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Wynton Kelly, Brilliant pianist and pacemaker for jazz icons

Born today, December-2, 1931 in Jamaica pianist Wynton Kelly was a consistent and often brilliant improviser until his passing in Toronto on April-12, 1971. His family moved to the USA when he was four years old, settling in Brooklyn, New York. As a youth he played professionally in rhythm-and-blues bands. By fusing earthy blues elements with those of the bop style as exemplified by Bud Powell, he developed a highly accessible and personal approach to jazz piano playing which influenced many subsequent performers. After working with Eddie „Lockjaw“ Davis and Dinah Washington, Kelly first gained attention as a soloist while performing with Lester Young and Dizzy Gillespie. He was most widely known as a member of Miles Davis’s quintet (1959-63), although he frequently led his own trio from the late 1950s until his death.

Kelly had exceptional skill as an accompanist, though this often overshadowed his rhythmically infectious solo style. Wynton Kelly began playing the piano professionally as an adolescent without any prior training. First in rhythm & blues bands, then he accompanied Dinah Washington and played piano in Dizzy Gillespie’s big band. Even before military service, he started his career in the piano trio under his own name. Afterwards he was in demand as a pianist, with guitarists like Kenny Burrell and Wes Montgomery, trumpeters like Lee Morgan and Nat Adderley and with saxophonists like Benny Golson and Sonny Rollins. They all occupied clubs and charts in jazz of the fifties and sixties. Billie Holiday was also accompanied on the piano by Wynton Kelly in the last years of her life. And he captivated everyone who played music with him with his humor, his unerring sense of the right timing and his blues-soaked melodies. Alcoholism and epilepsy led to his untimely death in April 1971. His musical legacy as a leader and accompanist is enormous and goes far beyond his collaboration with Miles Davis.

Below is a list of the LPs by Wynton Kelly in the JAZZFRITZ collection:

As a leader

1. WYNTON KELLY TRIO featuring WES MONTGOMERY :: Smokin’ At The Half-Note (1965) :: Verve Records V6-8633 :: Line-Up: Wynton Kelly, piano; Paul Chambers, double bass; Jimmy Cobb, drums; Wes Montgomery, guitar.
2. WYNTON KELLY TRIO featuring WES MONTGOMERY :: Smokin’ In Seattle Live At The Penthouse (recorded 1966, first released 2017) :: Resonance Records HLP-9029 :: Line-Up: Wynton Kelly, piano; Ron McClure, double bass; Jimmy Cobb, drums; Wes Montgomery, guitar.
3. WYNTON KELLY :: Last Trio Session (recorded 1968, released 1988) :: Denmark Records DS-441 / Modern Jazz Series :: Line-Up: Wynton Kelly, piano; Paul Chambers, double bass; Jimmy Cobb, drums.

