Wes Montgomery & The Wynton Kelly Trio - The Unissued 1965 Half Note Broadcasts

Styles: Guitar And Piano Jazz
Year: 1965
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:25
Size: 145,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:11) 1. Impressions
(3:34) 2. Mi Cosa [unaccompanied guitar]
(5:45) 3. Blues #1
(5:41) 4. Birks' Works
(6:46) 5. Laura
(8:42) 6. Cariba
(3:04) 7. Blues #2
(8:07) 8. Four On Six
(1:26) 9. Blues #3 / Closing Announcements
(6:43) 10. All The Things You Are
(7:21) 11. I Remember You

It never ceases to amaze what previously unheard recordings suddenly pop up. Take this pair of Station WABC Portraits In Jazz broadcasts which predate this lineup's must-have Smokin' At The Half Note taped by the same personnel (except for Carter and Ridley subbing for Paul Chambers). These half-hour broadcasts are presented replete with announcements thereby giving the proceedings a sense of immediacy.

The CD opens with Coltrane's ‘Impressions’ during which Wes runs through his entire bag of tricks with the kind of ease that one has come to expect. An unaccompanied ‘Mi Cosa’ follows before a further nine selections that take in three variations of the blues, a couple more originals (‘Cariba’ and ‘Four On Six’) a look at Dizzy's ‘Birk's Works’ and a trio of standards of which ‘Laura’ is the highlight, are done and dusted.

While Wes is in command of a truly remarkable technique he never grandstands or allows things to get out of control, even when during ‘Four On Six’ he offers up complex runs that other guitarists can only aspire to but seldom manage to replicate. The only drawback is that on some performances Wynton Kelly's is under-recorded, apart from that it's Wes close to his best.
https://www.jazzwise.com/review/wes-montgomery-and-the-wynton-kelly-trio-the-unissued-1965-half-note-broadcasts

The Unissued Half Note Broadcasts

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Jimmy Smith - Talkin' Verve: Roots Of Acid Jazz

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:06
Size: 169,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:49)  1. Blues 3+1
(6:24)  2. Ode To Billie Joe
(2:16)  3. The Organ Grinder's Swing
(3:21)  4. The Ape Woman
(4:26)  5. Satisfaction
(6:42)  6. Funky Broadway
(8:42)  7. Mellow Mood
(3:57)  8. Burning Spear
(5:31)  9. One Mint Julep
(4:46) 10. Hobo Flats
(4:15) 11. Groove Drops
(5:27) 12. TNT
(4:46) 13. Blues In The Night
(7:40) 14. The Sermon

Designed to appeal to hip-hop and acid jazz fans, not jazz purists, Talkin' Verve: Roots of Acid Jazz collects 14 tracks Jimmy Smith cut for Verve during the late '60s. Comprised of pop covers and funky workouts, the music is "jazzy," not jazz there's little improvisation on the record, but there is a lot of hot vamping, with Smith creating dense, funky chord clusters and bluesy leads. 

It's music that is devoted to the groove, and while a few of these cuts fall flat "Ode to Billie Joe" has no funk in it, no matter how hard you try but for the most part Talkin' Verve is soulful fun. Not much of this sounds like acid jazz, especially since the rhythms are a little stiff, but it's enjoyable lite funk, and it's more palatable in the compilation than it is on their original albums. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine https://www.allmusic.com/album/talkin-verve-roots-of-acid-jazz-mw0000646824

Personnel:  James Oscar "Jimmy" Smith - vocals, organ; Johnny Pate, Oliver Nelson, Lalo Schifrin - arranger, conductor; Jerry Dodgion - alto saxophone, reeds; George Dorsey - alto saxophone; Budd Johnson, Zoot Sims - tenor saxophone; Marvin Halladay - baritone saxophone; Snooky Young - trumpet, flugelhorn; Jimmy Maxwell, Joe Newman, Clark Terry – trumpet; Bill Berry – flugelhorn; Wayne Andre, Bernie Powell, Billy Byers, Ernie Tack, Quentin Jackson, Urbie Green – trombone; Paul Faulise - bass trombone; Donald Corrado, Earl Chapin, Bill Correa - French horn; Don Butterfield – tuba;  Jerome Richardson, Plas Johnson – reeds; Billy Butler, Kenny Burrell, Thornell Schwartz, Wes Montgomery, Bill Suyker – guitar; Bob Bushnell, Ben Tucker, Carol Kaye – bass; Donald Dean, Grady Tate, Herbie Lovelle, Bernard "Pretty" Purdie, Larry Bunker, Mel Lewis, Bill Rodriguez – drums; Victor Pantoja, Ray Barretto – congas; George Devens, Bobby Rosengarden, Phil Kraus - percussion

Talkin' Verve: Roots Of Acid Jazz

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Wes Montgomery - Willow Weep For Me

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1965
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:54
Size: 99,5 MB
Art: Front

(7:45)  1. Willow Weep For Me
(5:06)  2. Impressions
(2:47)  3. Portrait Of Jenny
(5:26)  4. The Surrey With The Fringe On Top
(5:29)  5. Oh, You Crazy Moon
(9:33)  6. Four On Six - Live
(6:45)  7. Misty

Shortly after Wes Montgomery's shockingly early death, Verve rummaged around in the vaults and came up with some additional tapes from the live Smokin' at the Half Note sessions with the Kind of Blue rhythm section, Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers, and Jimmy Cobb. And then after-the-fact producer Esmond Edwards did a controversial thing he commissioned Claus Ogerman, the arranger on Tequila, to overdub wind and brass arrangements on four tracks: the title tune, "Portrait of Jennie," "Oh! You Crazy Moon," and "Misty." The critics promptly pounced on Verve, NARAS responded by giving the album a Grammy, and the whole issue became moot when subsequent reissues of the four tracks erased the new backing charts. Yet on the whole, Ogerman did a good job; his arrangements are subtle and, in the case of the title track, swinging, with the flutes adding effective responses within Montgomery's statements of the theme. "Impressions," oddly enough, was left alone perhaps due to its lightning tempo and this classic solo has since been reissued many times as the prime example of Montgomery in his Verve period. "Surrey with the Fringe on Top" and an alternate take of "Four on Six" (with a bad edit cutting off Kelly's solo in mid-flight) are also free of orchestrations. 

