. My Romance.mp3
(4:57)  2. Make the Man Love Me.mp3
(3:30)  3. Almost Like Being in Love.mp3
(4:03)  4. It Never Entered My Mind.mp3
(3:40)  5. East of the Sun.mp3
(3:37)  6. Aren't You Glad You're You.mp3
(3:56)  7. My Funny Valentine.mp3
(4:07)  8. Old Devil Moon.mp3
(3:32)  9. These Foolish Things.mp3
(3:15) 10. Everything's Coming Up Roses.mp3

Pre-rock pop, ballads and standards vocalist who cut albums in late '50s, early 60s on West Coast. She was not hugely successful, nor attained widespread notoriety, but her 1961 release with Wynton Kelly and Leroy Vinnegar was good effort. ~ Ron Wynn https://www.allmusic.com/artist/joy-bryan-mn0001193072

Personnel: Vocal - Joy Bryan;  Bass – Leroy Vinnegar; Drums – Frank Butler; Guitar – Al Viola; Piano – Wynton Kelly

Make The Man Love Me

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Jimmy Heath Quintet - On The Trail

Styles: Saxophone Jazz 
Year: 1964
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:23
Size: 88,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:07)  1. On The Trail
(4:20)  2. Cloak And Dagger
(4:40)  3. Vanity
(5:21)  4. All The Things You Are
(5:32)  5. Gingerbread Boy
(5:16)  6. I Should Care
(8:02)  7. Project S

Unlike some of his other Riverside recordings, the accent on this Jimmy Heath CD reissue is very much on his tenor playing (rather than his arrangements). Heath is in excellent form with a quintet that also includes pianist Wynton Kelly, guitarist Kenny Burrell, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Albert "Tootie" Heath. The instantly recognizable hard bop saxophonist performs four standards and three of his own compositions, including the original versions of "Gingerbread Boy" and "Project S." It's a good example of his playing talents. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/on-the-trail-mw0000173712

Personnel: Jimmy Heath - tenor saxophone; Wynton Kelly - piano;  Kenny Burrell - guitar;  Paul Chambers - bass;  Al Heath - drums.

On The Trail

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Cannonball Adderley Quartet - Cannonball Takes Charge

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1959
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:53
Size: 122,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:32)  1. If This Isn't Love
(5:34)  2. I Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry
(4:16)  3. Serenata
(3:39)  4. I've Told Ev'ry Little Star
(7:03)  5. Barefoot Sunday Blues
(5:10)  6. Poor Butterfly
(6:55)  7. I Remember You
(7:48)  8. Barefoot Sunday Blues - Alternate Take
(6:52)  9. I Remember You - Alternate Take

The recording of Cannonball Takes Charge was sandwiched in between two events that would help earn Cannonball Adderley a permanent place in jazz lore. Just the day before the album’s first session, he participated in the completion of Miles Davis’s seminal Kind of Blue. Five months after Cannonball Takes Charge was finished, he had Riverside producer Orrin Keepnews record his newly formed quintet at the Jazz Workshop in San Francisco which helped launch his career as one of the leading proponents of “soul jazz.” But what about the album made in between these two momentous occasions? Cannonball Takes Charge ’s concept was a common one: the altoist is the lone horn in a quartet performing a program made up primarily of standards. The results are anything but routine though, and show that 1959 was a very good year for Cannonball Adderley.  The opening tune, “If This Isn’t Love,” kicks off the proceedings on an ebullient note with Adderley playing an infectious solo that can brighten even the gloomiest day. Things reach a more melancholic note only on “I Guess I’ll Hang My Tears Out To Dry” which features a fine ballad performance by the alto saxophonist. “Barefoot Sunday Blues,” the lone original composition, points to the gospel and soul-inflected jazz that would become Adderley’s calling card. The final selection, “I Remember You,” produces his finest performance on the album. Adderley is able to coax a five-chorus improvisation out of the standard’s changes that is always interesting and full of romantic lyricism. On the piano bench is Wynton Kelly who plays with the utmost of taste throughout. He makes his best impression when he dips in to a more earthy vibe on his last solo chorus of “Barefoot Sunday Blues” and in his work on “Poor Butterfly.” Joining Adderley and Kelly are Paul Chambers and Jimmy Cobb on four tracks, and Percy and Albert Heath on the rest. As an added bonus, this 2002 CD reissue adds alternate takes of “Barefoot Sunday Blues” and “I Remember You” that are well worth listening to. Adderley would rarely revisit the territory he covered in Cannonball Takes Charge in the years to come. His subsequent work on Riverside increasingly began to follow a formula: albums recorded live with the altoist’s working band. In 1961 though, Adderley would record another quartet album, Know What I Mean? , in which he managed to surpass the lofty heights achieved on Cannonball Takes Charge. ~ Robert Gilbert https://www.allaboutjazz.com/cannonball-takes-charge-julian-cannonball-adderley-capitol-records-review-by-robert-gilbert.php

