Smokin' at the Half Note

Last updated
Smokin' at the Half Note
Smokin half note.jpg
Live album / studio album by
ReleasedNovember 1965 [1]
RecordedJune 1965 and September 22, 1965
VenueThe Half Note Club (recording in June)
Genre Jazz
Length40:58
Label Verve
Producer Creed Taylor
Wes Montgomery chronology
Bumpin'
(1965)
Smokin' at the Half Note
(1965)
Smokin' Guitar
(1965)
Wynton Kelly chronology
Undiluted
(1965)
Smokin' at the Half Note
(1965)
Blues on Purpose
(1965)

Smokin' at the Half Note is an album by Wes Montgomery and the Wynton Kelly Trio that was released in 1965. It was recorded live in June 1965 at the Half Note Club in New York City and September 22, 1965 at Van Gelder Studios in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. The album combines guitarist Montgomery with the Miles Davis rhythm section from 1959–1963 of Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers, and Jimmy Cobb. The album's versions of "Unit 7" and "Four on Six" have helped to establish these pieces as jazz standards.

Contents

History

Montgomery had performed numerous times previously with Kelly, and his trio with Chambers and Cobb had recorded earlier Montgomery albums for the Riverside label such as Full House . In the summer of 1965, the quartet toured the major jazz clubs in the US and also appeared at the Newport Jazz Festival on the afternoon of Sunday, July 4. Drummer Jimmy Cobb had previously toured briefly with Montgomery in an organ trio with Melvin Rhyne in 1963. [2] The performance was part of Alan Grant's "Portrait In Jazz" series, and Grant is heard as the announcer.

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. [3]

In 1998, Verve reissued the show on disc two of Impressions: The Verve Jazz Sides with a scrambled track order and some crucial cuts. The first five tracks are from the original Verve LP. Tracks six through eleven are from the posthumously released Willow Weep for Me , without that album's string arrangements.

Pat Metheny stated to The New York Times in 2005 that the solo on "If You Could See Me Now" from this album was his favorite of all time. [4] He called Smokin' at the Half Note "the absolute greatest jazz-guitar album ever made. It is also the record that taught me how to play."

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [5]
Jazz Institute of Chicago(no rating) [2]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [6]

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." [5]

In his review for the Jazz Institute of Chicago, jazz writer 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." [2]

Track listing

Original LP (1965)

Side-A (live)

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

Side-B (studio)

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

CD release (1986– )

  1. "No Blues" (Miles Davis) – 12:57
  2. "If You Could See Me Now" (Tadd Dameron, Carl Sigman) – 8:21
  3. "Unit 7" (Sam Jones) – 6:45
  4. "Four on Six" (Montgomery) – 6:44
  5. "What's New?" (Bob Haggart, Johnny Burke) – 6:11

Remastered CD (2005– )

  1. "No Blues" (Miles Davis) – 12:57
  2. "If You Could See Me Now" (Tadd Dameron, Carl Sigman) – 8:21
  3. "Unit 7" (Sam Jones) – 6:44
  4. "Four on Six" (Montgomery) – 6:43
  5. "What's New?" (Bob Haggart, Johnny Burke) – 6:10
  6. "Willow Weep for Me" (Ann Ronell) – 9:08
  7. "Portrait of Jennie" (Gordon Burdge, J. Russell Robinson) – 3:27
  8. "The Surrey with the Fringe on Top" (Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II) – 6:12
  9. "Oh, You Crazy Moon" (Jimmy Van Heusen, Johnny Burke) – 5:29
  10. "Misty" (Erroll Garner) – 6:55
  11. "Impressions" (John Coltrane) – 5:03

Personnel

Musicians

Production

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wes Montgomery</span> American jazz guitarist (1923-1968)

John Leslie "Wes" Montgomery was an American jazz guitarist. Montgomery was known for an unusual technique of plucking the strings with the side of his thumb and his extensive use of octaves, which gave him a distinctive sound.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johnny Griffin</span> American jazz saxophonist

John Arnold Griffin III was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. Nicknamed "the Little Giant" for his short stature and forceful playing, Griffin's career began in the mid-1940s and continued until the month of his death. A pioneering figure in hard bop, Griffin recorded prolifically as a bandleader in addition to stints with pianist Thelonious Monk, drummer Art Blakey, in partnership with fellow tenor Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis and as a member of the Kenny Clarke/Francy Boland Big Band after he moved to Europe in the 1960s. In 1995, Griffin was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music from Berklee College of Music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jimmy Cobb</span> American jazz drummer (1929–2020)

Wilbur James Cobb was an American jazz drummer. He was part of Miles Davis's First Great Sextet. At the time of his death, he had been the band's last surviving member for nearly thirty years. He was awarded an NEA Jazz Masters Fellowship in 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wynton Kelly</span> American jazz pianist (1931–1971)

Wynton Charles Kelly was an American jazz pianist and composer. He is known for his lively, blues-based playing and as one of the finest accompanists in jazz. He began playing professionally at the age of 12 and was pianist on a No. 1 R&B hit at the age of 16. His recording debut as a leader occurred three years later, around the time he started to become better known as an accompanist to singer Dinah Washington, and as a member of trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie's band. This progress was interrupted by two years in the United States Army, after which Kelly worked again with Washington and Gillespie, and played with other leaders. Over the next few years, these included instrumentalists Cannonball Adderley, John Coltrane, Hank Mobley, Wes Montgomery, and Sonny Rollins, and vocalists Betty Carter, Billie Holiday, and Abbey Lincoln.

The following is a listing of the jazz pianist Bill Evans' original albums. He recorded over 50 albums as a leader between 1956 and 1980 and also played as a sideman on nearly as many more. He broke new ground in many of his piano trio, duet and solo recordings. Several of those won or were nominated for Grammy Awards.