As a sideman with

4. ART FARMER :: Early Art (1954, remastered & reissued 1977) :: New Jazz Records VIJ-5019M (Japan Mono-Repress Compilation / Prestige Jazz Golden 50 Series PG-5004) :: Line-Up: Art Farmer, trumpet; Sonny Rollins, tenor saxophone; Horace Silver, piano; Wynton Kelly, piano; Addison Farmer, double bass; Percy Heath, double bass; Herbie Lovelle, drums; Kenny Clarke, drums.
5. STEVE LACY :: Soprano Sax (1957, remastered & reissued 1984) :: Original Jazz Classics OJC-130 / Prestige P-7125 :: Line-Up: Steve Lacy, soprano saxophone; Wynton Kelly, piano; Buell Neidlinger, double bass; Dennis Charles, drums.
6. ERNIE HENRY :: Seven Standards And A Blues (1957, remastered & reissued 1982) :: Riverside Records SMJ-6304 (Japan-Mono-Pressing) :: Line-Up: Ernie Henry, alto saxophone; Wynton Kelly, piano; Wilbur Ware, double bass; Philly Joe Jones, drums.
7. DIZZY GILLESPIE :: Dizzy Gillespie And Stuff Smith (1957, remastered & reissued 1985) :: Verve Records 2332 081 (Mono-Pressing) :: Line-Up: Dizzy Gillespie, trumpet; Stuff Smith, violin; Wynton Kelly, piano; Paul West, double bass; J.C. Heard, drums; Gordon Family, vocals.
8. BETTY CARTER :: Out There With Betty Carter (1958) :: Peacock’s Progressive Jazz PLP-90 (Original-Mono-Pressing) :: Line-Up: Betty Carter, vocals; Jimmy Powell, alto saxophone; Tommy Gryce, alto saxophone; Sahib Shihab, baritone saxophone; Benny Golson, tenor saxophone; Jerome Richardson, tenor saxophone, flute & bassoon; Kenny Dorham, trumpet; Ray Copeland, trumpet; Melba Liston, trombone; Wynton Kelly, piano; Peck Morrison, double bass; Sam Jones, double bass; Specs Wright, drums; Gigi Gryce, arranger & conductor.
9. BLUE MITCHELL :: Big 6 (1958, remastered & reissued 1985) :: Riverside Records VIJ-4079 (Japan Repress Riverside 10 By Special Request – 5 / RLP 12-273) :: Line-Up: Blue Mitchell, trumpet; Curtis Fuller, trombone; Johnny Griffin, tenor saxophone; Wynton Kelly, piano; Wilbur Ware, double bass; Philly Joe Jones, drums.
10. CANNONBALL ADDERLEY QUARTET :: Cannonball Takes Charge (1959, remastered & reissued 1987) :: Landmark Records LLP-1306 :: Line-Up: Julian „Cannonball“ Adderley, alto saxophone; Wynton Kelly, piano; Paul Chambers, double bass; Percy Heath, double bass; Albert Heath, drums; Jimmy Cobb, drums.
11. SONNY ROLLINS :: Newk’s Time (1959, remastered & reissued 1982) :: Blue Note Records BST-84001 :: Line-Up: Sonny Rollins, tenor saxophone; Wynton Kelly, piano; Doug Watkins, double bass; Philly Joe Jones, drums.
12. JOHNNY GRIFFIN :: The Little Giant (1959, remastered & reissued 1976) :: Riverside Records SMJ-6127 (Japan Repress Riverside Original Recording Series – 64) :: Line-Up: Johnny Griffin, tenor saxophone; Blue Mitchell, trumpet; Julian Priester, trombone; Wynton Kelly, piano; Sam Jones, double bass; Albert Heath, drums.
13. KING CURTIS :: Soul Meeting! (1960, remastered & reissued 1971) :: Prestige Records PR-7833 :: Line-Up: King Curtis, tenor saxophone; Nat Adderley, cornet; Wynton Kelly, piano; Sam Jones, double bass; Belton Evans, drums.
14. ART TAYLOR :: A.T.’s Delight (1960, remastered & reissued 1985) :: Blue Note Records BST-84047 :: Line-Up: Art Taylor, drums; „Patato“ Valdes, congas; Paul Chambers, double bass; Wynton Kelly, piano; Stanley Turrentine, tenor saxophone; Dave Burns, trumpet.
15. FRANK STROZIER :: Fantastic Frank Strozier (1960, remastered & reissued 2018) :: Jazz Workshop JW-084 (Limited Edition) :: Line-Up: Frank Strozier, alto saxophone; Booker Little, trumpet; Wynton Kelly, piano; Paul Chambers, double bass; Jimmy Cobb, drums.
16. JAMES CLAY & DAVID „FATHEAD“ NEWMAN :: The Sound Of The Wide Open Spaces!!! (1960, remastered & reissued 1986) :: Original Jazz Classics OJC-257 / Riverside Records RLP-1178 :: Line-Up: James Clay, tenor saxophone; David „Fathead“ Newman, tenor saxophone; Wynton Kelly, piano; Sam Jones, double bass; Art Taylor, drums.
17. NAT ADDERLEY AND THE BIG SAX SECTION :: That’s Right! (1960, remastered & reissued 2016) :: Jazz Workshop JW-071 :: Line-Up: Nat Adderley, cornet; Charlie Rouse, tenor saxophone; Jimmy Heath, tenor saxophone; Yusef Lateef, tenor saxophone, flute & oboe; Tate Houston, baritone saxophone; Julian „Cannonball“ Adderley, alto saxophone; Wynton Kelly, piano; Jim Hall, guitar; Sam Jones, double bass; Jimmy Cobb, drums.
18. PAUL CHAMBERS :: 1st Bassman (1960, remastered & reissued 1978) :: Joy Records JOYS-208 :: Line-Up: Paul Chambers, double bass; Lex Humphries, drums; Wynton Kelly, piano; Yusef Lateef, tenor saxophone; Tommy Turrentine, trumpet; Curtis Fuller, trombone.
19. JOHN COLTRANE :: 1960 Duesseldorf (1960, remastered & first time released 2010) :: Jazzline Records N-78002 (WDR The Cologne Broadcasts) :: Line-Up: John Coltrane, tenor saxophone; Stan Getz, tenor saxophone; Wynton Kelly, piano; Oscar Peterson, piano (on one track); Paul Chambers, double bass; Jimmy Cobb, drums.
20. HANK MOBLEY :: Roll Call (1961, remastered & reissued 1977) :: Blue Note Records BNS-40013 :: Line-Up: Hank Mobley, tenor saxophone; Freddie Hubbard, trumpet; Wynton Kelly, piano; Paul Chambers, double bass; Art Blakey, drums.
21. MILES DAVIS SEXTET :: Someday My Prince Will Come (1961, remastered & reissued 2012) :: Music On Vinyl MOVLP494 / Columbia Records CS-8456 :: Line-Up: Miles Davis, trumpet; Hank Mobley, tenor saxophone; John Coltrane, tenor saxophone; Wynton Kelly, piano; Paul Chambers, double bass; Jimmy Cobb, drums.
22. PAUL GONSALVES :: Gettin’ Together (1961, remastered & reissued 1983) :: Jazzland Records JLP-936S / Riverside Records 68.946 :: Line-Up: Paul Gonsalves, tenor saxophone; Nat Adderley, cornet; Wynton Kelly, piano; Sam Jones, double bass; Jimmy Cobb, drums.