Personnel: Cannonball Adderley - alto saxophone; Wynton Kelly - piano; Paul Chambers, Percy Heath - bass; Jimmy Cobb, Albert Heath - drums

Cannonball Takes Charge

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Cecil Payne - Zodiac

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1968
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:51
Size: 96,1 MB
Art: Front

( 7:00)  1. Martin Luther King, Jr. / I Know Lowe
(10:53)  2. Girl, You Got a Home
( 4:25)  3. Slide Hampton
( 7:07)  4. Follow Me
(12:23)  5. Flying Fish

It’s impossible to talk about this album without acknowledging the spectre of death that hangs over it not only is it the third entry in Strata-East Records’ Dolphy Series, a collection of archival recordings from some of the label’s close associates honoring the recently deceased multi-instrumentalist, but it is actually dedicated to two members of the band, Wynton Kelly and Kenny Dorham, who died in between the recording sessions and its release. The point is driven home even further by the fact that the album begins with a tribute from Payne to the fallen Martin Luther King, Jr., a piece that acts as a de facto solo for Dorham his playing all rosy elegance and regal warmth before shifting into the lighter (though equally coolly-paced) “I Know Love,” a showcase for Payne’s sax. While not the most somber jazz track ever recorded, this opening suite is a low-key and mournful way to open the affair, but thankfully the album really picks off and shows these musicians more in their element the rest of the way. “Girl, You Got a Home” is a funky piece, beginning very soulfully with some tight interplay among the rhythm section of Kelly, bassist Wilbur Ware and drummer Albert Heath. 

Ware is in especially fine form on this track, tying together the disparate passages of the piece by grounding the more ponderous moments in a deep funk, while Kelly’s playing is especially ear catching in the way he stabs at his piano like it’s an organ. After the first two tracks take up nearly twenty minutes, the four-minute “Slide Hampton” feels almost impossibly brief, a feeling that’s enhanced by its quick, jittery, and infectious rhythm, driven by some really dexterous work from Kelly. The final track, “Flying Fish,” may be the album’s highlight, a Caribbean-inspired composition that casts the rhythm section as flighty ground for both Payne and Dorham to vamp on. The track is oddly danceable for something released on Strata-East, maybe the most fun moment ever for the label, and relentlessly uptempo. Though this release may be in part defined by the deaths that preceded it, it’s clear that the recording process was actually a lot of fun for everybody, as their enthusiasm and energy jumps right out of the speakers. This is one of the first Strata East records I really got into and is still one of my favorites, a must-hear for any fans of the flightier moments of Dorham or Kelly’s career, and a fitting tribute for both master musicians. https://lightintheattic.net/releases/3745-zodiac

Personnel:  Cecil Payne, baritone, alto saxophone; Kenny Dorham, trumpet; Wynton Kelly, piano, organ; Wilbur Ware, bass; Albert Heath, drums.

