JIMMY SMITH — Further Adventures of Jimmy and Wes (review)

JIMMY SMITH — Further Adventures of Jimmy and Wes album cover Album · 1969 · Soul Jazz Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
js
“The Further Adventures of Jimmy and Wes” marked the second time that the great Jimmy Smith and Wes Montgomery got together to make an album. The first one, “Jimmy and Wes, the Dynamic Duo”, was a high powered glitzy affair with lots of flashy big band orchestrations from Oliver Nelson. This second time around, things are toned down a bit with Nelson’s band appearing only on “Milestones”. The rest of the album presents the dynamic duo backed only by Grady Tate on drums and Ray Barretto on percussion for a more intimate smoky club type feel. Likewise, most of the music on ‘Further Adventures” is also a little more laid back too. Although this Creed Taylor production was made with some commercial potential for its time, this is hardly easy listening and both Jimmy and Wes turn in excellent solos on every tune.

These two virtuosos make a great contrast and compliment each other well. Wes knows all the expected jazz/blues clichés and likewise knows how to subvert them and turn them inside out. Much of his playing is about clever twists on soulful riffs. Jimmy on the other hand is given more to high speed runs and amazing dexterity. Although their individual playing on here holds its integrity throughout, the material they are given to work with is a mixed bag. “OGD” is a nice RnB/jazz groove number and so is “Mellow Mood” which, despite what the title would suggest, ends up being their most energetic number with the best solos on the album. “Maybe September” is a quiet mysterious ballad with odd tone colors from Smith and a great solo from Wes that pushes at the harmonic boundaries of the song. “Milestones” has the big band flash of their previous album, but rolls by rather quickly. The other two songs come across as commercial fluff and don’t give our dynamic duo much to work with.

Fans of Jimmy and Wes, as well as fans of 60s jazzy groove music, will probably find a lot to enjoy on here. Despite the slightly commercial leanings of this outing, the dynamic duo play like that they mean it from beginning to end.
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