JIMMY SMITH TRIO WITH KENNY BURRELL - Complete 1957-59 Sessions
Phono 870267 ( Two CD Set )
Jimmy Smith ( organ ) & Kenny Burrell ( gtr ) on all tracks both CDs plus
Disc One
Track 1
Art Blakey ( drs )
Recorded New York, 12 February1957
Track 2
Donald Bailey ( drs )
Recorded New York, 25 August 1957
Tracks 3 to 6
Philly Joe Jones ( drs )
Recorded New York, 26 February 1958
Tracks 7 to 11
Donald Bailey ( drs )
Recorded New Jersey, 15 July1958
Disc Two
Tracks 1 to 3
Donald Bailey ( drs )
Recorded New Jersey, 15 July 1958
Tracks 4 to 12
Recorded New Jersey, 24 May 1959
Track 13
Recorded New Jersey, 16 June 1959
After winning a number of amateur contests at an early age he worked with his father in a as a variety act, when he completed his navy service he studied piano and bass in Philadelphia. After working with a local group for three years he switched to organ and moved to New York forming his own trio, his early trio recordings we an instant success he also made many recordings with well known players.
Unlike early organists including Wild Bill Davis and Milt Buckner who used the chording approach to the instrument he adopted the bebop style with a more single note technique.
Detroit born Kenny Burrell made his first recording with a visiting Dizzy Gillespie and also worked with Oscar Peterson whilst his regular guitarist Herb Ellis was indisposed. On moving to New York he worked mainly in a trio quartet format but also recorded with Gil Evans and Don Sebesky and although he never achieved the popular acclaim of We Montgomery and George Benson he made many fine recordings.
On this double CD he has as much exposure as the leader Jimmy Smith and even outshines him in places. The bulk of the numbers are well known standards and are familiar to most listeners and probably accounts for their success on their initial release.
The ballads like “Little Girl Blue”, “Ruby” and “But Beautiful” work well and the funky Buddy Johnson classic “Since I Fell For You” hits just the right note. The addition of a horn player on a few of the tracks would have relieved some of the sameness of the recording but that is not to criticise the skill of the front line players.
This is a release for the admirers of the organ and guitar but may be an introduction to newcomers to this type of recording.
Reviewed by Roy Booth
Phono 870267 ( Two CD Set )
Jimmy Smith ( organ ) & Kenny Burrell ( gtr ) on all tracks both CDs plus
Disc One
Track 1
Art Blakey ( drs )
Recorded New York, 12 February1957
Track 2
Donald Bailey ( drs )
Recorded New York, 25 August 1957
Tracks 3 to 6
Philly Joe Jones ( drs )
Recorded New York, 26 February 1958
Tracks 7 to 11
Donald Bailey ( drs )
Recorded New Jersey, 15 July1958
Disc Two
Tracks 1 to 3
Donald Bailey ( drs )
Recorded New Jersey, 15 July 1958
Tracks 4 to 12
Recorded New Jersey, 24 May 1959
Track 13
Recorded New Jersey, 16 June 1959
After winning a number of amateur contests at an early age he worked with his father in a as a variety act, when he completed his navy service he studied piano and bass in Philadelphia. After working with a local group for three years he switched to organ and moved to New York forming his own trio, his early trio recordings we an instant success he also made many recordings with well known players.
Unlike early organists including Wild Bill Davis and Milt Buckner who used the chording approach to the instrument he adopted the bebop style with a more single note technique.
Detroit born Kenny Burrell made his first recording with a visiting Dizzy Gillespie and also worked with Oscar Peterson whilst his regular guitarist Herb Ellis was indisposed. On moving to New York he worked mainly in a trio quartet format but also recorded with Gil Evans and Don Sebesky and although he never achieved the popular acclaim of We Montgomery and George Benson he made many fine recordings.
On this double CD he has as much exposure as the leader Jimmy Smith and even outshines him in places. The bulk of the numbers are well known standards and are familiar to most listeners and probably accounts for their success on their initial release.
The ballads like “Little Girl Blue”, “Ruby” and “But Beautiful” work well and the funky Buddy Johnson classic “Since I Fell For You” hits just the right note. The addition of a horn player on a few of the tracks would have relieved some of the sameness of the recording but that is not to criticise the skill of the front line players.
This is a release for the admirers of the organ and guitar but may be an introduction to newcomers to this type of recording.
Reviewed by Roy Booth