Zodiac

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Wynton Kelly - Comin' in the Back Door

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 27:47
Size: 65,1 MB
Art: Front

(2:37)  1. If That's the Way You Want It
(2:23)  2. Comin' in the Back Door
(2:09)  3. Don't Wait Too Long
(2:42)  4. Nocturne
(2:06)  5. The Bitter End
(2:11)  6. Theme from Burke's Law
(3:11)  7. Quiet Village
(3:00)  8. Caesar and Cleopatra Theme
(2:29)  9. Signing Off
(2:38) 10. Little Tracy
(2:18) 11. To Kill a Mockingbird

A superb accompanist loved by Miles Davis and Cannonball Adderley, Wynton Kelly was also a distinctive soloist who decades later would be a strong influence on Benny Green. He grew up in Brooklyn and early on played in R&B bands led by Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, Hal Singer, and Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis. Kelly, who recorded 14 titles for Blue Note in a trio (1951), worked with Dinah Washington, Dizzy Gillespie, and Lester Young during 1951-1952. After serving in the military, he made a strong impression with Washington (1955-1957), Charles Mingus (1956-1957), and the Dizzy Gillespie big band (1957), but he would be most famous for his stint with Miles Davis (1959-1963), recording such albums with Miles as Kind of Blue, At the Blackhawk, and Someday My Prince Will Come. When he left Davis, Kelly took the rest of the rhythm section (bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Jimmy Cobb) with him to form his trio. The group actually sounded at its best backing Wes Montgomery. Before his early death, Kelly recorded as a leader for Blue Note, Riverside, Vee-Jay, Verve, and Milestone. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/wynton-kelly-mn0000684253/biography

Personnel: Wynton Kelly - Piano; Arranged By, Conductor – Claus Ogerman;  Bass Guitar – Paul Chambers ; Drums – Jimmy Cobb; Guitar – Kenny Burrell

Comin' in the Back Door

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Art Farmer - Early Art

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1961
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:48
Size: 96,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:02)  1. Soft Shoe
(3:57)  2. Confab In Tempo
(5:01)  3. I'll Take Romance
(4:06)  4. Wisteria
(4:09)  5. Autumn Nocturne
(3:50)  6. I've Never Been In Love Before
(3:56)  7. I'll Walk Alone
(4:08)  8. Gone With The Wind
(3:59)  9. Alone Together
(3:36) 10. Pre Amp

Two of trumpeter Art Farmer's earlier sessions as a leader are reissued on this CD in the OJC series. Farmer teams up with an all-star quintet (which includes tenor-saxophonist Sonny Rollins, pianist Horace Silver, bassist Percy Heath and drummer Kenny Clarke) for four songs and dominates a quartet (with pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Addison Farmer and drummer Herbie Lovelle) on six other tunes. Farmer's sound is lyrical even on the uptempo pieces and he is heard throughout in his early prime. Highlights include "Soft Shoe," "I'll Take Romance," "Autumn Nocturne" and an uptempo "Gone with the Wind." One should note that the programming differs from what is listed, with "Soft Shoe" (which should have been the opener) actually appearing fifth and the songs listed as appearing second through fifth moving up to first through fourth. Despite that flaw, the music is quite enjoyable and a must for 1950s bop collectors. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/early-art-mw0000183670

Personnel:  Art Farmer – trumpet; Sonny Rollins - tenor saxophone (tracks 1-2, 5); Horace Silver (tracks 1-3, 5), Wynton Kelly (tracks 4, 6-10) - piano; Percy Heath (tracks 1-3, 5), Addison Farmer (tracks 4, 6-10) – bass; Kenny Clarke (tracks 1-3, 5), Herbie Lovelle (tracks 4, 6-10) – drums

Early Art

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Wes Montgomery - Willow Weep For Me

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1965
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:54
Size: 99,5 MB
Art: Front

(7:45)  1. Willow Weep For Me
(5:06)  2. Impressions
(2:47)  3. Portrait Of Jenny
(5:26)  4. The Surrey With The Fringe On Top
(5:29)  5. Oh, You Crazy Moon
(9:33)  6. Four On Six - Live
(6:45)  7. Misty

