Paru initialement en 1959 sur le label Riverside, "Kelly Blue" est considéré comme l’un des chefs-d’œuvre de Wynton Kelly. Entouré de musiciens d’exception tels que Paul Chambers et Jimmy Cobb, célèbres compagnons de route de Miles Davis, Kelly livre ici un jazz raffiné, à la fois bluesy, fluide et intensément swing.
Cette édition audiophile (2 LP) 45 RPM par Analogue Productions bénéficie d’un pressage 180 grammes réalisé chez Quality Record Pressings, d’un mastering analogique signé Kevin Gray et Steve Hoffman, ainsi que d’une superbe pochette gatefold “tip-on” façon vintage.
Le résultat est spectaculaire, une scène sonore ample, des timbres riches et une dynamique exceptionnelle qui redonnent toute leur présence aux standards comme "Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise", On "Green Dolphin Street" ou encore à la sublime composition titre "Kelly Blue".
Un indispensable pour toute collection jazz audiophile.
- Wynton Kelly "Kelly Blue" !
- Mastering by Kevin Gray and Steve Hoffman at Acoustech Mastering !
- Double LP cut at 45 RPM and pressed on 180 gram vinyl at Quality Record Pressings !
- Stoughton Printing Old Style Tip-On gatefold jacket with scuff-resistant matte finish !
For Wynton Kelly, Kelly Blue marked a career highlight. A blueprint for blues-infused hard bop, Kelly Blue is Kelly's definitive statement as a bandleader a swinging, blues-soaked masterclass in touch, taste, and timing. This is the sound of a pianist playing with both finesse and fire.
The Pitch (and it swings hard)
If you're assembling a jazz collection and Kelly Blue isn't on your shelf, you're basically hosting a dinner party without food. Kelly was the pianist Miles Davis trusted enough to bring into his band and replace Red Garland. Kelly was the ultimate sideman turned understated hero
blending gospel fire, blues grit, and bebop elegance into a buttery-smooth flow that made his touch unmistakable. On Kelly Blue, he steps out of the shadow and into the spotlight, where he glows like a well-polished Steinway under stage lights.
And Kelly brought friends on this auspicious date. Paul Chambers (bass) So solid, they used him to calibrate metronomes. Jimmy Cobb (drums) Subtle as a whisper, sharp as a whip. And Nat Adderley (cornet), Benny Golson (tenor saxophone), and Bobby Jaspar (flute) Because sometimes, you need a horn section that sounds like they're reciting poetry in perfect harmony. These cats don't just support Kelly they elevate him.
Bottom line, Kelly Blue is an essential slice of jazz heaven warm, witty, effortlessly cool.
What's Inside ?
"Kelly Blue" The blues never felt this fresh. This is the sound of a pianist playing with both finesse and fire.
"Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise" A standard, yes. But Kelly makes it his.
"Keep It Moving" Exactly what this band does, with grooves slick enough to hydroplane on.
Ballads and burners alike - Every track is a reminder that Kelly could do anything at the keys except be boring. Kelly Blue is the sound of a pianist at the peak of his power, surrounded by friends who know exactly how to keep up. If your jazz collection were a cocktail, this album would be the splash of bourbon that makes everything come together.
This is a vinyl LP reissue unmatched. Mastering by Kevin Gray and Steve Hoffman at Acoustech Mastering, double LP cut at 45 RPM and pressed on 180 gram vinyl at Quality Record Pressings ! Plus it's housed in a Stoughton Printing Old Style Tip-On gatefold jacket with scuff-resistant matte finish.