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| Wes Montgomery (photo credit unknown) |
Today’s song of the day brings together the one-time rhythm section
of Miles Davis, known as the Wynton Kelly Trio, made up of pianist Wynton
Kelly, the bassist Paul Chambers and the drummer Jimmy Cobb and the superb guitarist
Wes Montgomery. On the Verve album Smokin’ at the Half Note, which
was released and recorded in 1965, we get some of Montgomery’s signature octave
playing and inherent fluidity in front of a live audience at the NYC jazz club
the Half Note. While the original album had only two of the five cuts recorded live
at the club- Miles Davis’ “No Blues” and Tadd Dameron’s “If You Could See Me
Now” -those two cuts captured some of Montgomery’s looser, more free flowing,
in-the- moment creativity. Kelly’s piano work is marvelous. Chambers and Cobb
are in top form. The group’s compelling intuitive interaction was captured for
posterity and became a must-have recording for inspiring guitarists and jazz lovers.
Producer Creed Taylor had this group record the remaining
three compositions on the album later at the Rudy Van Gelder recording studio. Sam
Jones’ “Unit 7” displayed Montgomery’s unique facile octave playing to great
effect. Montgomery’s own “Four on Six” was another guitar players feast of
fretboard virtuosity. The album ended with Haggart and Burke’s poignant “What’s
New,” cementing the guitarist as one of the era’s most sensitive balladeers on
his instrument.
The Wyton Kelly Trio and Wes Montgomery-Smokin’ at the
Half Note is one of those stranded on an island type album that never ceases
to bring a bounce to your feet and a smile to your face. Any of these songs
could make the cut, but I chose the live version of Tadd Dameron’s beautiful “If
You Could See Me Now” for this song of the day.