Wynton Kelly - Kelly Blue

Titels

1. Kelly Blue 
2. Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise 
3. Green Dolphin Street 
4. Willow Weep For Me 
5. Keep It Moving 
6. Old Clothes 

If you have a serious jazz collection and “Kelly Blue” is missing from your shelf, it’s like hosting a dinner party without food. Wynton Kelly was the pianist Miles Davis trusted so much that he brought him into his band as a replacement for Red Garland. Kelly was the ultimate sideman who became an underrated hero—he combined gospel fervor, blues power, and bebop elegance into a buttery-smooth flow that made his style instantly recognizable. On “Kelly Blue,” he steps out of the shadows and into the spotlight, shining like a perfectly polished Steinway under the stage lights. For this recording, Kelly also assembled an impressive group of musical friends: Paul Chambers, so tight he could double as a metronome; Jimmy Cobb, subtle as a whisper and sharp as a whip; and Nat Adderley, Benny Golson, and Bobby Jaspar—a horn section that sounds like poetry in perfect harmony. These musicians not only support Kelly but elevate him to an even higher level. The result is that “Kelly Blue” has more than earned its place in jazz history: warm, playful and effortlessly stylish.

As part of the Analogue Productions Fantasy 45 Series, "Kelly Blue" is now being honored with a sonically superb reissue, meticulously mastered by Kevin Gray and Steve Hoffman at Acoustech Mastering. Pressed on 180-gram vinyl by industry-leading Quality Record Pressings (QRP) and cut at 45 rpm, the double LP comes housed in a classic Stoughton Printing tip-on gatefold sleeve with a durable matte finish.

Musicians

Wynton Kelly: piano

Nat Adderley: cornet

Bobby Jaspar: whistle

Benny Golson: tenor saxophone

Paul Chambers: bass

Jimmy Cobb: drums