category: instrumental jazz / easy listening

Album review:
Originally released on Roulette Jazz, two 1960's albums by this virtuoso guitarist are issued on CD for he first time: "The Sound of the Johnny Smith Guitar" (tracks 1-10) with Hank Jones, George Duvivier and Ed Shaughnessy and Smith's "Plus The Trio" (tracks 11-20) with his regular group. Famous for his version of "Moonlight In Vermont" with Stan Getz and as the composer of the Ventures hit "Walk, Don't Run," Smith has become an important guiter hero as well as a solid, respected artist.

CD Track Listing

  1. Come Rain Or Come Shine (Arlen / Mercer) (4:42)
  2. Gypsy In My Soul (Boland / Jaffe) (3:17)
  3. Embraceable You (George & Ira Gershwin) (4:51)
  4. Misty (Garner / Burke) (5:26)
  5. As Long As There's Music (Styne / Cahn) (4:02)
  6. 'Round Midnight (Thelonious Monk) (4:26)
  7. This Can't Be Love (Rodgers / Hart) (3:18)
  8. Blues Chorale (John LaPorta) (3:54)
  9. Prelude (trad. arr. Johnny Smith) (1:24)
10. I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good) (Ellington / Webster) (2:39)
11. Let's Fall In Love (Arlen / Koehler) (2:17)
12. I Can't Get Started (Duke / Gershwin) (4:56)
13. Some Of These Days (Shelton Brooks) (2;26)
14. You Took Advantage Of Me (Rodgers / Hart) (2:08)
15. Over The Rainbow (Arlen / Harburg) (2:26)
16. Out Of Nowhere (Green / Heyman) (3:34)
17. Prelude To A Kiss (Duke Ellington) (3:30)
18. Un Poco Loco (Bud Powell) (3:30)
19. Hippo The Sentimental Hippy (Roumanis / Messner) (2:58)
20. It's You Or No One (Styne / Cahn) (2:56)

Total timing: 64:40

Label/No: EMI / Roulette 31792

Release date: (c)1960, (c)1961, 2004 reissue