Wynton Kelly was a minister of jazz swing

He played jazz like he was sent here on a mission of swing. The piano turned into a groove-box machine under his fingers and at the mercy of his rhythmic swagger. A slight understatement gave his sound and accessibility for the listener. Maybe it was the foundation in music with deep roots in spirituality having been immersed in music of the church mixed artistically with head bopping R&B. He infused the direction and the story telling character of the blues into his ways with jazz and brought his sound and bounce to his playing with Miles Davis also played piano in the bands backing Dinah Washington.

Here’s a favorite quote about Kelly’s accompaniment style by Philly Joe Jones: “…Puts down flowers behind a soloist. He never wanted to steal in…” Kelly’s first name was taken to name non-other than Wynton Marsalis.

Sadly the pianist did not live past his 39th year, his life shortened by complications due in part to an epileptic seizure suffered when in Toronto on a gig in 1971, His mission of swing cut short, but cut with a groove.