<i>California Here I Come</i> (album) 1982 live album by Bill Evans

California Here I Come is a live album by jazz pianist Bill Evans. It was recorded in 1967, but not released on the Verve label until 1982 as a double LP. It peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Jazz Album charts in 1983 and was reissued on CD in 2004. The pieces were recorded at the Village Vanguard, where Evans had previously recorded the sets that appeared on the highly influential Waltz for Debby and Sunday at the Village Vanguard, both later comprised on the definitive collection The Complete Village Vanguard Recordings, 1961.

<i>Trio 65</i> 1965 studio album by The Bill Evans Trio

Trio '65 is a studio album by American jazz pianist Bill Evans and his Trio, released in 1965.

<i>Straight, No Chaser</i> (Joe Henderson album) 1996 live album by Joe Henderson

Straight, No Chaser is an album by jazz saxophonist Joe Henderson released on the Verve label. It was recorded on April 21, 1968 and featuring a live performance by Henderson with pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Jimmy Cobb. The recording was not released until 1996. The Allmusic review by Scott Yanow states: "Although Henderson had not played with the other musicians before, they blend together quite well and obviously inspired each other". Further selections from this concert were released as Four.

<i>Cannonballs Sharpshooters</i> 1958 studio album by Cannonball Adderley

Cannonball's Sharpshooters is the seventh album by jazz saxophonist Cannonball Adderley, and his second released on the EmArcy label, featuring performances with Nat Adderley, Junior Mance, Sam Jones, and Jimmy Cobb.

<i>Thats Right!</i> 1960 studio album by Nat Adderley

That's Right! is an album by jazz cornetist Nat Adderley and the Big Sax Section released on the Riverside label featuring Adderley with his brother Cannonball Adderley, Jimmy Heath, Charlie Rouse, Yusef Lateef, Tate Houston, Wynton Kelly, Jim Hall/Les Spann, Sam Jones, and Jimmy Cobb.

This is the discography for American jazz musician Wes Montgomery.

<i>Undiluted</i> 1965 studio album by Wynton Kelly

Undiluted is an album by jazz pianist Wynton Kelly that was recorded in 1965 and released by Verve label with Paul Chambers and Jimmy Cobb.

<i>Blues on Purpose</i> 1965 live album by Wynton Kelly

Blues on Purpose is a live album by jazz pianist Wynton Kelly recorded in 1965 and released on the Xanadu label featuring performances by Kelly with Paul Chambers and Jimmy Cobb recorded at the Half Note Club in New York City.

<i>Willow Weep for Me</i> (album) 1968 studio album by Wes Montgomery

Willow Weep for Me is a posthumous jazz album recorded by guitarist Wes Montgomery in 1965 and released in 1968. It reached number 12 on the Billboard Jazz album chart in 1969. At the Grammy Awards of 1970 Willow Weep for Me won the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group.

<i>Turn Out the Stars: The Final Village Vanguard Recordings</i> 1996 live album by Bill Evans

Turn Out the Stars: The Final Village Vanguard Recordings is a six-CD box set live album by jazz pianist Bill Evans with Marc Johnson and Joe LaBarbera recorded over four nights at the Village Vanguard in New York City in 1980 and released on the Nonesuch label in 1996.

"If You Could See Me Now" is a 1946 jazz standard, composed by Tadd Dameron. He wrote it especially for vocalist Sarah Vaughan, a frequent collaborator. Lyrics were written by Carl Sigman and it became one of her signature songs, inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998. Dameron himself included a version, sung by Barbara Winfield, on his 1962 album The Magic Touch.

<i>Birks Works</i> 1957 studio album by Dizzy Gillespie

Birks' Works is an album by trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie recorded in 1957 and released on the Verve label. The original album featured 10 tracks and was reissued as Birks Works: The Verve Big Band Sessions, a 2 CD compilation featuring unreleased tracks, alternate takes and tracks from Gillespie's previous 1956 albums Dizzy in Greece and World Statesman.

<i>Twos Company</i> (Joe Albany and Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen album) 1974 studio album by Joe Albany and Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen

Two's Company is an album by pianist Joe Albany and bassist Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen recorded in 1974 and released on the SteepleChase label.

<i>Encyclopedia of Jazz</i> 1967 album by Oliver Nelson

Encyclopedia of Jazz is an album released on the Verve label compiled by jazz journalist Leonard Feather featuring tracks which were recorded to accompany Feather's Encyclopedia of Jazz in the Sixties. The album features three tracks by the Encyclopedia of Jazz All Stars arranged and conducted by Oliver Nelson along with one track each by Jimmy Smith with Wes Montgomery, Count Basie and Johnny Hodges with Earl Hines.

<i>A Spanish Treasure</i> 1992 studio album by The Tete Montoliu Trio

A Spanish Treasure is an album by pianist Tete Montoliu recorded in Japan in 1991 and released on the Concord Jazz label.

References

  1. "Billboard". November 27, 1965.
  2. 1 2 3 Nicholson, Stuart. "Classic Recordings—Wes Montgomery > Review". Jazz Institute of Chicago. Archived from the original on March 4, 2012. Retrieved December 20, 2010.
  3. Woodard, Josef (July–August 2005). "Wes Montgomery: The Softer Side of Genius'". JazzTimes .
  4. Stewart, Zan (February 25, 2005). "Pat Metheny: An Idealist Reconnects With His Mentors". New York Times. Retrieved December 20, 2010.
  5. 1 2 Smith, Jim. "Smokin' at the Half Note > Review". Allmusic . Retrieved December 20, 2010.
  6. Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 1028. ISBN   978-0-141-03401-0.