WYNTON KELLY
Someday My Prince Will Come (Vee Jay)
Reviewed by Ron Saranich

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Someday my Prince Will Come was recorded in 1961 when pianist Wynton Kelly was still with Miles Davis, then reissued last year. Featuring standards and originals (Kelly wrote three tunes), this session found Kelly at the top of his profession. His skill as both an soloist and accompanist was the equal to anyone playing at that time. Utilizing single notes and a light touch on the keys, Kelly simply grabbed the listener's attention and refused to let go. Joined by his incomparable Davis bandmates Paul Chambers on bass and Jimmy Cobb on drums, Kelly pursued his Jazz vision with passionate intensity, surprising warmth, and amazing versatility. The trio was expanded to a quintet for one song, the sparkling "Wrinkles", when Lee Morgan sat in on trumpet, and Wayne Shorter played tenor sax. Here Kelly displayed all his considerable talent, driving the group with his comping while cooking during his solo. The horn players sound sufficiently inspired, blistering through their own solos.

Kelly, a true great on the piano, only lived to be forty. However, during his too-short career, he played on several of the seminal sessions in the history of Jazz, plus released some classic material under his own leadership. Someday My Prince Will Come is at the top of the Kelly Discography. After the first four songs on this recording, you should be a Wynton Kelly fan for life.

Play List:

Someday My Prince Will Come; Gone With The Wind; Autumn Leaves; Come Rain Or Come Shine; Weird Lullaby; Sassy; Wrinkles; On Stage; Char's Blues; Love; I've Found You.

© 2001 - Ron Saranich