Jimmy & Wes: The Dynamic Duo

by Wes Montgomery, Jimmy Smith

Overview

Creed Taylor matched two of his most famous artists, Wes Montgomery and Jimmy Smith, on this session (Montgomery's last for Verve), and the results are incendiary -- a near-ideal meeting of yin and yang. Smith comes at your throat with his big attacks and blues runs while Montgomery responds with rounder, smoother octaves and single notes that still convey much heat. They are an amazing pair, complementing each other, driving each other, using their bop and blues taproots to fuse together a sound. The romping, aggressive big band charts -- Oliver Nelson at his best -- on "Down by the Riverside" and "Night Train," and the pungently haunting chart for Gary McFarland's "13" (Death March)" still leave plenty of room for the soloists to stretch out. "James and Wes" and "Baby, It's Cold Outside" include drummer Grady Tate and conguero Ray Barretto, with Smith's own feet working the organ pedals. The Verve Master Edition reissue also includes an alternate take of "O.G.D." with Tate and Barretto, a track previously surfacing on a long-gone Encyclopedia of Jazz anthology LP from the '60s -- a neat bonus that makes this the preferred version. ~ Richard S. Ginell

Product Details

Release Date:	12/15/2023
Label:	Anagram
UPC:	8435395503874
Rank:	31840

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Jimmy Smith   Primary Artist,Organ (Hammond)
Wes Montgomery   Primary Artist,Guitar
Jerome Richardson   Guest Artist,Clarinet,Flute (Alto),Flute (Tenor)
Richard Davis   Guest Artist,Bass
Ray Barretto   Guest Artist,Percussion
Oliver Nelson   Guest Artist,Conductor
Phil Woods   Guest Artist,Clarinet,Sax (Alto)
Melba Liston   Guest Artist,Trombone
Clark Terry   Guest Artist,Trumpet,Flugelhorn
Tony Studd   Trombone (Bass)
Joe Newman   Trumpet
Jerry Dodgion   Flute,Clarinet,Sax (Alto),Flute (Alto)
Jimmy Cleveland   Trombone
Quentin Jackson   Trombone
Danny Bank   Flute,Flute (Alto),Sax (Baritone),Clarinet (Bass)
Jimmy Maxwell   Trumpet
Grady Tate   Drums
Ernie Royal   Trumpet
Bob Ashton   Flute,Clarinet,Sax (Tenor)
Richard Hixon   Trombone

Technical Credits

Frank Loesser   Composer
Paul Barnes   Composer
Traditional   Composer
Duke Ellington   Composer
Creed Taylor   Producer
Wes Montgomery   Composer
Val Valentin   Director of Engineering
Rudy Van Gelder   Engineer
Jimmy Forrest   Composer
Billy Strayhorn   Composer
Oliver Nelson   Arranger
Mercer Ellington   Composer
Gary McFarland   Composer
Jimmy Smith   Composer
Lewis Simpkins   Composer
Marty Paich   Arranger,Orchestration
Lewis C. Simpkins   Composer
Charles Stewart   Cover Photo
Oscar Washington   Composer
Acy Lehman   Cover Design
Holmes Daylie   Liner Notes