Wynton Kelly – On Green Dolphin Street

Now a staple part of the standard repertoire, “On Green Dolphin Street” was
originally written for a film by the same name in 1947. Gaining little commercial success
outside of this context, it was not until the late 1950’s that the tune would be popularized by
jazz artists like Ahmad Jamal, Miles Davis, Bill Evans and Wynton Kelly.

The version that I will be referring to throughout this essay is Wynton Kelly’s
recording from the album Kelly Blue. Recorded in New York on the 10th of March 1959 for
Riverside Records, “On Green Dolphin Street” is the third track on this studio album and
features Kelly’s trio, consisting of Kelly (piano), Paul Chambers (bass) and Jimmy Cobb
(drums). Other musicians on the record include Nat Adderley (cornet), Bobby Jaspar (flute)
and Benny Golson (tenor saxophone).

Widely recognized by his fellow musicians for his fine piano playing Kelly’s career
was spent primarily as an accompanist. This album was Kelly’s third recording as a band
leader and would come at a time where he had begun to gain more public recognition,
primarily through his work with Miles Davis’ band. Originally influenced by artists like Bud
Powell and Art Tatum this album would be used as a vehicle to “display to the fullest
Wynton’s notable blues feeling”.

Kelly was born on the 2nd of December 1931. His family moved from Jamaica to
Brooklyn, New York where Kelly was raised and began to play the piano at the age of 4.
Kelly’s formal musical education would be based around his time spent at the High School of
Music & Art and the Metropolitan Vocational High School in New York but without access
to a piano Kelly found himself playing bass and studying music theory.

Kelly’s professional career would begin in 1943 where he would be immersed in the
R&B scene as a piano accompanist. Quickly gaining acknowledgement from his fellow
musicians Kelly spent his teens performing and recording with combos. In 1951 he was hired
to accompany Dinah Washington and would begin to gain more recognition within the jazz
scene. This would lead to his first recording as a band leader for Blue Note Records in the
same year at the age of 19. Kelly would further establish himself in the world of jazz as he
began to play in bands alongside Lester Young and Dizzy Gillespie throughout 1952.
 Just as Kelly’s career was gaining more serious momentum and his talent becoming
more widely recognized, he was drafted into the US army where he would spend the next two
years. While drafted however Kelly managed to continue playing and on his return in 1954,
he would rejoin Washington and Gillespie’s bands. Throughout the 1950’s Kelly was in high
demand and played alongside many extremely talented and well-respected musicians
including Coleman Hawkins, Charles Mingus, Billie Holiday, Art Blakey, John Coltrane,
Sonny Rollins, Stan Getz, Art Pepper and Hank Mobley to name a shortlist.

The peak of Kelly’s career would culminate as he began to work with Miles Davis in
January of 1959. He replaced Red Garland as Miles’ regular pianist after sitting in on a
session that Garland had arrived late to. Kelly recorded on studio albums; Someday My
Prince Will Come and two tracks on Kind of Blue as well as multiple live recordings. It was
through his time working with this ensemble that the foundations between the rhythm section
would be established and lead to Kelly’s trio recordings with Chambers and Cobb who were
also members of Miles’ band.

Kelly Blue is an exceptional example of the individual and collective talent that the
members of this trio possessed. The music exudes a sense of intimacy and connection that
only occurs with deep familiarity and experience playing together. Although at times this
may appear to be subtle it can be found clearly in the sense of time and feel as well as the
dialogue and interaction between the musicians, often during solo sections.

Paul Chambers and Jimmy Cobb were both extremely accomplished musicians in
their own rite. Chambers was one of the most sought-after bass players during the mid-1950s
to 60s. He has featured on a remarkable amount of classic jazz recordings and as a result has
had a far-reaching impact on the music. He was recognized as both an innovative soloist and
superb technician. Jimmy Cobb’s distinguished but often understated career spanned across
decades from the 1949 right up until the end of his life in May 2020. During this time, he
played with a long list of exceptionally talented musicians and was widely recognized as an
extremely talented drummer and educator.

In 1963 Kelly separated from Miles’ band along with Chambers and Cobb and began
touring and recording together as a trio as well as collaborating with and accompanying other
artists, most notably Wes Montgomery. The trio finally disbanded after Chambers death in
1969, this was sadly soon followed by Kelly’s passing in 1971.
 Kelly’s solo on this recording is bursting with energy and emotion. The language is a
mixture of blues and bebop vocabulary executed with phenomenal expression. His
articulation, dynamic control and use of grace notes allow the melodic content of his playing
to ring out clearly giving every note its own character. The solo features great pacing, use of
motifs and call and response, this is also particularly noticeable in his use of comping patterns
which give his phrasing a constant forward momentum. These factors combine to create a
consistent sense of tension and release. Kelly also incorporates the use of block chords
towards the end of his solo to harmonize his melodic lines and resolve the climactic energy
which can be noted as a common feature of his playing.

It has been surprising to me that Kelly is not more widely recognized for his contributions as
not only an accompanist but as a talented soloist and influential figure on more modern
artists, this recording is the perfect example of the remarkable talent Wynton Kelly and his
trio possessed.