Moonlight in Vermont (album) - Songs

Songs

Most notable among the album's songs is the title track, "Moonlight in Vermont", a rendition of a John Blackburn and Karl Suessdorf standard. According to Getz biographer Dave Gelly, the song became an "unexpected hit", an unusual occurrence in jazz music, remaining on the charts for months. It was for this rendition that Smith earned the title "King of Cool Jazz Guitar." "Moonlight in Vermont" was Smith's breakthrough song, launching him into public awareness. It also increased the profile of Getz and resulted in his receiving a contract from renowned jazz producer Norman Granz.

The song is noted for its guitar virtuosity. The New York Times noted that Smith's arpeggio on the song "went from the lowest to the highest reaches of the guitar, all in one fluid movement." Echo and Twang characterized it as "complete with Smith's clear, reverb-tinged sound, his fleet-fingered but relaxed three-octave runs, and above all his lush, close-voiced, chord melody style." Guitar World described it as "a perfect illustration of mastery of the guitar's subtle inner-string voicings".

According to Guitar World, the rendition was influential, becoming "the template for every guitarist to come". Smith's performance of the song was a favorite of guitarist Eddie Cochran and first turned Herbie Hancock on to jazz. James Sallis indicates that "he mood of this ballad has never been more subtly captured."

Also of note on the track list is the song "Jaguar", described by Guitar World as Smith's "signature song". The book Masters of Guitar singles out the "up-tempo Smith original" as among the album's "many gems". Several other tracks were singled out in The Electric Guitar: A History of an American Icon, by A. J. Millard, who theorized that Smith's playing style was influenced by his history as a trumpeter and his experiences in the NBC Studio Orchestra, which required extensive sight reading. According to Millard, in "Moonlight in Vermont" and "Tenderly", Smith's chord melodies resemble piano, while in "Sometimes I'm Happy" and "Tabú" the guitar becomes hornlike at midrange, with the electric guitar resembling a saxophone overall.