Shortly after Wes Montgomery's shockingly early death, Verve rummaged around in the vaults and came up with some additional tapes from the live Smokin' at the Half Note sessions with the Kind of Blue rhythm section, Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers, and Jimmy Cobb. And then after-the-fact producer Esmond Edwards did a controversial thing he commissioned Claus Ogerman, the arranger on Tequila, to overdub wind and brass arrangements on four tracks: the title tune, "Portrait of Jennie," "Oh! You Crazy Moon," and "Misty." The critics promptly pounced on Verve, NARAS responded by giving the album a Grammy, and the whole issue became moot when subsequent reissues of the four tracks erased the new backing charts. Yet on the whole, Ogerman did a good job; his arrangements are subtle and, in the case of the title track, swinging, with the flutes adding effective responses within Montgomery's statements of the theme. "Impressions," oddly enough, was left alone perhaps due to its lightning tempo and this classic solo has since been reissued many times as the prime example of Montgomery in his Verve period. "Surrey with the Fringe on Top" and an alternate take of "Four on Six" (with a bad edit cutting off Kelly's solo in mid-flight) are also free of orchestrations. 

In any case, what you will hear, bathed in winds or not, is prime, mature Wes Montgomery stretching out in full, with unbelievable confidence in his ear and technique at all times, experimenting now and then with mild electronic effects devices. The sound is oddly dim and shallow on the LP, which is surprising since the Smokln' album sounded so good. ~ Richard S.Ginell https://www.allmusic.com/album/willow-weep-for-me-mw0000215764

Personnel:  Wes Montgomery – guitar; Wynton Kelly – piano;  Paul Chambers – bass;  Jimmy Cobb – drums

Willow Weep For Me

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Johnny Griffin - Introducing

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:18
Size: 108.3 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[3:52] 1. Mil Dew
[5:36] 2. Chicago Calling
[5:08] 3. These Foolish Things
[4:53] 4. The Boy Next Door
[4:18] 5. Nice And Easy
[5:00] 6. It's All Right With Me
[7:53] 7. Lover Man
[6:19] 8. The Way You Look Tonight
[4:15] 9. Cherokee

Bass – Curly Russel; Drums – Max Roach; Piano – Wynton Kelly; Tenor Saxophone – Johnny Griffin. Recorded At Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, New Jersey on April 17, 1956.

Johnny Griffin had been kicking around in R&B bands for years before his Blue Note debut in 1956. A tenor saxophonist with fresh sounds, a warm, soulful style and the fastest technique in jazz, he moves from lyrical ballads to blistering tempos with ease. Two bonus tracks from the session have been added to the original LP. The first-class accompaniment is provided by Wynton Kelly, Curly Russell and Max Roach. Within two years, Griff would becomes one of the leading tenor saxophonists in jazz as a member of Thelonious Monk's quartet.

Introducing mc
Introducing zippy

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Hank Mobley, Lee Morgan - Peckin' Time

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:04
Size: 142.1 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1988/2008
Art: Front

[ 6:09] 1. High And Flighty
[ 7:08] 2. Speak Low
[ 6:48] 3. Peckin' Time
[ 9:00] 4. Stretchin' Out
[12:23] 5. Go Go Blurs
[ 6:33] 6. High And Flightty (Alt. Take)
[ 7:16] 7. Speak Low (Alt. Take)
[ 6:44] 8. Stretchin' Out (Alt. Take)

Bass – Paul Chambers; Drums – Charlie Persip; Piano – Wynton Kelly; Tenor Saxophone – Hank Mobley; Trumpet – Lee Morgan.

Tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley was overshadowed by more influential tenors such as Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane during his career, but although he wasn't deliberately flashy or particularly innovative, his concisely measured, round sax tone made him the perfect ensemble player and he was a fine writer, as well, a talent who has often been undervalued and overlooked. The Peckin' Time session was recorded February 9, 1958 (the LP was issued a year later) and came in the midst of what was a period of whirlwind creativity for Mobley, who recorded work for the Savoy and Prestige imprints as well as six full albums for Blue Note (two were never released -- it was not that uncommon for Blue Note to stockpile sessions at the time) in a little more than a year's time (later Blue Note albums like Soul Station and Roll Call were still well in the future). For this session, Mobley found himself working with a young Lee Morgan on trumpet and in front of a fluid rhythm section that included pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Charlie Persip, and it's solid stuff, bright and always energetic. All but one of the tracks, a rendering of Kurt Weill's "Speak Low," were written by Mobley, and again, his hidden strength was always his writing, and it should probably come as no surprise that the best two tracks here, the title tune "Peckin' Time" and the wonderful "Stretchin' Out," were both penned by Mobley. It all adds up to a fine program, and if Mobley didn't push the envelope a whole lot, his lyrical and economical playing was always appropriate and graceful, and that's certainly the case here. ~Steve Leggett

Peckin' Time mc
Peckin' Time zippy

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Wynton Kelly Trio & Wes Montgomery - Smokin’ In Seattle: Live At The Penthouse

Styles: Piano And Guitar Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:06
Size: 125,7 MB
Art: Front

(8:19)  1. There Is No Greater Love
(6:32)  2. Not A Tear
(4:32)  3. Jingles
(4:51)  4. What's New?
(2:47)  5. Blues In F
(8:39)  6. Sir John
(5:56)  7. If You Could See Me Now
(4:02)  8. West Coast Blues
(6:15)  9. O Morro Nao Tem Vez
(2:09) 10. Oleo

In his superb contribution to Bloomsbury Press' 33 & 1/3 series, Bitches Brew (2015), George Grella notes (emphasis mine):

"No style of art can remain static: irrelevance is just as much a risk as the inevitable decadence that comes from a style developing to its last measure. But fans, including critics, of particular movements of artists, tend to want what they love to stay the same, the regression is not to the mean but to an Edenic past that never actually existed."  Written with the present in mind, Grella's point is easily transmuted to any particular era one likes from any vantage point in the future. I favor acoustic, small group jazz made between 1945 and 1965, a predilection that continues 50 years later. The beauty of appreciation is that it can occur vertically and horizontally. Vertically, we can experience and appreciate the evolution of an art form from its genesis until the now. Anywhere along the way up we can stop and view the horizontal: everything occurring, on all sides, at a single point in time. This appreciation does not interfere with the vertical experience but does add to its breadth.

It is in this horizontal appreciation of jazz that previously unheard, archival performances are so important. They add depth to the perspective.  Such is the case with Wes Montgomery's Smokin' in Seattle: Live at the Penthouse (1966), with the Wynton Kelly Trio. In the mid-1960s, before rock music completely took over, Montgomery was considered something special. From our present vantage point looking back, Montgomery's Smokin' at the Half Note (Verve, 1965), also with Kelly's trio, is considered one of the finest live jazz recordings of any period. It would be only natural to want to experience more of this type of music from the period. This particular trio was also the rhythm section for Miles Davis' band between 1959 and 1963, with pianist Kelly, bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Jimmy Cobb. The significance of this rhythm section is that they were on-hand during the fertile, transformative period between Davis' two great quintets, anchoring the recording of Davis' greatest achievement, Kind of Blue (Columbia, 1959).

I always thought that the primary simpatico in this band existed between Kelly and Montgomery, but that is hardly fair considering the stature of all involved. But there was an emphatic connection between Kelly and Montgomery that tangibly adds to the music made here. Kelly was an old- school pianist, not unlike Red Garland; they both had great facility with block chords. Also, like Garland, Kelly possessed a great command of the blues and this permeated all of his playing. Montgomery shared these same abilities. Both had an economic ability reflected in their carefully considered solos. It is nice to have more examples of this musical cooperation in Smokin' in Seattle. This Resonance release features ten selections: four from the trio alone; and the remaining six with Montgomery. Kelly was a crack balladeer. He leads the trio through period-perfect performances of "There is No Greater Love" and "If You Could See Me Now." On the latter, his playing approaches the orchestral, full of warmth and triumph in the introduction and grace and majesty in the interior. Effortlessly, Kelly could harmonize without becoming abstract in his technical playing. That said, when it came to the blues roots the pianist shared with Montgomery, the two provide a masterclass of "thinking outside the box" on the guitarist's "Blues in F" and "West Coast Blues."

