Customer Reviews

Moonlight in Vermont

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In modern times, Johnny Smith has become unappreciated and forgotten for the superb artistry he displayed as a jazz guitarist-maestro. Listen to Moonlight in Vermont. It is unique for its combination of pithy feeling and technical virtuosity. Technically, Smith burns on single-note leads and soothes with inventive chord melody playing. Perhaps his style sometimes borders on being too precious and precise, but this is trifling criticism. His style comes from the "cool" school of jazz (Lennie Tristano, et al.), but he imbues his music with too much controlled emotion to be called purely "cool." Also, fine tenor sax work from Stan Getz and Zoot Sims serve as excellent complements to Smith's fretboard excursions. A must have CD for any fan of true, original jazz guitar (eg, fans of Jimmy Raney, Wes Montgomery, Tal Farlow, Joe Pass, Kenny Burrell, Barney Kessel, Herb Ellis, etc.).

No heroin habit, no personal inconsistencies to make his life overly complicated and dramatic, no expatriation to Paris or religious fads to sell, no distinguishing anything. Johnny Smith lets his playing do the talking. No one ever played the guitar better. No album has ever been more about the music, and less about peripheral things. Now you know who Johnny Smith is, listen to him and hear the truth behind the myth which says "It's all about the music."

September 5, 1998

Album reviewed:

Moonlight In Vermont By Johnny smith

Johnny Smith, one of the Premier Guitarist who embraced Be Bop Jazz in the 50s. He is great on this album.

There were some Guitarist in the 50s that were held to be in the same category, as far as being the great ones in Jazz. Johnny Smith, Barney Kessel, Tal Farlow, George Van Eps, and I'm sure there were more that were not well known. It was a great time for guitar. And some of the very best guitars were made during this time period.

Johnny Smith wrote:

Moonlight in Vermont, the title cut of this CD. The song made Smith Famous.

At the time Johnny Smith recorded Moonlight in Vermont, he was working in New York City, 52nd avenue, and playing on the today show, trumpet there. Smith was a self-taught guitarist, but I have never known if he taught himself trumpet or not. Johnny Smith never achieved any fame on trumpet, but he made a pretty good living from the work he had as a trumpet player.

I had bought this album and many more Johnny Smith Albums by 1964. When I went on my first Vacation in Colorado, I stopped in at Johnny Smith's guitar shop in Colorado Springs; he had just opened it about three month before I arrived on Vacation. I got to shake his hand, and talk to him a lot. I'm sure he would have liked for me to have purchased a guitar from him, since he was in business, to make a living, but I didn't need another guitar. He was very friendly to me. I enjoyed my visit wit him much.

Johnny Smith's wife had died, his health had gone bad, the doctor had recommend he leave New York City and move where the sunshine was bright, and the air was pure. So Johnny Smith had opened a Music Store in Colorado Springs, selling guitars and amps. And he was playing weekend jobs in Denver, on 17th street, Shanners it was called, and was a Deli not a club. But it was a great Jazz experience for Johnny Smith and his Quartet, and for those who went to see the Great Be Bop Jazz Guitarist. The place was always filled with fans that gave standing ovations.

Well at Shanners I got to hear Johnny Smith and his Quartet, Guitar, Piano, Drums, and Bass, play all the great songs on this album. Johnny Smith was in his hey day in the 60s there in Colorado. You simply could not possibly believe how good he was, and how wonderful his music sounded. There can be no doubt that Johnny Smith was expressing a very high-level of musical genius there at shanners, and on his recordings, and there were many artistic recordings at this time.

He made an album with Stan Getz that was the most wonderful guitar and sax you could possibly hear in this physical world. The Music was heavenly. That album was also Titled Moonlight in Vermont. This is one of my very Favorite Johnny smith recordings. But it has not made it to CD.

Johnny Smith made an album with Art Van Damme, the Jazz Accordionist. It was the most fabulous thing you imaginel. I did not know that accordion was a great Jazz instrument until I heard this album. . By the way, there is an Art Van Damme CD here on amazon.com He is a great Jazz Musician.

All the songs are great on this album I am reviewing, Moonlight In Vermont:

There are slow songs like:

8. My Funny Valentine 10. Stars Fell On Alabama 12. Tenderly

And Johnny smith had pretty well become very famous for his slow and tender type songs after Moonlight in Vermont became so popular. However, he was very fast on guitar. Two fast Songs on this album are:

2. Tabu 5. Jaguar (alternate version)

Listen to them and you will hear what speed and technicque this gifted guitarist had.

Well Johnny Smith operated his Guitar Shop, selling guitars in Colorado Springs until he retired I the early 1990s. I understand he lives on his Ranch near the Springs, as Coloradans call that wonderful town.

If you love Jazz Guitar, there is none better than Johnny Smith.

By the dobroman in Denver

Nearly 50 years after its inception, this recording indeed stands the test of time. Technology has taken leaps and bounds and I think a re-master to make the earlier tracks as clean as the later tracks would be greatly appreciated. If so, I would not hesitate to call this an absolutely essential album.

I am a jazz guitarist , and can honestly say J.S. was the greatest who ever played, in my opinion

If you appreciate the work of the early George Shearing Quintets, or Art Van Damme and his quintet work in the fifties, then you'll like this CD of 19 tracks. Johnny Smith was featured on one of Mr Van Damme's records if I recall correctly. But both Shearing and Van Damme, in appealing to a more popular market, could sometimes veer close to "cocktail music". There is no whiff of cocktails in the program on Moonlight in Vermont. Indeed, the drums, bass, piano combinations are uniformly powerful, and feature some of the masters of the "west coast" sound including Eddie Sanfranski. Even relatively less well known players such as Sanford Gold hold their own in some distinguished company - Stan Getz, Paul Quinichette, and Zoot Sims. Mr Smith is consistently superb and the music still sounds good after 50 years. This CD has SEVEN tracks additional to the original LP.

Johnny Smith is absolutely fabulous he has speed,skill,and a great sound.I have played guitar for many years and he has been a major influence to me.This cd is a must have for any jazz fan.

johnny smith took the guitar to a plateau that few guitarests have ever gone. he can get more feeling and sensitiviy out of one note than other guitarests can get with a full chord. to listen to "moonlight in vermont" is to listen to a genius at work.

This album was the 1952 Down Beat Jazz Record of the Year and is also considered by most jazz critics to be one of the top 20 albums of all time for any jazz collection. Whether you are listening to the superlatively sweet 'Moonlight In Vermont' or the up-tempo 'Jaguar' or 'Tabu' you are treated to Johnny's virtuosity as well as the all-star talent his is accompanied by on every cut. A must for every jazz lover or serious stundent of jazz and jazz guitar.

Johnny is a geat jazz guitarist,one of the best.He is in a league where there are few.Maybe tal and wes and maybe joe but that is about it.This is a great album a must have.An excellent guitarist.