This is timeless music that has inspired innumerable jazz guitarists and fans of the genre. Pat Metheny has said, "I learned to play listening to Wes Montgomery's Smokin' At The Half Note." In addition, Pat has said that the solo on "If You Could See Me Now" is his favorite of all time.
This classic session was recorded at the New York nightclub, and Rudy Van Gelder's studio. It captures Montgomery at the height of his improvisational powers. Many consider it the best performance on record by one of the most inventive guitarists in jazz history.
Highlights include the Miles Davis opener, "No Blues" and the following track, Tadd Dameron's "If You Could See Me Now." And the album's versions of "Unit 7" and "Four On Six" have helped to establish these songs as jazz standards.
The freeload is the Verve Deluxe Master Edition, from 2005.
Tracks 1 through 5, are the original 'Smokin at the Half Note' LP, and sound better on this release than the preceding ones. They were all recorded by Rudy Van Gelder, with the first two cuts at the Half Note and cuts 3 through 5 at Rudy's studio.
The bonus tracks 6 through 11 were recorded during the same week-long engagement at the Half Note.
For the freeload, tell us if you are or ever were a cigarette smoker.
Cigerettes, no but cigars, yes. Used to smoke about 4-5 a week, but quit almost 15 years ago. Habit got expensive (some cigars are north of $20 a piece), and Ms. Mac is hyperallergic to the smell/smoke. Had about 12 left when I quit and gave them to Wendell Pierce, who I got to become friends with when he was filming the series, Treme.
ReplyDeleteThose Montgomery lps are sublime. Looking forward to the audio upgrade from what I have.
Nope. My 3 brothers and 2 sisters were all smokers, but I never started (we are talking tobacco, right?). My parents smoked, too, so I had enough secondhand smoke to last me a (hopefully long) lifetime.
ReplyDeleteRight, cigarettes not joints.
DeleteSmoked cigs til I was 27. Quit and now I'm in my 70s.
ReplyDeleteSmoked Camels for a lotta years, quit in 2010. Thanks Babs
ReplyDeleteSmoked until about 10 years ago, I still dream about it occasionally but have no desire when in a waking state.
ReplyDeleteBinge-smoked for a few years in my punk rock 20's (circa 1975-1982) - Camel studs, State Express 555, Rothmans, Turkish Ovals. Wised up by the time I hit 30, but it took decades to stop feeling the urge or appeal of smoking in social situations.
ReplyDeleteRaised in a house with two parents that smoked (initially typed "two smoking parents" but realized that could be misinterpreted), yet my mother smoked right up until she died at age 90 without being diagnosed with any lung disease. Some people are lucky that way.
After quitting, I had the occasional craving for a good ten years.
DeleteNever took it up but then neither of my parents smoked (which was rare back then) - also living in Australia smoking would send you broke!. (It's basically A$2 per cigarette)
ReplyDeleteI smoked cigarettes for about ten years, from 1963 (started in high school) to 1973 (a New Year's resolution).
ReplyDeleteMy parents, my sister and my wife all smoked like troopers, I didn't, so guess who'll get lung cancer from passive smoking.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was about 9 years old, and finding myself alone in the house, I came scross a packet of strong French cigarettes that my dad had bought out of desperation on holiday and had discarded as soon as he got back to Blighty. I smoked one, without having the sense to go outside! My mam came back and thought the house was on fire because of the strong smell of smoke, so I had to confess. When my father came home he got me to stand up in the middle of the room, stuck one of his fag's in my mouth and forced me to smoke it. I felt such an idiot that I never touched them again.
Never even considered it.
ReplyDeleteTwo packs a day until 31st December 1979. I was married with a young son and money was tight. Food for the family more important than my cigarettes, new decade coming, just stopped dead and didn't tell anyone or make a fuss about it. Chewed lots of gum though.
ReplyDeleteI smoked from high school into my 50s. Started out on Pall Malls, later switched to Lucky Strikes and ultimately took up Camel lung busters. It was by far the most difficult habit to quit and there were countless failed attempts. I still occasionally jones for a smoke these days, perhaps brought on by regular viewing of noir flicks and their prodigious cigarette consumption.
