Customer Reviews

Further Adventures of Jimmy & Wes

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A great album, with some great solos by both artists. The interplay between Smith and Montgomery is beautiful, and they produce some elegant versions of familiar tunes. Not quite as 'rockin' as their first outing together, 'The Dynamic Duo', which has some great accompaniment. If you like either of these artists, or just like smooth guitar licks and the jazz organ sound, then you'll love this album.

I have listened to this album endlessly, and the thing that will strike the listener is the absolutely seamless counterpoint of action between Smith and Montgomery. Solos become intertwined and in tune with the corresponding backgrounds. ROUND MIDNIGHT and MILESTONES are especially striking--very good band arrangements as well.

That reviewer is talking about Jimmy Smith "Root Down", this is a studio Album, it is much more mellow than the Dynamic Duo. Easy and smooth.

I am a jazz guitarist and major Wes Montgomery fan. The Wes Riverside albums always seem to get the first nod from Wes aficionados. That's fair, outside of "Smokin At the Half Note", and, in my opinion, this album. The recording quality is great, and the Wes sound is captured beautifully. Wes seems to feel very at home here. His solos are relaxed, and beautifully conceived. They say Wes felt uptight when the tape was rolling, but he seems to be in a very nice place, here. I'll bet there was something about Jimmy Smith, and that big, fat Hammond B3, that made him feel really cozy and ready to "dig in". For someone just starting there explorations into jazz guitar, and Wes Montgomery, this might just be a very nice first purchase. The Wes Montgomery mojo is all here in very fine display, and, as a total listening experience, might be more fun, and accessible. This is just a great album for playing around the house, or in the car, for those road trips....hey, it even has "Road Song". Whereas, I really dig this album, the first album by these two guys (Jimmy & Wes: Dynamic Duo) is, well, frankly pretty annoying for the overly present big band backing.

The music is as great as one might expect. Some portions of the tapes aren't in the best condition. The CD was released in 1993, and is overdue for remastering. Nonetheless, a 5 Star effort.

This live recording in a small club is SO INCREDIBLE. It really smokes and is definitely one of the hottest Jimmy Smith recordings available. I have 30 or so titles by Jimmy Smith and have seen him a few times. This is one of my favorites, although there are very few I am not crazy for. The thing about this one is that it starts out without the crowd paying much attention because it is obviously very late and there is alot of loud talking and laughter in the room (this is from the LP version, I think the CD version has alot of the crowd filtered out), but when they get smokin' around the second song, the VERY LOUD crowd is like, DEAD SILENT and in awe. This recording really makes me shiver every time I listen to it.

I had this album on vinyl when I was in college (I was anachronistic OK?)and my roommates and I listened to it often. I finally bought it on CD last year and it was like having an old friend come back to visit. This music can set the mood for any relaxing or down tempo gathering, as most of these tunes go down smooth as butter. Don't get me wrong; it's smooth, but these guys came to play and there is definitely some swinging to be heard on the more upbeat selections. Nobody has the cool chops of these two, interplaying so nicely and having a beautiful musical conversation over the course of this relatively short set. I haven't listened to much in the way of Jimmy Smith solo, but I can also recommend Wes Montgomery "Smokin' at the Half Note" for an excellent live performance. Stay away from Wes' later-career work in interprepting pop songs if you know what is good for you. This disc captures a special musical relationship that was one of a kind. A must for any fan of melodic old school jazz.

If you're familiar with these two artists, you'll get just what you expect. Jimmy Smith contributes his soulful Hammond, with bass pedals on most tunes. Wes Montgomery adds quite a bit of the "double-note octave" melodic style he is known for. They are accompanied by only light drumming on most tracks. But on Milestones, they are more like the accompaniment to a full brass-based orchestra. That digression is a bit shocking -- led me to think there was a manufacturing error on the CD.

Definitely a keeper.