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.