Jimmy & Wes: Dynamic Duo [Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered]

Wes Montgomery, Jimmy Smith, Jimmy Smith & Wes Montgomery | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 20, 1997)
• Original Release Date: 1985
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
• Label: Polygram Records
• ASIN: B0000047D7
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #21,062 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The ultradynamic duo!, July 16, 2000

By 

Jeffrey Harris (South San Francisco, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Jimmy & Wes: Dynamic Duo (Audio CD)

It's amazing what can happen when you put two master musicians like Jimmy Smith and Wes Montgomery in the same room, as this classic album documents. Supported by players like drummer Grady Tate, Clark Terry, and Ray Barretto, and arranger Oliver Nelson, Jimmy & Wes go to town on "The Dynamic Duo". "James & Wes", "Night Train", and the cool spin they put on "Baby, It's Cold Outside" make this album a joy to listen again and again. The alternate take of "Road Song" at the end is the cream on the cake, and in my opinion is even better than the originally issued take. One of the first releases in Verve's excellent Master Edition series, the packaging and remastered sound make this the definitive issue of this jazz classic and one of my all time favorites.

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unexpectedly Sublime!, May 4, 1999

By 

Highway 61 Revisited (Dallas, TX USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Jimmy & Wes: Dynamic Duo (Audio CD)

Jimmy Smith, of course, is best know for his funky, soul-jazz and hard bop dates for Blue Note Records in the 50's and 60's (Check out his 1959 date with Kenny Burrell, Home Cookin'). He defected to Verve in the mid-60's and his product often suffered from over-packaging, as often was the case with his contemporary, Wes Montgomery. The problem with many of the Verve albums are their tendency to sweeten the proceedings with orchestral and big band backing, as well as short running times with tracks aimed at pop-airplay. This album, Dynamic Duo, has a big band; however, the music doesn't suffer. In fact, the groove is so heavy, so intense, it's easily the best thing Smith did since "Back at Chicken Shack," and Montgomery turns in his finest performance since "Full House." There's plenty of soul, grease, blues and lot's of room for sweaty improvisation on this masterful album beautifully recorded by master engineer Rudy Van Gelder. You won't be dissappointed--the groove goes down, and the track "Night Train" is a masterpiece.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Classic Duo!, April 22, 2001

By 

A Customer - See all my reviews

This review is from: Jimmy & Wes: Dynamic Duo (Audio CD)

Even If you're turned off by the idea of the Oliver Nelson arranged and Creed Taylor produced charts(I was when I first saw this album), Jimmy and Wes' telephathic interplay may let you forget about the big band dressing. On "Night Train" I ocassionaly like what the arrangements add to their playing. But what will really have your head shaking with amazement is the intense interplay on the horn-less "James and Wes". There's a real live feeling to this album. Grady Tate also deserves alot of credit. He fills in the gaps with crisp dynamics and sounds as good as I've heard him.

I saw Jimmy Smith's group play live recently (the best show I've ever been to) and this album (out of all of his records) comes the closest in matching the fire and intensity of that performance.