In any case, what you will hear, bathed in winds or not, is prime, mature Wes Montgomery stretching out in full, with unbelievable confidence in his ear and technique at all times, experimenting now and then with mild electronic effects devices. The sound is oddly dim and shallow on the LP, which is surprising since the Smokln' album sounded so good. ~ Richard S.Ginell https://www.allmusic.com/album/willow-weep-for-me-mw0000215764

Personnel:  Wes Montgomery – guitar; Wynton Kelly – piano;  Paul Chambers – bass;  Jimmy Cobb – drums

Willow Weep For Me

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Wes Montgomery - Complete Live In Paris 1965

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1965
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 103:02
Size: 236,2 MB
Art: Front

( 6:26)  1. Four On Six
(13:35)  2. Twisted Blues
(10:05)  3. Impressions
(11:04)  4. To When
(12:32)  5. Jingles
( 6:46)  6. The Girl Next Door
( 8:29)  7. Here's That Rainy Day
( 9:30)  8. Round About Midnight
(10:59)  9. Full House
(13:32) 10. Blue And Boogie/West Coast Blues

Wes Montgomery’s 1965 concert at the Théâtre des Champs Elysées in Paris is one of the greatest live dates ever recorded from the decade. Here, Montgomery, pianist Harold Mabern, drummer Jimmy Lovelace, bassist Arthur Harper, and saxophonist Johnny Griffin who guested on three selections at the end of the gig tore the City of Light apart with an elegant yet raw and immediate jazz of incomparable musicianship and communication. Montgomery was literally on fire and Mabern has never, ever been heard better on record. From the opening bars of “Four on Six,” Montgomery is playing full-on, doing a long solo entirely based on chord voicings that is as stellar as any plectrum solo he ever recorded. Mabern’s ostinato and legato phrasing is not only blinding in speed, but completely gorgeous in its melodic counterpoint. And while the bop and hard bop phrasing here is in abundance, Montgomery does not leave the funk behind. It’s as if he never played with George Shearing, so aggressive is his playing here. Nowhere is this more evident than in the tonal inquiry that goes on in the band’s read of John Coltrane’s “Impressions,” in which the entire harmonic palette is required by Montgomery’s series of staggered intervals and architectural peaks in the restructuring of the head. Likewise, in Griffin Montgomery finds a worthy foil on “‘Round Midnight” and the medley of “Blue and Boogie/West Coast Blues.” Montgomery assumes the contrapuntal role as Mabern floods the bottom with rich, bright chords and killer vamps in the choruses. Highly recommended. ~ Thom Jurek

Personnel:  Wes Montgomery (guitar); Harold Mabern (piano);  Arthur Harper  (contrabass);  Jimmy Lovelace (drums).

Complete Live In Paris 1965

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Wynton Kelly Trio & Wes Montgomery - Smokin’ In Seattle: Live At The Penthouse

Styles: Piano And Guitar Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:06
Size: 125,7 MB
Art: Front

(8:19)  1. There Is No Greater Love
(6:32)  2. Not A Tear
(4:32)  3. Jingles
(4:51)  4. What's New?
(2:47)  5. Blues In F
(8:39)  6. Sir John
(5:56)  7. If You Could See Me Now
(4:02)  8. West Coast Blues
(6:15)  9. O Morro Nao Tem Vez
(2:09) 10. Oleo

In his superb contribution to Bloomsbury Press' 33 & 1/3 series, Bitches Brew (2015), George Grella notes (emphasis mine):

"No style of art can remain static: irrelevance is just as much a risk as the inevitable decadence that comes from a style developing to its last measure. But fans, including critics, of particular movements of artists, tend to want what they love to stay the same, the regression is not to the mean but to an Edenic past that never actually existed."  Written with the present in mind, Grella's point is easily transmuted to any particular era one likes from any vantage point in the future. I favor acoustic, small group jazz made between 1945 and 1965, a predilection that continues 50 years later. The beauty of appreciation is that it can occur vertically and horizontally. Vertically, we can experience and appreciate the evolution of an art form from its genesis until the now. Anywhere along the way up we can stop and view the horizontal: everything occurring, on all sides, at a single point in time. This appreciation does not interfere with the vertical experience but does add to its breadth.

It is in this horizontal appreciation of jazz that previously unheard, archival performances are so important. They add depth to the perspective.  Such is the case with Wes Montgomery's Smokin' in Seattle: Live at the Penthouse (1966), with the Wynton Kelly Trio. In the mid-1960s, before rock music completely took over, Montgomery was considered something special. From our present vantage point looking back, Montgomery's Smokin' at the Half Note (Verve, 1965), also with Kelly's trio, is considered one of the finest live jazz recordings of any period. It would be only natural to want to experience more of this type of music from the period. This particular trio was also the rhythm section for Miles Davis' band between 1959 and 1963, with pianist Kelly, bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Jimmy Cobb. The significance of this rhythm section is that they were on-hand during the fertile, transformative period between Davis' two great quintets, anchoring the recording of Davis' greatest achievement, Kind of Blue (Columbia, 1959).

