Wes Montgomery & Wynton Kelly Trio - Smokin' At The Half Note (1965/2014) [Official Digital Download 24bit/192kHz]

This 1965 recording is the second collaboration between the Wynton Kelly Trio and famed guitarist Wes Montgomery. The album reunites Montgomery with the essential Miles Davis rhythm section from the cool jazz era (1959-1963), namely Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers, and Jimmy Cobb.

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.

Smokin' at the Half Note is 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. Pat Metheny calls this "the absolute greatest jazz guitar album ever made," and with performances of this caliber ("Unit 7" boasts one of the greatest guitar solos ever recorded) his statement is easily validated. 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 1998, Verve reissued the complete show on disc two of Impressions: The Verve Jazz Sides, although the scrambled track order and some non-essential cuts don't diminish the appeal of the original album.

Tracklist:

01 - No Blues
02 - If You Could See Me Now
03 - Unit 7
04 - Four On Six
05 - What's New?

Produced by Creed Taylor. Engineered by Rudy Van Gelder.
Recorded live in June 1965 at the Half Note Club in New York City & September 22, 1965 at Van Gelder Studios in Englewood Cliffs, NJ.

Musicians:
Wes Montgomery - guitar
Wynton Kelly - piano
Paul Chambers - double bass
Jimmy Cobb - drums


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