ReplyDeleteToday's freeload is a longstanding fave and I'm looking forward to hearing the non-LP tracks. Thanks Babs.
Smoked from 1971 to 1999 (weirdly, made a point of never smoking the same brand two days in a row), quit cold turkey on Halloween 1999 with a handshake agreement with a fellow smoker that the first to crack had to donate 250 pounds to the Tory Party), got throat C in 2010, am in the Survivor's Club with LOTS of great folks (ahem... Babs), knock on wood. Do I regret all them years? Non, rien de rien (RIP Charles Dumont)... Met lots of interesting people in smoking areas. But now, the smell grosses me out. Downstairs neighbor in Paris last month stank SO MUCH of tabakkey.
ReplyDeleteSure, I tried a pack of Winstons in college but I swear I didn't inhale.
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ReplyDeletehttps://workupload.com/file/fQP8RfWdepT
started smoking aged about 8. Just a couple a day, a shop up the top of the road sold Players Weights individually or in 5s.
ReplyDeleteStopped when I went away to school aged 11. Started again at 17, wrecked my rugby playing.
Stopped abruptly aged 32 due to a spell at HM's pleasure.
Never restarted. That, and losing 40 lbs, got me my time back.
mahatma kane jeeves - Ha!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite Fields pseudonym is Larson E. Whipsnade.
Being fond of another Fields sobriquet, Ambrose Wolfinger, I used to give itto hostesses and maitre d's when waiting for a table. When the name was called, you could spot the Fields fans by their knowing looks.
DeleteMy husband used to make restaurant reservations under the name Andrew Loog Oldham.
DeleteDepending on the restaurant, we would always use either Sinatra or Garcia. Thanks Babs
DeleteSmoked some in college mostly while swilling pitchers of beer, but quit when I realized my roommate was bumming more than I was smoking. Always preferred "left-handed" cigs anyway...
ReplyDeleteSmoked for something like 35 years and then when money got short about 15 years ago both my wife and I gave up 'cold turkey' and I've never even had any urges since.
ReplyDeleteOf course what the the health industry don't tell you is that long term smoking 'supercharges' up your metabolism (so you burn calories faster) and when you give up it slows rapidly and you put on weight rapidly (even if you control any desires to eat more).
I put on over 40lbs in relatively was not that long a period (far quicker than natural weight gain). So instead of the threat of cancer and heart disease from smoking, people risk cancer and heart disease from the obesity that giving it up can cause. Of course the health establishment (in the UK at least) don't mention that but still browbeat people over obesity just as they browbeat them over getting more exercise whilst selling off and building on all the school fields. It would be nice for once if the health industry actually came up with real solutions or at least were totally transparent before starting their scare campaigns (especially ones that last 50 years).
That said its is a lot easier to give that up than sticking to the fasting diet I'm now on to get rid of that weight and facilitate the hip surgery I need. The irony is if I'd kept smoking I doubt I'd have needed hip surgery at my tender age. Now if I'd known the full consequences of giving up, I may have approached it differently ......
However by giving up smoking at least I've reduced one risk to my health.....
So what you win on the roundabouts you lose on the swings...
PS And don't think I take the threat of cancer from smoking lightly. I provided palliative care for my mother.
And now I'll jump off my hobby horse.....
Loved smoking. Plan to take it up again if I make it to 80. Along with extreme sports and unprotected sex.
ReplyDeleteStarted smoking cigarettes when I was 10, but gave them up at 13. I am 63 and have had no interest in smoking a cigarette in 50 years.
ReplyDeleteIn 7th grade, eager to catch any buzz we could, my friends and I discovered snuff tobacco and used to insufflate large quantities at school resulting in lots of brown snot running down our noses. Then in 11th or 12th grade I used to smoke a clove cigarette or two with one of my punk friends after school but fortunately that was short-lived. I wouldn't mind smoking a pipe in an easy chair with slippers and smoking jacket though with my dog curled at my feet and cocktail at my side -- every man's dream!
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