“Wynton Kelly” (also known as Piano in some reissues) was recorded on January 31, 1958, at Metropolitan Sound Studios, New York, and released on Riverside Records (RLP 12-254, mono). The audiophile 180-gram vinyl reissue by Jazz Workshop Vinyl (2010s) brings this classic to life with crystalline sound, highlighting the warmth of the analog recording. The album features Wynton Kelly (piano), Paul Chambers (bass), Philly Joe Jones (drums), with Kenny Burrell (guitar) and Lee Morgan (trumpet) on select tracks. It includes six tracks: standards like Come Rain or Come Shine and Make the Man Love Me, plus Benny Golson’s Whisper Not, now a jazz standard. The music is hard bop with bluesy and swinging elements, showcasing Kelly’s signature style: melodic, flowing solos steeped in blues and impeccable rhythmic support. Burrell adds warm guitar chords, while a young Morgan (just 19) brings vibrant trumpet lines. The rhythm section of Chambers and Jones is a masterclass in cohesion, with Jones’s brushes and accents perfectly complementing Kelly’s lyricism. AllMusic awarded the album 4 stars, calling it “an excellent showcase of Kelly’s early leadership.” The Jazz Workshop reissue holds a 4.8/5 rating on Discogs (based on 10 reviews), and original Riverside blue-label vinyl pressings are collector’s rarities. Wynton Kelly is a soulful, swinging record that captures Kelly at the peak of his early career, and the vinyl reissue lets listeners feel the magic of his playing in full.
Wynton Kelly (December 2, 1931 – April 12, 1971) was an American jazz pianist and composer whose melodic, swinging style made him a hard-bop legend. Born in Jamaica, he moved to Brooklyn, New York, as a young child, where his love for music blossomed in churches and local clubs. A prodigy, Kelly began performing professionally as a teenager with stars like Dizzy Gillespie, Lester Young, and Charles Mingus. His career soared when he joined Miles Davis’s quintet in 1959, playing a pivotal role in the iconic Kind of Blue (1959), particularly on Freddie Freeloader, where his bluesy, soulful touch set the tone. Kelly was a master accompanist, but as a leader, he shone, blending bluesy warmth, gospel influences, and virtuosic technique. His playing was like a conversation—accessible yet profound, with rhythmic precision that made ensembles sound seamless. Sadly, health issues and epilepsy led to his untimely death at 39, but his legacy endures in recordings that continue to inspire jazz musicians.
TRACKLIST
Side One:
1. Whisper Not (Benny Golson) 7:08
2. Action (Wynton Kelly) 7:08
3. Dark Eyes (Trad. arr. Kelly) 5:56
Side Two:
1. Strong Man (Oscar Brown, Jr.) 5:13
2. Ill Wind (Arlen-Koehler) 4:20
3. Don’t Explain (Holiday-Herzog) 5:33
4. You Can’t Get Away (Wynton Kelly) 6:27
Personnel:
Wynton Kelly (piano), Kenny Burrell (guitar, only on Side One), Paul Chambers (bass), Philly Joe Jones (drums).
Recorded at Metropolitan Sound Studios, New York, on January 31, 1958
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