Johnny Smith - The New Johnny Smith Quartet (1956) [2016 SHM-CD Jazz Masters Collection 1200]

SHM-CD reissue. Comes with a mini-description. Features new remastering if it comes from Parlophone. A Johnny Smith album with a real difference, and that difference is vibes – handled her by a young John Rae, whose tones make a perfect accompaniment to Smith's chromatic style of guitar! The balance of vibes and guitar is beautiful – handled with all that sense of space that both Johns could bring to their 50s work – with just a bit of extra help from George Roumanis on bass and John Lee on drums – players who can come in strong when needed, but often lay back and let the chromes take over!
Before he threw in the towel and willingly walked away from the clutches of the recording industry in 1960, Johnny Smith recorded an impressive roster of albums for Teddy Reig's Roost label. One of these, The New Johnny Smith Quartet, recorded in 1956, was billed as maiden set for Smith's new, small group. That was almost correct. This was the first time around for vibes player Johnny Rae and drummer John Lee. But bass player George Roumanis had already recorded with Smith. Prior to his Smith tenure, Rae was instrumental in shaping the distinctive George Shearing Quintet sound. This bandleader was especially well known for tasteful playing, the clean quality of his sound, and his skillful voicing of melody with chords. And this album does nothing to detract from that reputation. Even on the up-tempo pieces like "Pawn Ticket" and "'S Wonderful" Smith's technique remains clean without slurring. His playing also can take on classical overtones, like on "Montage" and "It Never Entered My Mind." Smith was not a stranger to the classical genre. His last minute abduction by conductor Dimitri Mitropoulos to play solo guitar on Arnold Schoenberg's "Serenade" is one of music's legends. On the slower numbers this quartet resembles the stentorian sounds of the Modern Jazz Quartet at times. Johnny Smith left behind about 25 LPs with the Roost label. A great project for Mosaic Records would be to get a license for these albums for one of their excellent compilations, this time featuring the fine guitar of Johnny Smith.

Tracks:

01 - It Never Entered My Mind
02 - Samba
03 - Black Is The Color Of My True Loves Hair
04 - Pawn Ticket
05 - 'S Wonderful
06 - You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
07 - Blue Lights
08 - Montage
09 - Bag's Groove
10 - Round About Midnight

Personnel:

Johnny Smith - guitar
Johnny Rae - vibes
George Roumanis - bass
Johnny Lee - drums