Milt Jackson, The Great Legacy Of „Bags“

Vibraphone master Milton Jackson was born on January-1, 1923 in Detroit. He began playing guitar at the age of seven and piano at the age of 11 before taking up xylophone and vibraphone in his teens. He first performed in public as a member of a touring gospel quartet, in which he sang tenor. In 1945 he was part of a local jazz group that played with Dizzy Gillespie in a concert in Detroit.

Shortly afterwards Gillespie engaged Jackson for his New York sextet and later for his big band of 1946. In 1948-49 Jackson worked with Howard McGhee, Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker, Woody Herman, and others. He returned to Gillespie from 1950 to 1952, at the same time issuing some recordings under the name of the Milt Jackson Quartet. By the end of 1952 this group was renamed the Modern Jazz Quartet.

Jackson’s career was centered around the MJQ for more than 20 years; only in the summer months when the MJQ did not perform did he regularly take on other jazz engagements as a leader or sideman. In 1974, frustrated over his economic position after his many years with MJQ, Jackson triggered the dissolution of the group. He then toured alone, performing with local bands in various cities. Thereafter he has organized and performed with a number of small combos, but has rejoined his colleagues in the MJQ for annual concert tours.

Jackson was one of the first vibraphonists to master the bop style, and is generally regarded as one of the finest performers on his instrument in the history of jazz. His improvisations exhibit great rhythmic variety, with sudden outbursts of short notes often adjoining languid, sustained phrases. He also utilized a wide range of dynamics to highly expressive ends. His great control of rhythm and dynamics is clearest in his masterly improvisations at slow tempos, but he also had an affinity for the 12-bar blues, and has recorded many excellent blues solos. He was one of the first vibraphonists to slow the speed of the instrument’s oscillator to about 3.3 revolutions per second (as opposed to Lionel Hampton’s vibrato speed of about 10 per second), thus warming his long notes with a subtle vibrato and avoiding the nervous shimmy on shorter notes that is heard in the work of earlier vibraphonists. Jackson has also written a number of well-known jazz tunes, such as Bluesology, Bags’ Groove, The Cylinder, and Ralph’s New Blues, whose simple pentatonicism and formal design often contrasts sharply with the complexity of his improvisations.