I always thought that the primary simpatico in this band existed between Kelly and Montgomery, but that is hardly fair considering the stature of all involved. But there was an emphatic connection between Kelly and Montgomery that tangibly adds to the music made here. Kelly was an old- school pianist, not unlike Red Garland; they both had great facility with block chords. Also, like Garland, Kelly possessed a great command of the blues and this permeated all of his playing. Montgomery shared these same abilities. Both had an economic ability reflected in their carefully considered solos. It is nice to have more examples of this musical cooperation in Smokin' in Seattle. This Resonance release features ten selections: four from the trio alone; and the remaining six with Montgomery. Kelly was a crack balladeer. He leads the trio through period-perfect performances of "There is No Greater Love" and "If You Could See Me Now." On the latter, his playing approaches the orchestral, full of warmth and triumph in the introduction and grace and majesty in the interior. Effortlessly, Kelly could harmonize without becoming abstract in his technical playing. That said, when it came to the blues roots the pianist shared with Montgomery, the two provide a masterclass of "thinking outside the box" on the guitarist's "Blues in F" and "West Coast Blues."

His Resonance release features ten selections: four from the trio alone; and the remaining six with Montgomery. Kelly was a crack balladeer. He leads the trio through period-perfect performances of "There is No Greater Love" and "If You Could See Me Now." On the latter, his playing approaches the orchestral, full of warmth and triumph in the introduction and grace and majesty in the interior. Effortlessly, Kelly could harmonize without becoming abstract in his technical playing. That said, when it came to the blues roots the pianist shared with Montgomery, the two provide a masterclass of "thinking outside the box" on the guitarist's "Blues in F" and "West Coast Blues." "Blues in F" is a bouncing jump blues dominated by Montgomery's single-string soloing; Montgomery's famous octave style is also displayed generously. At a brief 2:44, the song is faded out, ostensibly due to radio time constraints. "West Coast Blues" is a loping chorded blues that illustrates Kelly's interplay with Montgomery, readily following the guitarist's muscular lines in the head and then providing a propulsive push behind the guitarist's solo. ~ C.Michael Bailey https://www.allaboutjazz.com/smokin-in-seattle-live-at-the-penthouse-1966-by-c-michael-bailey.php

Personnel: Wes Montgomery: guitar; Wynton Kelly: piano; Ron McClure: bass; Jimmy Cobb: drums.

Smokin’ In Seattle: Live At The Penthouse

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Wes Montgomery - In Paris: The Definitive ORTF Recording

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 102:50
Size: 235,9 MB
Art: Front

( 6:35)  1. Four On Six
(10:03)  2. Impressions
( 6:44)  3. The Girl Next Door
( 8:31)  4. Here's That Rainy Day
(12:33)  5. Jingles
(11:09)  6. To Wane
(10:48)  7. Full House
( 9:26)  8. 'Round Midnight
(13:14)  9. Blue 'N Boogie / West Coast Blues
(13:42) 10. Twisted Blues

Zev Feldman has called Resonance Records, "The house Bill Evans and Wes Montgomery built." That may be hyperbolic, but the label has liberated from obscurity many previously unreleased or rarely heard performances by the two artists. Regarding Montgomery, Resonance has released four Montgomery recordings to date: Echoes of Indiana Avenue (Resonance, 2012); In The Beginning (Resonance, 2015); One Night in Indy (Resonance, 2016); and Smokin' in Seattle: Live At the Penthouse 1966 (Resonance, 2017). The label now adds a diamond pin to this crown in the form of the present In Paris The Definitive ORTF Recording. Afraid of flying, Montgomery made only a single trip to Europe, only after he was assured that the rest of the tour he would travel by train. On this tour, Montgomery appeared in Paris on March 27, 1965 at the Theatre Des Champs-Elysee. The concert was recorded, and the tapes retained by the National Audiovisual Institute of France (INA), a public institution overseeing the historic office of French Radio and Television (ORTF). This is Resonance Records second collaboration with the organization, the first being Larry Young's In Paris: The ORTF Recordings (Resonance Records, 2016). It is a hopeful sign that there is more of this great, previously unrelease music to come.

Disc one contains solid performances of Montgomery's "Four on Six" and "Jingles," as well as John Coltrane's "So What" contrafact "Impressions." This is the introspective part of the performance, Montgomery's articulation precise and emotive. All pieces receive a lengthy airing with compact support from his traveling trio of pianist Harold Mabern, bassist Arthur Harper, and drummer Jimmy Lovelace. If disc one is introspective, disc two is radioactively extroverted. Opening with Mabern's nod to tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter, "To Wane," Montgomery consumes his part at a relentless tempo. Then the show becomes all Montgomery, adding tenor saxophonist Johnny Griffin to reprise his performances of a sturdily -built "Full House" and "Blue 'N Boogie" from the previously recorded concert Full House (Riverside, 1962/2007). "'round Midnight was always a good vehicle for Montgomery, here sharing duties with Griffin and turning in a near iconic performance. 

