The Wynton Kelly Trio team up with John Coltrane for performances of "Walkin'" and "The Theme."
The personnel is as follows: John Coltrane (alto sax), Wynton Kelly (piano), Paul Chambers (string bass), and Jimmy Cobb (drums).
Wynton Kelly was born on December 2, 1931 in Jamaica, but spent his career in the United States. He started playing the piano professionally as a teenager, initially as a member of R and B groups. After working with Lee Abrams, Cecil Payne, Dinah Washington and Dizzy Gillespie, he was a member of Miles Davis's Quintet from 1959 to 1963. He appears on Davis' seminal 1959 album Kind of Blue, replacing Bill Evans on the track "Freddie Freeloader". Kelly likewise appears on a single track from John Coltrane's Giant Steps, replacing Tommy Flanagan on "Naima." He is perhaps best known for working with Miles Davis.
Wynton recorded 14 titles for Blue Note in a trio (1951), and worked with Washington, Gillespie, and Lester Young during 1951-1952. After serving in the military, Kelly worked with Washington (1955–1957), Charles Mingus (1956–1957), and the Dizzy Gillespie Big Band (1957), but he would be most famous for his stint with Miles Davis (1959–1963), recording such albums with him as Kind of Blue, At the Blackhawk, and Someday My Prince Will Come. When he left Davis, Kelly took the rest of the rhythm section (bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Jimmy Cobb) with him to form his trio. He is perhaps best known for his work with Miles Davis.
*Wynton Kelly died in Toronto, Canada, from an epileptic seizure on April 12, 1971.
