A wonderful trombone collaboration gets an audiophile vinyl upgrade.
The Great Kai & J.J. – Brand New, Swinging Together Again – Impulse! STEREO A-1 (1961)/Verve/Universal Music 602475207757 Acoustic Sounds Series 180-gram vinyl, 42:12 ****1/2:
(Kai Winding – trombone; J.J. Johnson – trombone; Bill Evans – piano; Paul Chambers – double bass; Tommy Williams – double bass; Roy Haynes – drums; Art Taylor – drums)
UMe’s Acoustic Sounds Series has launched an ambitious schedule for 2025, featuring several vinyl LPs, mastered from original analog tapes and pressed on 180-gram vinyl. Prior releases showcased artists like Ben Webster, Billie Holiday, Chet Baker, Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone, Sonny Rollins, Bill Evans and others. One of the current releases is The Great Kai & J.J., which was an early milestone of Impulse Records. Kai Winding and J.J. Johnson are widely considered to be among the best trombonists in the annals of jazz. This album was a “reunion” of the two and included an all-star cadre of session musicians (Bill Evans, Paul Chambers, Tommy Williams, Roy Haynes and Art Taylor).
This is a trombone fan’s dream with the quintet taking on 11 tracks in a concise 42 minutes. Side A opens with Steve Allen’s finger-snapping ditty, “This Could Be The Start Of Something Big”. Haynes establishes a propulsive tempo as the two horns play in unison and harmony with Evans and Chambers in support. Kai and J.J. alternate solos and then Evans contributes a brief run as the group executes nimble chord changes. The counterpoint on the first verse of Hoagy Carmichael’s iconic, “Georgia On My Mind” is exquisite. They capture the Americana soul of this song. Both trombone solos are soulful. Evans establishes a bluesy hard-bop groove to introduce “Blue Monk” and the euphonic interplay between Winding and Johnson is compelling. The quintet eases into a relaxed groove as both soloists inject precision into their runs. Again the gentle harmony on the verse is very effective. The quintet (this time with Williams and Taylor) lays down hard bop medium swing (“Judy”). Evans solos with sprightly right-hand notation and expanded chords. The sultry melancholy of “Alone Together” is translated in another counterpoint with the trombones. Picking up the pace, “Side By Side” has a loping resonance with more inspired back to back soloing.
Each of the arrangements is meticulous. “I Concentrate On You” is muscular and showcases both standard and muted trombones. Bill Evans has his finest (albeit short) solo, before turning it over to the harmonizing duo. The theme from the film “Picnic” has always had instrumental gravitas (originally folded in a medley with “Moonglow”). Again the procession of soloing (Winding, Johnson, Evans) is both evocative and attention-grabbing. Winding and Johnson bring different perspectives to the melodic interpretation. J.J.’s original number “Trixie” glides along in a breezy waltz-time signature, offering another texture. Johnson’s first solo is agile and expressive. A Winding-penned jam, “Going, Going, Gong!” approximates a down ’n’ dirty hard bop tempo with modulating key changes. The finale (“Just For A Thrill”) is vintage relaxed New Orleans (Louis Armstrong) jam with Winding on lead and Johnson on mute.
Kudos to Acoustic Sounds for re-issuing this piece of jazz history. The sound mix is balanced and captures the unique tonality of both trombonists. This vinyl pressing is superior with negligible surface noise, hisses or pops. There are incisive liner notes by Dick Katz, and the hi-gloss gatefold packaging is top-notch. The Great Kai & J.J. is a valuable addition to any jazz library.
Highly recommended!
—Robbie Gerson
The Great Kai & J.J. – Brand New, Swinging Together Again
TrackList:
Side A
1. This Could Be The Start Of Something Big
2. Georgia On My Mind
3. Blue Monk
4. Judy
5. Alone Together
6. Side By Side
Side B
1. I Concentrate On You
2. Theme From Picnic
3. Trixie
4. Going, Going, Gong!
5. Just For A Thrill