The aforementioned "Blue 'N Boogie is coupled with Montgomery's "Kansas City Blues" creating an effective 12-bar bop juggernaut that leads to an equal length reading of Montgomery's "Twisted Blues." This particular concert has been bootlegged since the mid-1970s, typically with inferior sound quality. That almost justifies its existence as such because of Montgomery's brief corporeal and recording life. Resurrected with a brand-new shine on it, In Paris The Definitive ORTF Recording is not merely for Montgomery completists, but is as necessary as the live recordings Full House or Wynton Kelly Trio With Wes Montgomery  Smokin' At The Half Note (Verve, 1965) are to the Montgomery discography. ~ C.Michael Bailey https://www.allaboutjazz.com/in-paris-the-definitive-ortf-recording-wes-montgomery-resonance-records-review-by-c-michael-bailey.php

Personnel: Wes Montgomery: guitar; Harold Mabern: piano; Arthur Harper: bass; Jimmy Lovelace: drums; Johnny Griffin: tenor saxophone.

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In Paris: The Definitive ORTF Recording

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Wes Montgomery - Plays The Hits

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 26:01
Size: 59.6 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[2:11] 1. Goin' Out Of My Head
[3:20] 2. Tequila
[3:06] 3. California Dreaming
[2:18] 4. Windy
[2:53] 5. When A Man Loves A Woman
[4:48] 6. What The World Needs Now Is Love
[3:56] 7. Sunny
[3:25] 8. Yesterday

The Great Songs/Great Performances series by Verve is a new attempt to get prospective buyers interested in its vast jazz catalog, introducing them to large-scale hits by artists who appeared either on its label proper or on one of its licensees'. In the case of guitarist Wes Montgomery, Plays the Hits, it only takes eight tracks and just over 26 minutes. Montgomery is respected by jazz aficionados for his brilliant technique and soulfulness; many regard his '50s recordings for Riverside as his finest. The record-buying public didn’t see it that way. These tracks, all produced by Creed Taylor, are his versions of the rock, pop, and soul hits of the era, and each one landed as a charting single. Featured here are his own jazzy bossa recording of “Goin’ Out of My Head” (which echoed virtually all the vocal versions of the tune at the time); his signature takes on “California Dreamin’” (that literally defined soul-jazz as Verve interpreted it); the Association’s “Windy”; Bobby Hebb's “Sunny,” the Percy Sledge vehicle “When a Man Loves a Woman,” and the Beatles’ “Yesterday,” among others. Montgomery’s touch was light, breezy, full of groove -- if not swing -- and orchestrated by a team of pros. His voice ion the guitar was the sound of singing itself. All these cuts are heavily orchestrated but contain more soul than schmaltz, and the arrangements are terrific (the latter two cuts mentioned above were charted out by Don Sebesky). Any serious fan of Montgomery has this stuff many times over, but for the uninitiated, or those seeking some good-time, summery guitar grooves, the music can’t be beat -- especially at this price. ~Thom Jurek

Plays The Hits mc
Plays The Hits zippy

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Jon Hendricks - A Good Git-Together

Styles: Vocal

Year: 1959

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 38:00

Size: 89,3 MB

Art: Front

(1:03)  1. Everything Started In The House Of The Lord

(3:58)  2. Music In The Air

(3:50)  3. Feed Me

(2:22)  4. I'll Die Happy

(2:53)  5. Pretty Strange

(5:03)  6. The Shouter

(5:21)  7. Minor Catastrophe

(2:22)  8. Social Call

(4:55)  9. Out Of The Past

(3:41) 10. A Good Git-Together

(2:26) 11. I'm Gonna Shout (Everything Started In The House Of The Lord)

On various tracks, Jon Hendricks' first album as a leader, released in 1959, features such major sidemen as altoist Pony Poindexter, guitarist Wes Montgomery, and both Nat and Cannonball Adderley. Hendricks who was riding high in Lambert, Hendricks & Ross at the time is in superb form on such numbers as "I'm Gonna Shout (Everything Started in the House of the Lord)," a couple of songs that Hendricks had written for Louis Jordan, Randy Weston's "Pretty Strange," "Social Call," and the jubilant "A Good Git-Together." ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/a-good-git-together-mw0000551672

Personnel:  Jon Hendricks - vocal;  Ike Isaacs – double bass;  Monk Montgomery – bass;  Nat Adderley – cornet;  Walter Bolden – drums; Walter Tolgen – drums;  Wes Montgomery – guitar;  Gildo Mahones – piano;  Pony Poindexter – alto saxophone, vocals;  Cannonball Adderley – alto saxophone;  Bill Perkins – tambourine;  Buddy Montgomery – vibraphone

R.I.P.
Born: September 16, 1921
Died: November 22, 2017

A Good Git-Together

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Wes Montgomery - So Much Guitar!

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:31
Size: 179.8 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz, Bop
Year: 1961/2013
Art: Front

[5:35] 1. Twisted Blues
[3:41] 2. Cotton Tail
[5:28] 3. I Wish I Knew
[5:54] 4. I'm Just A Lucky So And So
[3:52] 5. Repetition
[4:45] 6. Something Like Bags
[2:16] 7. While We're Young
[7:42] 8. One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)
[4:07] 9. Jeannine
[6:52] 10. Snowfall
[6:28] 11. Angel Eyes
[2:29] 12. Barbados
[3:47] 13. This Love Of Mine
[4:31] 14. On Green Dolphin Street
[6:19] 15. You Don't Know What Love Is
[4:39] 16. Beaux Arts

Bass – Ron Carter; Congas – Ray Barretto; Drums – Lex Humphries; Guitar – Wes Montgomery; Piano – Hank Jones. Recorded in New York City; August 4, 1961.

One of Wes Montgomery's finest recordings, a Riverside date that showcases the influential guitarist in a quintet with pianist Hank Jones, bassist Ron Carter, drummer Lex Humphries, and the congas of Ray Barretto. All performances are memorable in their own way, with "Cottontail," "I'm Just a Lucky So and So," and a brief unaccompanied "While We're Young" being high points. ~Scott Yanow

So Much Guitar!

