‘Jimmy & Wes (The Dynamic Duo)’ Reissued As Part Of Verve Vault
Produced by Creed Taylor and arranged by Oliver Nelson, the album brought together two artists in an expansive big band setting.
Jimmy & Wes (The Dynamic Duo), originally released in 1966 on Verve Records, captures the only full-length studio collaboration between Hammond B3 organist Jimmy Smith and guitarist Wes Montgomery. The album will be reissued on all-analog 180-gram vinyl on November 14, 2025, as part of the newly launched Verve Vault Series.
Produced by Creed Taylor and arranged by Oliver Nelson, Jimmy & Wes brought together two of jazz’s most distinctive voices in an expansive big band setting. Recorded over three days in September 1966 at Rudy Van Gelder’s Englewood Cliffs studio, the sessions featured a brass- and reed-heavy ensemble and a top-tier rhythm section with drummer Grady Tate and bassist Richard Davis. Montgomery’s melodic guitar lines and Smith’s fiery organ grooves find a vibrant setting in Nelson’s tight, punchy arrangements — rich in harmonic color and rhythmic drive.
The program blends originals and standards, including Smith’s bluesy “James and Wes” and a reimagined “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” transformed into a simmering, minor-key vamp. Nelson’s orchestrations give the album cinematic sweep without sacrificing the interplay between its stars. The result is a rare meeting of two jazz giants, captured during a period of broad popular success, with the added presence of one of the era’s most accomplished arrangers.
The Verve Vault Series presents all-analog 180-gram vinyl reissues of essential albums from the Verve, Impulse!, Mercury, and associated catalogs. Mastered by Ryan K. Smith from the original analog tapes and pressed at Optimal, each release combines exceptional audio fidelity with meticulous attention to detail — from mastering to jacket reproduction. The series highlights both iconic titles and overlooked gems from the 1950s through the 1970s. Previous releases include Sonny Side Up by Dizzy Gillespie and The Composer of Desafinado Plays by Antonio Carlos Jobim, both released October 10, 2025.