His Resonance release features ten selections: four from the trio alone; and the remaining six with Montgomery. Kelly was a crack balladeer. He leads the trio through period-perfect performances of "There is No Greater Love" and "If You Could See Me Now." On the latter, his playing approaches the orchestral, full of warmth and triumph in the introduction and grace and majesty in the interior. Effortlessly, Kelly could harmonize without becoming abstract in his technical playing. That said, when it came to the blues roots the pianist shared with Montgomery, the two provide a masterclass of "thinking outside the box" on the guitarist's "Blues in F" and "West Coast Blues." "Blues in F" is a bouncing jump blues dominated by Montgomery's single-string soloing; Montgomery's famous octave style is also displayed generously. At a brief 2:44, the song is faded out, ostensibly due to radio time constraints. "West Coast Blues" is a loping chorded blues that illustrates Kelly's interplay with Montgomery, readily following the guitarist's muscular lines in the head and then providing a propulsive push behind the guitarist's solo. ~ C.Michael Bailey https://www.allaboutjazz.com/smokin-in-seattle-live-at-the-penthouse-1966-by-c-michael-bailey.php

Personnel: Wes Montgomery: guitar; Wynton Kelly: piano; Ron McClure: bass; Jimmy Cobb: drums.

Smokin’ In Seattle: Live At The Penthouse

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Lee Morgan - Here's Lee Morgan

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:44
Size: 164.2 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz
Year: 1960/1993
Art: Front

[5:20] 1. Terrible T
[7:47] 2. Mogie
[5:39] 3. I'm A Fool To Want You
[6:09] 4. Running Brook
[6:19] 5. Off Spring
[6:26] 6. Bess
[6:59] 7. Terrible T (Take 6)
[7:29] 8. Mogie (Take 2)
[5:56] 9. I'm A Fool To Want You (Take 1)
[6:50] 10. Running Brook (Take 4)
[6:43] 11. Bess (Take 3)

Bass – Paul Chambers; Drums – Art Blakey; Piano – Wynton Kelly; Tenor Saxophone – Cliff Jordan; Trumpet – Lee Morgan. Recorded at Bell Sound Studio B, NYC, February 8, 1960.

The original set is augmented by very rare and unreleased alternative takes. The music is good solid hard bop that finds Lee Morgan (already a veteran at age 21) coming out of the Clifford Brown tradition to display his own rapidly developing style. Matched with Clifford Jordan on tenor, pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Art Blakey, Morgan's album could pass for a Jazz Messengers set. Recommended.

Here's Lee Morgan mc
Here's Lee Morgan zippy

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Ernie Henry - Last Chorus

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1956
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:20
Size: 104,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:15)  1. Autumn Leaves
(6:28)  2. Beauty And The Blues
(7:49)  3. All The Things You Are
(2:41)  4. Melba's Tune
(4:54)  5. S'Posin'
(6:58)  6. Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are
(4:40)  7. Like Someone In Love
(8:31)  8. Cleo's Chant

Ernie Henry was a promising alto saxophonist who passed away prematurely on December 29, 1957, when he was only 31. He had recorded his album Seven Standards and a Blues on September 30, and four songs for an uncompleted octet date on September 23. This CD reissue has the latter tunes (which feature trumpeter Lee Morgan; trombonist Melba Liston, who contributed "Melba's Tune"; tenor saxophonist Benny Golson; and pianist Wynton Kelly), an alternate take from the Seven Standards set ("Like Someone in Love"), a leftover track from the preceding year ("Cleo's Chant"), the solos of Thelonious Monk and Henry (from the lengthy "Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are"), and an alternate version of "S'posin'" taken from the altoist's final recording (a quartet outing with trumpeter Kenny Dorham). Overall, the music is fine and, surprisingly, does not have an unfinished air about it. It does make one wish that Ernie Henry had taken better care of his health, as he was just beginning to develop a sound of his own. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/last-chorus-mw0000036951