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Wes Montgomery Trio - A Dynamic New Sound: Guitar/Organ/Drums

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1959
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:44
Size: 94,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:57)  1. 'Round Midnight
(3:19)  2. Yesterdays
(3:18)  3. The End Of A Love Affair
(4:41)  4. Whisper Not
(2:59)  5. Ecaroh
(3:59)  6. Satin Doll
(6:03)  7. Missile Blues
(4:54)  8. Too Late Now
(5:30)  9. Jingles

While even label executive Orrin Keepnews admits that The Wes Montgomery Trio may have fallen short of representing Montgomery's talent, he still felt that this debut captured a large portion of it. Recorded on October 5 and 6 in 1959, guitarist Montgomery is joined by organist Melvin Rhyne and drummer Paul Parker. Montgomery's style, block chords and octaves, is already firmly in place, and he delivers lovely solos on "'Round Midnight," "Whisper Not," and "Satin Doll." The choice of material, in fact, from classics like "Yesterdays" to originals like Montgomery's "Jingles," never falters. The only drawback is that the accompaniment, which though solid, doesn't seem to perfectly match his guitar style. One gets the impression that Montgomery's forceful, deliberate style would be better-served by beefier arrangements. Having said this, Montgomery's performance coming at the end of a decade represented by guitarists like Tal Farlow and Barney Kessel must have been a revolution in technique and execution. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a 36-year-old guitarist re-imagines the jazz guitar solo. There are two bonus tracks on The Wes Montgomery Trio: extra takes of "Satin Doll" and "Missile Blues." Although later Riverside recordings of Montgomery are more fully realized, fans will enjoy returning to the moment when he first burst upon the jazz scene. ~ Ronnie D.Lankford https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-wes-montgomery-trio-mw0000649661

Personnel:  Wes Montgomery - Guitar;  Melvin Rhyne - Organ;  Paul Parker - Drums               

A Dynamic New Sound: Guitar/Organ/Drums

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Wes Montgomery - Full House

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1962
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 79:50
Size: 184,0 MB
Art: Front

(9:16)  1. Full House
(3:29)  2. I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face
(9:38)  3. Blue 'N' Boogie
(9:41)  4. Cariba (take2)
(6:57)  5. Come Rain Or Come Shine (take 2)
(5:04)  6. S.O.S. (take 3)
(8:28)  7. Cariba (take 1) (bonus track)
(7:22)  8. Come Rain Or Come Shine (take 1) (bonus track)
(4:49)  9. S.O.S. (take 2) (bonus track)
(7:27) 10. Born To Be Blue (take 1) (bonus track)
(7:35) 11. Born To Be Blue (take 2) (bonus track)

This live set is notable for teaming guitarist Wes Montgomery and the Wynton Kelly Trio (comprised of pianist Kelly, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Jimmy Cobb) with the fiery tenor of Johnny Griffin. 

As with the OJC release, six selections (highlighted by "Blue 'n' Boogie" and Montgomery's "S.O.S.") are augmented by "Born to Be Blue" and a pair of alternate takes. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/full-house-mw0000056997

Personnel:  Guitar – Wes Montgomery;  Bass – Paul Chambers;  Drums – Jimmy Cobb;  Piano – Wynton Kelly;  Tenor Saxophone – Johnny Griffin

Full House

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Milt Jackson and Wes Montgomery - Bags Meets Wes!

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 1961
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:07
Size: 141,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:17)  1. S. K. J.
(5:48)  2. Stablemates (Take 4)
(3:40)  3. Stairway To The Stars (Take 3)
(4:48)  4. Bluz Roz
(6:06)  5. Sam Sack
(6:56)  6. Jingles (Take 9)
(6:13)  7. Delilah (Take 4)
(5:17)  8. Stablemates (Take 2) (bonus track)
(3:47)  9. Stairway To The Stars (Take 2) (bonus track)
(6:53) 10. Jingles (Take 8) (bonus track)
(6:18) 11. Delilah (Take 3) (bonus track)

It’s unfair to blame Wes Montgomery for the soulless work of those who claim him as an influence; his trademark octave runs became a cash cow for the smooth jazz associated with the piped-in music of doctor’s offices and grocery stores. In reality, Montgomery was a much sought-after player by many; even Coltrane played with him for a time. Montgomery gives the impression that playing the guitar requires no less concentration than tying your shoes, fashioning a style admired (and imitated) by many. Milt Jackson, an amateur guitarist himself, reportedly leapt at the chance to play with him on this outing. Jackson seems to enjoy escaping the restrictive confines of the systematic Modern Jazz Quartet for some hard bop workouts, and the rhythm section is filled with perfect choices to achieve this goal. Nothing is taken at a tempo that would quicken the pulse, yet the metallic chime of the vibes is a perfect foil for the snap of Montgomery’s guitar. It’s surprising, given the title of the album, that the leaders are so generous with the spotlight, giving the rhythm section ample solo space; it would have been nice to hear Montgomery and Jackson really have a go at each other on some of the more spirited numbers. Nevertheless, they turn in a finer version of “Delilah” than Brown and Roach did, and “Stairway to the Stars” is simply beautiful. It’s not surprising that the mutual admiration provide an outing that is such a great listen. ~ David Rickert https://www.allaboutjazz.com/bags-meets-wes-milt-jackson-fantasy-jazz-review-by-david-rickert.php
 

Personnel:  Milt Jackson-vibes;  Wes Montgomery-guitar;  Wynton Kelly-piano;  Sam Jones-bass;  Philly Joe Jones-drums.

