LPCDreissues: Looking forward to the past

The passing years only reveal with greater clarity Wynton Kelly's place as one of the most personal and satisfying jazz pianists of any era. If swing is the tonic of jazz, then the groove Kelly could strike in a trio setting with his longtime partner drummer Jimmy Cobb must be musical chicken soup, guaranteed to coax anybody into good health. This version of the Kelly trio finds longstanding bassist Paul Chambers replaced by Ron McClure, whose compatibility at a young age with these giants speaks volumes regarding his own mastery. Producer Orrin Keepnews, who presented Kelly on Riverside a decade earlier, gave the pianist free rein; and Kelly responded with an exquisite version of his favorite standard "Autumn Leaves," his patented medium blues on "Scufflin'," two originals by his friend Rudy Stevenson, and five other gems including a Wyntonized reinvention of "Walk On By." While this working trio often soared with guests like George Coleman, Joe Henderson, and Hank Mobley, it was more than prepared to be viewed as the full show.
Track listing: I Want a Little Girl, I Thought, What a Diff'rence a Day Made, Autumn Leaves, Dontcha Hear Me Callin' to Ya, On a Clear Day (You Can See Forever), Scufflin', Born to Be Blue, Walk on By