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— The Analog Vault // Essential Listening —

Recorded partly live at the Half Note Club in New York and partly in Van Gelder’s studio, Smokin’ at the Half Note captures Wes Montgomery with the Wynton Kelly Trio of Paul Chambers and Jimmy Cobb in peak form. Their interplay transforms standards into extended conversations: “No Blues” stretches into modal drive, “Unit 7” grooves with hard-swinging ease, and “Four on Six” showcases Montgomery’s dazzling octave technique.

Originally released in 1965 on Verve, the album became a touchstone for guitarists, blending Montgomery’s lyrical phrasing with the trio’s deep swing. More than a document, it remains one of the most celebrated jazz guitar records. — The Analog Vault

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This important historic jazz record pairs guitar virtuoso Wes Montgomery with Miles Davis' rhythm section — featuring Paul Chambers on bass, Jimmy Cobb on drums and Wynton Kelly on piano.

This is timeless music that has inspired innumerable jazz guitarists and aficionados. In fact, jazz guitar great Pat Metheny has said, "I learned to play listening to Wes Montgomery's Smokin' At The Half Note." Metheny additionally said that the solo on "If You Could See Me Now" is his favorite of all time.

This legendary session was recorded at a New York nightclub. It captures Montgomery at the height of his improvisational powers. Many consider it the best performance on record by one of the most inventive guitarists in jazz history.

Highlights include the Miles Davis opener, "No Blues" and the following track, Tadd Dameron's "If You Could See Me Now." And the album's versions of "Unit 7" and "Four On Six" have helped to establish these songs as jazz standards.

Seeking to offer definitive audiophile grade versions of some of the most historic and best jazz records ever recorded, Verve Label Group and Universal Music Enterprises' audiophile Acoustic Sounds vinyl reissue series utilizes the skills of top mastering engineers and the unsurpassed production craft of Quality Record Pressings. All titles are mastered from the original analog tapes, pressed on 180-gram vinyl and packaged by Stoughton Printing Co. in high-quality gatefold sleeves with tip-on jackets. The releases are supervised by Chad Kassem, CEO of Acoustic Sounds, the world's largest source for audiophile recordings. — (via Label)

Vinyl tracklist:
A1 No Blues
A2 If You Could See Me Now
B1 Unit 7
B2 Four On Six
B3 What's New?

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Label: Verve Records
Series: Acoustic Sounds Series
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo, 180 g, Gatefold
Reissued: 2023 / Original release: 1965
Genre: Jazz
Style: Post Bop, Hard Bop

File under: TAV Essential Listening
File under: Jazz 
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