Bags Meets Wes!

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Wynton Kelly & Wes Montgomery - Smokin' at the Half Note

Styles: Guitar And Piano Jazz

Year: 1965

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 41:07

Size: 94,3 MB

Art: Front

(12:56)  1. No Blues

( 8:25)  2. If You Could See Me Now

( 6:46)  3. Unit 7

( 6:46)  4. Four on Six

( 6:12)  5. What's New?

Smokin' at the Half Note is essential listening for anyone who wants to hear why Montgomery's dynamic live shows were considered the pinnacle of his brilliant and incredibly influential guitar playing. Pat Metheny calls this "the absolute greatest jazz guitar album ever made," and with performances of this caliber ("Unit 7" boasts one of the greatest guitar solos ever recorded) his statement is easily validated. Montgomery never played with more drive and confidence, and he's supported every step of the way by a genuinely smokin' Wynton Kelly Trio. In 1998, Verve reissued the complete show on disc two of Impressions: The Verve Jazz Sides, although the scrambled track order and some non-essential cuts don't diminish the appeal of the original album.~Jim Smith http://www.allmusic.com/album/smokin-at-the-half-note-mw0000188578

Personnel: Wes Montgomery (guitar); Wynton Kelly (piano); Paul Chambers (bass); Jimmy Cobb (drums).

Smokin' at the Half Note/a>

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Wes Montgomery - The Incredible Jazz Guitar Of Wes Montgomery

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1960
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:03
Size: 101,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:26)  1. Airegin
(5:23)  2. D-Natural Blues
(4:44)  3. Polka Dots And Moonbeams
(6:15)  4. Four On Six
(7:25)  5. West Coast Blues
(4:54)  6. In Your Own Sweet Way
(4:33)  7. Mister Walker
(6:20)  8. Gone With The Wind

Ask a dozen jazz guitar fans for their all-time top guitar albums and The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery is likely to be high on every list. If it isn't, chances are Montgomery's live set Full House (Riverside, 1962), recorded two years later, will be. With these discs, Indianapolis-born Montgomery (1923-68) gave the guitar its biggest quantum leaps forward, both stylistically and in terms of listener acceptance, since Charlie Christian in the late 1930s/early 1940s and Johnny Smith in the 1950s. Full House got the 24-bit remastering treatment in 2007 as part of Riverside's Keepnews Collection series, supervised and annotated by label founder/producer Orrin Keepnews. Now The Incredible Jazz Guitar joins it.  Almost entirely self-taught (initially by immersing himself in Christian's recordings with clarinetist Benny Goodman's chamber groups), and unable to read a note of music, by 1959 when he was brought to Keepnews' attention by saxophonist Cannonball Adderley, who'd been gigging in Indianapolis Montgomery had developed a revolutionary new approach to the instrument. His style featured three signature elements: he played with his thumb, never a pick, and he improvised entire choruses using either octaves or pianistic block chords. None of these techniques were unique, but until Montgomery came along no other guitarist had mastered them so completely (let alone combined them) or made them so integral to sound and improvisation. An exception is Smith, whose Moonlight in Vermont (Roulette, 1953) and later albums featured extended passages of block chording as beautiful and fluid as Montgomery's.

The Incredible Jazz Guitar burst onto the US scene in 1960 like a benign hurricane, and it still sounds like a gale almost 50 years later. Over four bluesy originals, the standards "Polka Dots And Moonbeams" and "Gone With The Wind," Dave Brubeck's gorgeous "In Your Own Sweet Way" and a fast-paced reading of Sonny Rollins' "Airegin," Montgomery empathetically accompanied by pianist Tommy Flanagan, bassist Percy Heath (then riding high with the Modern Jazz Quartet), and drummer Albert Heath makes the guitar sound like it never had before. It has sounded similar since, of course, thanks to the legion of Montgomery-influenced players, but rarely so close to perfection. In his revealing new extended liner notes, Keepnews, born within a few days of Montgomery and at 85 a fluent anecdotal historian, paints a vivid portrait of Montgomery as a musician and as a private person. He expresses some regret that he was unable to give Montgomery the big mainstream audience he achieved with producer Creed Taylor on Verve and CTI 1964-68 (but is proud that Montgomery's Riverside recordings made no attempt at pop crossover) and some embarrassment over the lack of alternate takes or bonus tracks (the reissued Full House by contrast had both), recalling the many Riverside archive tape boxes he's come across with the original data crossed out and supplanted by something later. 

But he doesn't beat himself up about it, and nor should he. At 43:58 divine minutes, The Incredible Jazz Guitar endures, and will continue to do so.~Chris May http://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-incredible-jazz-guitar-of-wes-montgomery-wes-montgomery-riverside-review-by-chris-may.php

Personnel: Wes Montgomery: guitar; Tommy Flanagan: piano; Percy Heath: bass; Albert Heath: drums.

