The J.J. Johnson-Kai Winding quintet became one of the more unlikely successes of the mid-'50s, recording nine albums during their two years of steady collaborations. Their first Columbia LP (there would be five) has such likable songs as "Give Me the Simple Life," "Trombone for Two," "It's Sand Man," "Let's Get Away from It All" and "This Can't Be Love." With pianist Dick Katz, bassist Paul Chambers (who would soon join Miles Davis) and drummer Osie Johnson, the focus is almost entirely on the competitive but complementary trombonists. The results are bop-based but full of surprises, tasteful but not always predictable. All of this group's albums deserve to be reissued in coherent fashion on CD; this one will be hard to find. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist
1 The Whiffenpoof Song 3:16
Written-By – Pomeroy, Minnigerode, Galloway
2 Give Me The Simple Life 3:51
Written-By – H. Ruby, S. Bloom
3 Close As Pages In A Book 3:37
Written-By – D. Fields, S. Romberg
4 Turnabout 3:54
Written-By – J.J. Johnson
5 Trombone For Two 3:16
Written-By – Kai Winding
6 It's Sand, Man 3:57
Written-By – Edward Lewis
7 We Two 4:05
Written-By – J.J. Johnson
8 Let's Get Away From It All 2:53
Written-By – M. Dennis, T. Adair
9 Goodbye 2:46
Written-By – Gordon Jenkins
10 This Can't Be Love 4:06
Written-By – R. Rodgers-L. Hart
Bonus Tracks
11 You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To 3:24
Written-By – Cole Porter
12 Caribé 3:06
Bongos – Candido Camero
Written-By – Kai Winding
13 Happiness Is A Thing Called Joe 4:04
Written-By – E.Y. Harburg, H. Arlen
14 The Song Is You 3:55
Written-By – J. Kern-O. Hammerstein
15 In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning 4:09
Written-By – I. James, J.M. Elliot
16 Tromboniums In Motion 3:34
Written-By – J.J. Johnson
17 How High The Moon 2:33
Written-By – W. Lewis, N. Hamilton
18 Violets For Your Furs 4:20
Written-By – M. Dennis, T. Adair
19 Too Close For Comfort 3:26
Written-By – Weiss, Bock, Holofcener
20 'S Wonderful 3:08
Written-By – G. Gershwin-I. Gershwin
Credits
Bass – Bill Crow (tracks: 16 to 20), Milt Hinton (tracks: 11 to 15), Paul Chambers (tracks: 1 to 10)
Drums – Kenny Clarke (tracks: 16 to 20), Osie Johnson (tracks: 1 to 10), Shadow Wilson (tracks: 11 to 15)
Piano – Dick Katz (tracks: 1 to 10)
Trombone, Arranged By – J.J. Johnson (tracks: 3, 4, 7, 10, 16 to 20),
Kai Winding (tracks: 1, 2, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11 to 15)
Notes
Recorded at Columbia 30th Street Studio on June 23, 1955 (#2, 5, 7, 8 & 10), June 24, 1955 (#1, 3, 4, 6 & 9), November 17, 1955 (#11-15) and July 18, 1956 (#16-20).
Tracks 1-10 originally issued on J.J. Johnson And Kai Winding - Trombone For Two (Columbia CL 742).
Tracks 11-20 originally issued on J. J. Johnson And Kai Winding - Jay And Kai (Columbia CL 973).
Barcode and Other Identifiers
J.J. JOHNSON / KAI WINDING - Trombone For Two
[1956] Mosaic Records / CBR320 / scan
