Wes Montgomery
Few musicians in jazz history were more innovative, or more unassuming, than guitar legend Wes Montgomery (1923-68). He dispensed with the plectrum and developed an incredible thumb-picking style, played octave and chordal passages with the fluency and nuance of single lines, and organized these astounding techniques in solos of daring detail and sustained shape. Yet Montgomery modestly saw himself as a provider for his large family, a man who turned out entertaining music that just happened to redefine the possibilities of the jazz guitar. Wes was the second of three musician brothers from Indianapolis, and the last to make his name nationally. He had briefly worked under his given name John Leslie Montgomery with Lionel Hampton from 1948-50; but then he returned home, to raise his family, work a day job as a welder, and develop his revolutionary style in one and sometimes two gigs a night at clubs like the Turf Bar and the Missile Room. His brothers, electric bass innovator Monk and vibist/pianist Buddy, had moved to San Francisco and were enjoying success as half of the Mastersounds when Wes, still working organ gigs at home, joined them on several late-Fifties recording sessions. It was word of mouth from musicians like Cannonball Adderley and Gunther Schuller, who passed through Indianapolis and were knocked out by this local legend, that created a groundswell of interest in the guitarist among the New York opinion-makers and led to his Riverside recording contract in 1959. The rest, which was all too brief given his unexpected death from a heart attack nine years later, was guitar and jazz history. He was an immediate success with critics, who were prepared to top any superlatives awarded him in album titles; became the model for an entire new generation of guitarists (as well as some established players who recognized the shape of guitar to come); and found himself just as eagerly celebrated by the general public, who heard a warmth and emotional directness in Montgomery's music that made questions of progress and influence secondary. For a time, Montgomery retained the local trio featuring organist Mel Rhyne that was heard on his first recordings; but soon he would reunite with Monk and Buddy as the Montgomery Brothers. Despite studio partnerships with some of the greatest players of the era (including Adderley, Tommy Flanagan, Milt Jackson, and Jimmy Smith) as well as large orchestras, and a couple of immortal live recordings with Wynton Kelly, not to mention an invitation to join John Coltrane's band (then a sextet with Eric Dolphy) that was briefly accepted in 1961, most of Montgomery's remaining work was in bands with Rhyne or his brothers. As Montgomery moved to larger labels and more commercial projects, his popularity kept pace and his albums began to appear in the upper reaches of the pop charts. Yet his live performances still left musicians and jazz audiences speechless with his virtuosity, a situation that his slim but essential discography has continued without abatement in more than a quarter century since his untimely death. Bio courtesy of Concord Music Group
ALBUM
Una raccolta completa degli album di Wes Montgomery, dalle prime produzioni ai successi più recenti.
Wes Montgomery
The Complete Full House Recordings
Live At Tsubo, Berkeley, CA / June 25, 1962 / Remastered 2023
Wes Montgomery
Just Walkin'
Wes Montgomery
Down Here On The Ground
Wes Montgomery
Bumpin'
Expanded EditionJimmy Smith, Wes Montgomery
Further Adventures Of Jimmy And Wes
Wes Montgomery
Montgomeryland
Wes Montgomery, Wynton Kelly Trio
Smokin' At The Half Note
192kHz/24-bit
Wes Montgomery
Roots Of Acid Jazz
Wes Montgomery
Movin’: The Complete Verve Recordings
Reissue
Wes Montgomery
Best Of/20th Century
Wes Montgomery
Plays The Hits: Great Songs/Great Performances
ReissueWes Montgomery
California Dreaming
Wes Montgomery
Wes Montgomery's Finest Hour
Reissue
Wes Montgomery
Impressions: The Verve Jazz Sides
Wes Montgomery
Compact Jazz: Wes Montgomery Plays The Blues
ReissueWes Montgomery, Jimmy Smith
The Dynamic Duo
Reissue
Wes Montgomery
Ultimate Wes Montgomery
Reissue
Wes Montgomery
Willow Weep For Me
Wes Montgomery
Tequila
Expanded Edition
Wes Montgomery, Tommy Flanagan, Percy Heath
The Incredible Jazz Guitar
Keepnews Collection
Wes Montgomery
Wes Montgomery: Verve Ultimate Cool
Wes Montgomery
Riverside Profiles: Wes Montgomery
Wes Montgomery
Wes Montgomery Plays For Lovers
Wes Montgomery
Bumpin' On Sunset (Jazz Club)
Milt Jackson, Wes Montgomery
Bags Meets Wes
RemasteredWes Montgomery
The Alternative Wes Montgomery
Wes Montgomery
Full House
Remastered
Wes Montgomery
Incredible Jazz Guitar
RemasteredWes Montgomery
Boss Guitar
RemasteredWes Montgomery
Goin' Out Of My Head
Wes Montgomery
Movin' Wes
Wes Montgomery
Jazz Masters - Wes Montgomery
Wes Montgomery
Fingerpickin'
Wes Montgomery
Verve Jazz Masters 14
BIOGRAFIA
Few musicians in jazz history were more innovative, or more unassuming, than guitar legend Wes Montgomery (1923-68). He dispensed with the plectrum and developed an incredible thumb-picking style, played octave and chordal passages with the fluency and nuance of single lines, and organized these astounding techniques in solos of daring detail and sustained shape. Yet Montgomery modestly saw himself as a provider for his large family, a man who turned out entertaining music that just happened to redefine the possibilities of the jazz guitar.
Wes was the second of three musician brothers from Indianapolis, and the last to make his name nationally. He had briefly worked under his given name John Leslie Montgomery with Lionel Hampton from 1948-50; but then he returned home, to raise his family, work a day job as a welder, and develop his revolutionary style in one and sometimes two gigs a night at clubs like the Turf Bar and the Missile Room. His brothers, electric bass innovator Monk and vibist/pianist Buddy, had moved to San Francisco and were enjoying success as half of the Mastersounds when Wes, still working organ gigs at home, joined them on several late-Fifties recording sessions. It was word of mouth from musicians like Cannonball Adderley and Gunther Schuller, who passed through Indianapolis and were knocked out by this local legend, that created a groundswell of interest in the guitarist among the New York opinion-makers and led to his Riverside recording contract in 1959.
The rest, which was all too brief given his unexpected death from a heart attack nine years later, was guitar and jazz history. He was an immediate success with critics, who were prepared to top any superlatives awarded him in album titles; became the model for an entire new generation of guitarists (as well as some established players who recognized the shape of guitar to come); and found himself just as eagerly celebrated by the general public, who heard a warmth and emotional directness in Montgomery's music that made questions of progress and influence secondary. For a time, Montgomery retained the local trio featuring organist Mel Rhyne that was heard on his first recordings; but soon he would reunite with Monk and Buddy as the Montgomery Brothers. Despite studio partnerships with some of the greatest players of the era (including Adderley, Tommy Flanagan, Milt Jackson, and Jimmy Smith) as well as large orchestras, and a couple of immortal live recordings with Wynton Kelly, not to mention an invitation to join John Coltrane's band (then a sextet with Eric Dolphy) that was briefly accepted in 1961, most of Montgomery's remaining work was in bands with Rhyne or his brothers.
As Montgomery moved to larger labels and more commercial projects, his popularity kept pace and his albums began to appear in the upper reaches of the pop charts. Yet his live performances still left musicians and jazz audiences speechless with his virtuosity, a situation that his slim but essential discography has continued without abatement in more than a quarter century since his untimely death.
Bio courtesy of Concord Music Group