The Incredible Jazz Guitar Of Wes Montgomery   

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Wes Montgomery Feat. Eddie Higgins Trio - One Night In Indy

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1959
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:57
Size: 96,8 MB
Art: Front

(9:15)  1. Give Me The Simple Life
(5:53)  2. Prelude To A Kiss
(7:12)  3. Stompin' At The Savoy
(8:09)  4. Li'l Darlin
(8:35)  5. Ruby, My Dear
(2:51)  6. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To

Following the 2012 release of Resonance's archival set Echoes of Indiana Avenue, author, photo journalist, and private collector Duncan Schiedt approached the label to see if they'd be interested in releasing a live tape of Wes Montgomery he owned. It was a 1959 set where the guitarist sat in with the Eddie Higgins Trio, then featuring drummer Walter Perkins (and also an unknown bassist). Resonance arranged for the rights and released One Night in Indy in 2016. Montgomery's star was just beginning to rise he recorded two sessions for Riverside in 1958 and Higgins established himself as an attraction on the Chicago circuit but, at this time, they were essentially operating on the same level of stardom and, appropriately enough, this date showcases them equally, with Montgomery's rich runs nicely accentuating the elegance of Higgins. If the audio is a little rough at times the set was recorded on a homemade recorder in 1959, after all  the performances never are: even when the tempo starts cooking on "Stompin' at the Savoy," this music rolls easy and the appeal is that mellow yet lively interplay, as each leader seems to want nothing more than to play off of the other. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine  http://www.allmusic.com/album/one-night-in-indy-mw0002836451

Personnel:  Wes Montgomery – guitar;  Eddie Higgins – piano;  Walter Perkins - drums

One Night In Indy

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Nat Adderley - Work Song

Styles: Cornet Jazz
Year: 1960
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:07
Size: 90,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:15)  1. Work Song
(3:54)  2. Pretty Memory
(2:55)  3. I've Got A Crush On You
(5:01)  4. Mean To Me
(4:54)  5. Fallout
(4:28)  6. Sack Of Woe
(6:25)  7. My Heart Stood Still
(3:50)  8. Violets For Your Furs
(3:21)  9. Scrambled Eggs

Work Song is a near-classic by cornetist Nat Adderley. Adderley utilizes a cornet-cello-guitar front line with Sam Jones and Wes Montgomery, along with a top-notch rhythm section pianist including Bobby Timmons, Percy Heath, or Keter Betts on bass and drummer Louis Hayes. First up is a fine early performance of his greatest hit, "Work Song." He also helps introduce Cannonball Adderley's "Sack O' Woe." Four songs use a smaller group, with Timmons absent on "My Heart Stood Still," which finds Keter Betts on cello and Jones on bass; "Mean to Me" featuring Nat backed by Montgomery, Betts, and Hayes; and two ballads ("I've Got a Crush on You" and "Violets for Your Furs") interpreted by the Adderley-Montgomery-Jones trio. No matter the setting, Nat Adderley is heard throughout in peak form, playing quite lyrically. Highly recommended. 

~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/work-song-mw0000204076

Personnel: Nat Adderley (cornet); Wes Montgomery (guitar); Keter Betts, Sam Jones (cello, bass instrument); Bobby Timmons (piano); Percy Heath (bass instrument); Louis Hayes (drums).

Work Song

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Wes Montgomery - Boss Guitar

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 57:53

Size: 132.5 MB

Styles: Guitar jazz

Year: 2010

Art: Front

[6:27] 1. Besame Mucho

[4:47] 2. Dearly Beloved

[3:45] 3. Days Of Wine And Roses

[4:23] 4. The Trick Bag

[5:04] 5. Canadian Sunset

[6:42] 6. Fried Pies

[4:07] 7. The Breeze And I

[4:38] 8. For Heaven’s Sake

[6:22] 9. Besame Mucho (Take 2, Alternate) - Alternate Take

[5:01] 10. The Trick Bag (Take 6, Alternate) - Alternate Take

[6:32] 11. Fried Pies (Take 1) - Alternate Take

Before he moved away from straight-ahead jazz and starting playing what is now known as smooth jazz, Wes Montgomery was one of bop's finest guitarists. Montgomery's bop period ended much too soon, but thankfully, he recorded his share of rewarding bop albums when he was still bop-oriented -- and one of them is Boss Guitar, which Orrin Keepnews produced in 1963. It's a trio recording, employing Mel Rhyne on organ and Jimmy Cobb on performances that have held up well over time; Montgomery shows how expressive a ballad player he could be on the standards "For Heaven's Sake" and "Days of Wine and Roses," but the fast tempo exuberance of "The Trick Bag" (a Montgomery original) serves him equally well. Montgomery swings the blues with pleasing results on "Fried Pies" (another Montgomery original), while Consuelo Velázquez's "Besame Mucho" (which is usually played at a slow ballad tempo) is successfully transformed into medium-tempo Latin jazz. Boss Guitar is among the bop-oriented Montgomery albums that should continue to be savored after all these years. [In addition to the eight master takes that were heard on the original '60s LP, some reissues contain alternate takes of "Besame Mucho," "The Trick Bag," and "Fried Pies" all of which will interest collectors.] ~Alex Henderson

Boss Guitar      

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Jimmy Smith - Christmas Cookin'

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 48:48
Size: 111.7 MB
Styles: Holiday
Year: 1964/1992
Art: Front

[4:15] 1. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
[3:11] 2. Jingle Bells
[3:42] 3. We Three Kings (Of Orient Are)
[4:30] 4. The Christmas Song
[2:48] 5. White Christmas
[5:23] 6. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
[4:01] 7. Silent Night
[6:06] 8. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
[5:56] 9. Baby, It's Cold Outside
[8:52] 10. Greensleeves

This Christmas jazz album has five selections in which organist Jimmy Smith is joined by a big band arranged by either Billy Byers or Al Cohn. The remaining selections feature Smith with a variety of trios; guitarist Wes Montgomery is heard on "Baby It's Cold Outside," one of two "bonus" cuts taken from other sessions that help to fill up this otherwise brief set. Smith is fine on "Jingle Bells," "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" and two versions of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" and, even if nothing all that unusual occurs, the performances can serve as high-quality background music during the Christmas season. ~Scott Yanow

