James and Wes
Wes Montgomery (electric guitar), Jimmy Smith (Hammond B-3 organ), Grady Tate (drums) and Ray Barretto (conga). From the album Jimmy & Wes: The Dynamic Duo (1966).
This album came out of the idea of Creed Taylor, record producer of Verve Records from 1961 to 1967, to bring together two of the most important musicians of that time, which caused an explosive effect. Jimmy Smith grabs you by the throat with his blues attacks while Wes Montgomery replies with soft octaves and simple notes that transmit warmth. They’re an astounding couple, driving and complementing each other and sinking their roots in blues and bop to create a unique sound. Also noteworthy is the participation of the great conguero Ray Barretto.
Album cover
Grady Tate was an American jazz and soul jazz drummer and baritone singer. He was known as an exceptional studio musician, as well as displaying a tempered, flexible and dynamic voice. In 1963 he moved to New York, where he joined Quincy Jones’s band as a drummer. Tate was characterized by his polished, stratified and intense style within soul jazz and organ trio in the mid-1960s. He recorded his most popular albums as a sideman under the auspices of Creed Taylor, who always chose him to interpret the best works. Tate appeared on the recordings of Jimmy Smith and Wes Montgomery, in adition to accompanying Ella Fitgerald, Duke Ellington, Stan Getz, Count Basie, Kenny Burrell, Oscar Peterson and Bennie Goodman among others. He also recorded numerous songs as a singer. He died of Alzheimer's in 2017 at the age of 85.
Grady Tate
Smith plays this blues at medium tempo while Montgomery accompanies him and then presents his solo choosing the notes very carefully. His agile and light discourse leads you along a path of sound pleasures. After a while, Smith joins in and later Montgomery starts to use octaves masterfully and between the two produce a suggestive and attractive atmosphere. Then it’s Smith’s turn, who plays in a friendly way, but occasionally gets frenetic. Next he plays basic blues phrases and gives way to Montgomery to exchange passages with him. The guitar sounds moderately at all times, but torrents of unstoppable notes emerge from the organ. To close, the group re-exposes the blues and Montgomery adds a final phrase.
© Verve Records
Leave James and Wes to:
Best Posts From Javier Calduch
We have not curated any of fjcalduch's posts yet. But you can encourage our curation team to review posts by visiting them regularly and by referring other readers. Because we give priority to frequently read content.
More Posts From Javier Calduch
- Jazz vocal: «What a Wonderful World» (dos versiones) [ESP/ENG]
- Jazz vocal: The Great Summit: The Master Takes (álbum completo) y «Hello, Dolly!» (dos versiones) [ESP/ENG]
- Jazz vocal y tradicional: «Mack the Knife» (dos versiones), «They Can’t Take That Away from Me», «Cheek to Cheek» y «Summertime» [ESP/ENG]
- Jazz tradicional: «(When We Are Dancin’) I Get Ideas», «Blueberry Hill», «That Lucky Old Sun», «La Vie En Rose» y «A Kiss to Build a Dream On» [ESP/ENG]
- Jazz tradicional: «Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans» (dos versiones) y «C’est Si Bon» (dos versiones) [ESP/ENG]
- Jazz tradicional: «Public Melody Number One», «When the Saints Go Marching In» (tres versiones) y «You Won’t Be Satisfied» [ESP/ENG]
- Jazz tradicional: «All of Me», «When It’s Sleepy Time Down South», «Body and Soul» y «I’m in the Mood for Love» [ESP/ENG]
- Jazz tradicional: «I Can’t Give You Anything but Love», «Ain’t Misbehavin’», «Stardust» y «Lazy River» [ESP/ENG]
- Jazz tradicional: «West End Blues», «Muggles», «Weather Bird», «Saint James Infirmary», «Basin St. Blues» y «Tight Like This» [ESP/ENG]
- Jazz tradicional: «Cornet Chop Suey», «Struttin’ With Some Barbecue», «Willie The Weeper», «Twelfth Street Rag», «Weary Blues» y «Potato Head Blues» [ESP/ENG]