James and Wes

Wes Montgomery (electric guitar), Jimmy Smith (Hammond B-3 organ), Grady Tate (drums) and Ray Barretto (conga). From the album Jimmy & Wes: The Dynamic Duo (1966).

This album came out of the idea of Creed Taylor, record producer of Verve Records from 1961 to 1967, to bring together two of the most important musicians of that time, which caused an explosive effect. Jimmy Smith grabs you by the throat with his blues attacks while Wes Montgomery replies with soft octaves and simple notes that transmit warmth. They’re an astounding couple, driving and complementing each other and sinking their roots in blues and bop to create a unique sound. Also noteworthy is the participation of the great conguero Ray Barretto.

Grady Tate was an American jazz and soul jazz drummer and baritone singer. He was known as an exceptional studio musician, as well as displaying a tempered, flexible and dynamic voice. In 1963 he moved to New York, where he joined Quincy Jones’s band as a drummer. Tate was characterized by his polished, stratified and intense style within soul jazz and organ trio in the mid-1960s. He recorded his most popular albums as a sideman under the auspices of Creed Taylor, who always chose him to interpret the best works. Tate appeared on the recordings of Jimmy Smith and Wes Montgomery, in adition to accompanying Ella Fitgerald, Duke Ellington, Stan Getz, Count Basie, Kenny Burrell, Oscar Peterson and Bennie Goodman among others. He also recorded numerous songs as a singer. He died of Alzheimer's in 2017 at the age of 85.

Smith plays this blues at medium tempo while Montgomery accompanies him and then presents his solo choosing the notes very carefully. His agile and light discourse leads you along a path of sound pleasures. After a while, Smith joins in and later Montgomery starts to use octaves masterfully and between the two produce a suggestive and attractive atmosphere. Then it’s Smith’s turn, who plays in a friendly way, but occasionally gets frenetic. Next he plays basic blues phrases and gives way to Montgomery to exchange passages with him. The guitar sounds moderately at all times, but torrents of unstoppable notes emerge from the organ. To close, the group re-exposes the blues and Montgomery adds a final phrase.