Christmas Cookin'

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Wes Montgomery - The Montgomeryland Sessions (CD1) And (CD2)

Styles: Jazz
Label: Phoenix Records
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 77:43 (CD1)
Size: 177,9 MB (CD1)
Time: 79:19 (CD2)
Size: 181,6 MB (CD2)
Art: Front

(CD1)

( 2:33)  1. Finger Pickin'
( 6:57)  2. Sound Carrier
( 4:47)  3. Lois Ann
( 7:33)  4. Bud's Beaux Arts
(10:08)  5. Bock To Bock
( 3:58)  6. All The Things You Are
( 4:41)  7. Billie's Bounce
( 5:55)  8. Far Wes
( 3:30)  9. Leila
( 6:38) 10. Old Folks
( 4:11) 11. Wes' Tune
( 4:37) 12. Hymn To Carl
( 4:03) 13. Montgomeryland Funk
( 4:23) 14. Stompin' At The Savoy
( 3:42) 15. Love For Sale

(CD2)

(4:53)  1. Summertime
(3:57)  2. Monk's Shop
(6:16)  3. Falling In Love With Love
(3:33)  4. Renie
(6:40)  5. Ouverture
(6:19)  6. And This Is My Beloved
(5:01)  7. Fate
(4:55)  8. Stranger In Paradise
(3:29)  9. Baubles, Bangles And Beads
(7:24) 10. Not Since Nineveh
(3:42) 11. A Good Git Together
(3:49) 12. Feed Me
(3:57) 13. Music In The Air
(2:53) 14. Pretty Strange
(5:03) 15. The Shouter
(2:22) 16. Social Call
(4:54) 17. Out Of The Past

Wes Montgomery's admirers have often speculated on what direction his career might have taken had he not died prematurely in 1968. Would he have returned to straight-ahead bop, or would the slick, heavily produced smooth jazz he turned to during the last few years of his life continue to be his primary focus? Would there have been any Montgomery Brothers reunions in the ‘70s? One can only speculate. But what we can say for certain is that when he was still bop-oriented, the influential guitarist made his mark both as a leader and on sessions he co-led with bassist Monk Montgomery and pianist/vibist Buddy Montgomery. The Montgomery Brothers' pre-‘60s output is the focus of The Montgomeryland Sessions; spanning 1955-1959, this two-CD set contains the albums The Montgomery Brothers Plus Five Others and Montgomeryland in their entirety. Also included are live performances from the Kismet album (recorded at the Forum Theater in Los Angeles in 1958) and Jon Hendricks' A Good Git-Together (which finds The Montgomery Brothers backing that risk-taking singer at Fugazi Hall in San Francisco in 1959). 

And collectors will be glad to know that this double-CD contains a rare Montgomery Brothers version of Cole Porter's "Love for Sale" from 1955. The Montgomeryland Sessions isn't the last word on Wes Montgomery's recordings with his brothers; for example, this release doesn't get into their Groove Yard session of 1961. But it takes more than a superficial look at their late-‘50s activities, and even though The Montgomeryland Sessions isn't recommended to casual listeners, it's a release that serious collectors will be glad to have.~Alex Henderson (http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-montgomeryland-sessions-mw0001457396).

The Montgomeryland Sessions (CD1)

The Montgomeryland Sessions (CD2)

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Wes Montgomery - A Day In The Life

Time: 34:53
Size: 79.9 MB
Label: A&M
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 1967/1990
Bitrate: 320K/s
Art: Front

[5:49] 1. A Day In The Life
[2:45] 2. Watch What Happens
[2:55] 3. When A Man Loves A Woman
[2:32] 4. California Nights
[2:50] 5. Angel
[3:08] 6. Eleanor Rigby
[4:35] 7. Willow Weep For Me
[2:22] 8. Windy
[4:28] 9. Trust In Me
[3:25] 10. The Joker

As is usual on Wes Montgomery's later recordings, underneath all the orchestrated strings, horns, and windwinds, there's a killer rhythm section hard at work, and A DAY IN THE LIFE is no exception, with Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Grady Tate holding everything together. It's hard not to measure everything Montgomery did after 1963 against the four years of cooking, small-group albums he made for Riverside starting in 1959; the later, more arranged material is certainly less pure in terms of jazz content.

But the Verve and A&M albums were conscious attempts to market the guitarist to a wider audience, and as successful pop records, they gave Montgomery some degree of financial security after years of struggling to support a family of six on a jazzman's income. What's remarkable in retrospect is the amount of blowing that does occur here. On "Eleanor Rigby," of all places, the band lays down a groove for Wes to riff over before the strings come cascading back in, and good things happen also on the two standards, "Watch What Happens," and "Willow Weep For Me."

Recorded at Van Gelder Studios, Englewood Cliffs, New Jeresey on June 6-8 & 26, 1967.

Wes Montgomery (vocals); Margaret Ross (harp); Harry Glickman, Lewis Eley, Julius Brand, Harry Urbont, Tosha Samaroff, Leo Krucczek, Sylvan Shulman, Peter Buonconsigilio, Mac Ceppos, Jack Zayde, Harry Katzman, Gene Orloff (violin); Harold Coletta, Emanuel Vardi (viola); Stanley Webb (bass flute, woodwinds); George Marge, Joe Soldo, Romeo Penque (bass flute); Phil Bodner (woodwinds); Ray Alonge (French horn); Herbie Hancock (piano); Grady Tate (drums); Jack Jennings, Joe Wohletz, Ray Barretto (percussion).

A Day In The Life

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