Considered an authentic original, Jackson gave language and voice to the vibraphone–a totally touch-dependent assemblage of metal bars and tubes. Without him, the instrument would have remained a jazz stepchild with no capacity for the sort of bent tones and contrasting timbres essential to jazz expressiveness. What Jackson played was his own unique musical blend underscored with a remarkable ear (he had perfect pitch), a firm technique and the capacity to play anything in any key. Bassist Ray Brown, who worked on and off with Jackson for more than 50 years, and whose latest recording, “The Very Tall Band,” was one of Jackson’s final studio outings, said: “The thing that people don’t mention much is that he was so lyrical. He played ballads to death and he just murdered the blues. There wasn’t anybody like him, and there’ll never be another.” In 1999 he died of liver cancer in New York’s St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital.

The albums that I have in the the „World of Jazz Fritz“ collection are listed below.

As a leader

1. MILT JACKSON :: Opus De Jazz (originally released 1955, remastered & reissued 1969) :: BYG Records 529 104 :: Line-Up: Milt Jackson, vibraphone; Frank Wess, flute; Hank Jones, piano; Eddie Jones, double bass; Kenny Clarke, drums.
2. MILT JACKSON :: Milt Jackson Quartet (originally released 1955, remastered & reissued 1982) :: Original Jazz Classic OJC-001 / Presige Records P-7003 :: Line-Up: Milt Jackson, piano; Horace Slder. Piano; Percy Heath, double bass; Connie Kay drummrs.
3. MILT JACKSON :: Plenty, Plenty Soul (1957) :: Atlantic Records 1269 (Original-Pressing) :: Line-Up: Milt Jackson, vibraphone; Ronnie Peters, alto saxophone; Sahib Shihab, baritone saxophone; Frank Foster, tenor saxophone; Lucky Thompson, tenor saxophone; Joe Newman, trumpet; Jimmy Cleveland, trombone; Horace Silver, piano; Oscar Pettiford, double bass; Percy Heath, double bass; Art Blakey, drums; Connie Kay, drums.
4. MILT JACKSON :: Jazz Sur Seine (originally released as „Paris Session“ 1958, remastered & reissued 1987) :: Philips Records 832 264-1 (Mono-Repress) :: Line-Up: Milt Jackson, piano; Barney Wilen, tenor saxophone; Percy Heath, double bass; Kenny Clarke, drums; Gana M’Bow, percussion.
5. MILT JACKSON & COLEMAN HAWKINS :: Bean Bags (1959) :: Atlantic 1316 :: Line-Up: Mit Jackson, vibraphone; Coleman Hawkins, tenor saxophone; Tommy Flanagan, piano; Kenny Burrell, guitar; Eddie Jones, double bass; Connie Kay, drums.
6. MILT JACKSON :: In A New Setting (originally released 1964, remastered & reissued 2013) :: Speakers Corner Records LS86006 / Limelight LS-60006 :: Line-Up: Milt Jackson, vinraphone; Jimmy Heath, tenor saxophone; McCoy Tyner, piano; Bob Cranshaw, double bass; Connie Kay, drums.
7. MILT JACKSON :: Sunflower (recorded 1972, released 1973) :: CTI Records 6024 :: Line-Up: Milt Jackson, vibraphone; Freddie Hubbard, trumpet & flugelhorn; George Marge, alto flute, english horn, bass clarinet & clarinet; Phil Bodner, english horn, alto flute, flute & piccolo flute; Romeo Penque, alto flute & oboe; Herbie Hancock, piano; Jay Berliner, guitar; Ron Carter, double bass; Margaret Ross, harp; Alan Shulman, cello; Charles McCracken, cello; George Ricci, cello; Charles Libove, violin; David Nadien, violin; Elliot Rosoff, violin; Emanuel Green, violin; Gene Orloff, violin; Irving Spice, violin; Joe Malin, violin; Max Ellen, violin; Paul Gershman, violin; Billy Cobham, drums; Ralph MacDonald, percussion; Don Sebesky, conductor.