Personnel:  Ernie Henry - alto saxophone;  Kenny Dorham,  Lee Morgan – trumpet;  Melba Liston – trombone;  Benny Golson, Sonny Rollins - tenor saxophone;  Cecil Payne - baritone saxophone;  Kenny Drew, Wynton Kelly, Thelonious Monk – piano;  Paul Chambers, Eddie Mathias, Oscar Pettiford, Wilbur Ware – bass;  G. T. Hogan, Philly Joe Jones, Max Roach , Art Taylor - drums

Last Chorus

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Hank Mobley - Another Workout

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:05
Size: 84.9 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1961/2006
Art: Front

[5:02] 1. Out Of Joe's Bag
[7:39] 2. I Should Care
[7:41] 3. Gettin' And Jettin'
[8:40] 4. Hank's Other Soul
[8:01] 5. Hello, Young Lovers

Bass – Paul Chambers; Drums – "Philly" Joe Jones; Piano – Wynton Kelly; Tenor Saxophone – Hank Mobley. Originally recorded on December 5, 1961 at the Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.

This LP has material from 1961 that for no real reason went unreleased until 1985. One song, "Three Coins in a Fountain," is from the same session that resulted in tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley's famous Workout session with guitarist Grant Green, pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Philly Joe Jones. The other five numbers -- three obscure Mobley originals, plus "I Should Care" and "Hello Young Lovers" -- are from the previously unheard December 5, 1961 session with the same personnel except for Green. Hank Mobley was in a prime period around this time, and all of his Blue Note recordings are well worth picking up. ~Scott Yanow

Another Workout

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Art Taylor - A.T.'s Delight

Styles: Bop, Hard Bop
Year: 1960
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:54
Size: 86,5 MB
Art: Front

(6:34)  1. Syeeda's Song Flute
(6:51)  2. Epistrophy
(5:47)  3. Move
(6:47)  4. High Seas
(5:31)  5. Cookoo And Fungi
(5:20)  6. Blue Interlude

Although Art Taylor was one of the busiest modern second-generation jazz drummers, working in the studio with Coleman Hawkins, Donald Byrd, John Coltrane and many others, he only released five albums under his own name, of which A.T.'s Delight was the third. And a delight it is indeed, bright and percussive, and when conga player Carlos "Patato" Valdes joins Taylor and pianist Wynton Kelly and bassist Paul Chambers on three cuts (Thelonious Monk's "Epistrophy," "Move" and a Taylor calypso-inflected original called "Cookoo and Fungi"), the rhythm pocket opens into a deep blue sea for the horn men (Stanley Turrentine on tenor sax and Dave Burns on trumpet). "Move" does exactly that, it moves, and at a blistering pace. Monk's "Epistrophy," thanks in part to Valdes, reveals its rumba roots, and has never sounded brighter. 

The seldom-covered Coltrane composition "Syeeda's Song Flute" seems likewise refreshed and revived. The lone Taylor original, the driving "Cookoo and Fungi," is as sharp and alert is a kitten waking from a nap in the spring sun, and Taylor's drum solo is crisp, efficient and slides seamlessly into the calypso-informed main theme. A.T.'s Delight is a solid outing, with a wonderfully nervous but completely focused energy. ~ Steve Leggett http://www.allmusic.com/album/ats-delight-mw0000201263

Personnel:  Bass – Paul Chambers;  Congas – Carlos Valdes;  Drums – Art Taylor;  Piano – Wynton Kelly;  Tenor Saxophone – Stanley Turrentine;  Trumpet – Dave Burns.

A.T.'s Delight

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