As a sideman with

8. DIZZY GILLESPIE :: The Champ (1951, remastered & reissued 2016) :: Savoy Records MG-12047 (Compilation, Limited Edition, Mono-Repress) :: Line-Up: Dizzy Gillespie, trumpet & piano; Budd Johnson, tenor saxophone; John Coltrane, tenor saxophone; Bill Graham, baritone saxophone; J.J. Johnson, trombone; Wynton Kelly, piano; Milt Jackson, vibraphone & piano; Stuff Smith, violin; Kenny Burrell, guitar; Percy Heath, double bass; Al Jones, drums; Kansas Fields, drums; Joe Carroll, vocals.
9. MILES DAVIS :: Bags Groove (1954, remastered & reissued 1965) :: Prestige Records PRST-7109 / SABA :: Line-Up: Miles Davis, trumpet; Milt Jackson, vibraphone; Sonny Rollins, tenor saxophone; Horace Silver, piano; Thelonious Monk, piano; Percy Heath, double bass; Kenny Clarke, drums.
10. MILES DAVIS AND MILT JACKSON :: Quintet / Sextet (1956, remastered & reissued 1982) :: Original Jazz Classics OJC-012 / Prestige Records P-7034 :: Line-Up: Miles Davis, trumpet; Milt Jackson, vibraphone; Jackie McLean, alto saxophone; Ray Bryant, piano; Percy Heath, double bass; Art Taylor, drums.
11. THELONIOUS MONK :: Genius Of Modern Music Volume 2 (1956, remastered & reissued 1973) :: Blue Note Records BST-81511 :: Line-Up: Thelonious Monk, piano; Danny Quebec West, alto saxophone; Lou Donaldson, alto saxophone; Sahib Shihab, alto saxophone; Billy Smith, tenor saxophone; Lucky Thompson, tenor saxophone; George Taitt, trumpet; Idrees Sulieman, trumpet; Kenny Dorham, trumpet; Milt Jackson, vibraphone; Al McKibbon, double bass; Robert Paige, double bass; Gene Ramey, double bass; Nelson Boyd, double bass; Art Blakey, drums; Max Roach, drums.
12. SONNY ROLLINS :: Vintage Sessions (1956 originally released as „Sonny Rollins And The Modern Jazz Quartet, remastered & reissued 1981) :: Prestige Records 68.335 (2-LP Compilation) :: Line-Up: Sonny Rollins, tenor saxophone; Kenny Dorham, trumpet; Miles Davis, trumpet; Milt Jackson, vibraphone; Elmo Hope, piano; John Lewis, piano; Kenny Drew, piano; Thelonious Monk, piano; Percy Heath, double bass; Tommy Potter, double bass; Art Blakey, drums; Art Taylor, drums; Kenny Clarke, drums; Roy Haynes, drums.
13. THE MODERN JAZZ QUARTET :: Fontessa (1956, remastered & reissued 1978) :: Atlantic Records 1231 :: Line-Up: John Lewis, piano; Percy Heath, double bass; Connie Kay, drums; Milt Jackson, vibraphone.
14. FATS NAVARRO :: The Fabulous Fats Navarro Volume 1 (1957, remastered & reissued 1983) :: Blue Note Records BLP 1531 / Blue Note BLP 1500 Series (Japan-Mono-Repress) :: Line-Up: Fats Navarro, trumpet; Howard McGhee, trumpet; Charlie Rouse, tenor saxophone; Sonny Rollins, tenor saxophone; Ernie Henry, alto saxophone; Milt Jackson, piano & vibraphone; Bud Powell, piano; Tadd Dameron, piano; Curly Russell, double bass; Nelson Boyd, double bass; Tommy Potter, double bass; Kenny Clarke, drums; Roy Haynes, drums; Shadow Wilson, drums.
15. THE MODERN JAZZ QUARTET :: Third Stream Music (1960) :: Atlantic Records SD-1345 (Repress) :: Line-Up: John Lewis, piano Percy Heath, double bass; Connie Kay, drums; Milt Jackson, vibraphone; Joe Tekula, cello; Ralph Pena, double bass; Jimmy Giuffre, clarinet & tenor saxophone; Jim Hall, guitar; Many Zegler, bassoon; William McColl, clarinet; Bob Di Domenica, flute; Paul Ingram, french horn; Betty Glamann, harp; Carl Eberl, viola; Gerald Tarack, violin; Alan Martin, violin; Gunther Schuller, composer & conductor.
16. STANLEY TURRENTINE WITH MILT JACKSON :: Cherry (1978) :: CTI Records LAX-3193 (Japan-Pressing, Limited Edition) :: Line-Up: Stanley Turrentine, tenor saxophone; Milt Jackson, vibraphone; Bob James, piano & electric piano; Cornell Dupree, guitar; Ron Carter, double bass; Billy Cobham, drums.

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