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Wes Montgomery
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Born in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States (where he also died of a heart attack in 1968), Montgomery came from a musical family, in which his brothers, Monk (string bass and electric bass) and Buddy (vibraphone, and piano), were jazz performers. Although Wes was not skilled at reading music, he could learn complex melodies and riffs by ear. Montgomery started learning guitar in his late teens, listening to and learning recordings of his idol, the guitarist Charlie Christian.
Along with the use of octaves (playing the same note on two strings one octave apart) for which he is widely known, Montgomery was also an excellent "single-line" or "single-note" player, and was very influential in the use of block chords in his solos. His playing on the jazz standard "Lover Man" is an example of his single-note, octave and block chord soloing. ("Lover Man" appears on the Fantasy album THE MONTGOMERY BROTHERS.) Instead of using a guitar pick, Montgomery plucked the strings with the fleshy part of his thumb, using downstrokes for single notes and a combination of upstrokes and downstrokes for chords and octaves. This technique enabled him to get a mellow, expressive tone from his guitar. George Benson, in the liner notes of the Ultimate Wes Montgomery album, wrote that "Wes had a corn on his thumb, which gave his sound that point. He would get one sound for the soft parts, and then that point by using the corn. That's why no one will ever match Wes. And his thumb was double- jointed. He could bend it all the way back to touch his wrist, which he would do to shock people."
Ester Andujar: Inner Songs
by Anastasia Bogomolets
Ester Andújar Rico's album Inner Songs is a mesmerizing journey through language, culture, and emotion. Andújar effortlessly transitions between Spanish, Valencian, Portuguese, and English, making each track feel like an intimate conversation across borders. Even if you are not fluent in all of the languages, the album provokes introspection on how language modifies the listener's perception ...
Gerald Clayton, Igmar Thomas, Johnny O'Neal & Wes Montgomery
by Joe Dimino
As we gear up for the Count Basie at 90 Celebration right here in Kansas City on International Jazz Day 2025, featuring none other than the legendary Count Basie Orchestra, we kick things off in style--with a nod to one of the true greats. We open the show with Wes Montgomery, spinning a track from his ...
How Creedence Clearwater Revival Saved Jazz
by Kyle Simpler
By 1970, Creedence Clearwater Revival was arguably the biggest rock and roll group in America--if not the world. Songs like “Proud Mary" (Fantasy 1969), “Green River" (Fantasy 1969) and “Born on the Bayou" (Fantasy 1969) dominated both Top 40 and album-oriented radio, and their music continues to thrive decades later, becoming a staple of classic rock ...
Chicago Jazz Orchestra: More Amor: A Tribute to Wes Montgomery
by Jack Bowers
When the Chicago Jazz Orchestra decided to record a tribute to Wes Montgomery, the choice of who would sit in for the legendary guitarist was obvious: Bobby Broom, a stellar guitarist in his own right who has called Chicago home for more than forty years and had performed a concert version of the album at Chicago's ...
LaMP: The Three Of Me Blend Into One Of Us
by Dean Nardi
LaMP's rousing albums have a knack for keeping you listening, whether it is Russ Lawton propelling the trio along through punchy, substantial snare, Ray Paczkowski indulging in the inner point-of-view of melody and harmony on both organ and clavinet, or Scott Metzger inserting reveal after reveal in a twist-laden odyssey of gleeful, darting notes. But there ...
Charles Mingus: In Argentina: The Buenos Aires Concerts
by Dan McClenaghan
So many live jazz dates have been taped over the years. Then the tapes have been shelved. With that in mind, there may be no end to the ongoing supply of uncovered jazz gems begging to be discovered. But Zev Feldman, the Jazz Detective, is doing his best to dig out as many as possible. His ...
Charlie Ballantine: East by Midwest
by Dan McClenaghan
A bracing guitar/bass/drums trio outing from guitarist Charlie Ballantine, East By Midwest, sounds as if it was recorded in a large, high-ceilinged warehouse with a cement floor, that floor buffed into the next dimension to a high polish, this giving the music a beautiful resonance. Retro? Think Link Wray or Dick Dale and The Deltones. Modernistic? ...
Jazz Highlights for Record Store Day 2025
by Kyle Simpler
For most Americans, April brings to mind tax deadlines and spring cleaning. But for vinyl collectors, April means something far more exciting: Record Store Day. Each year, music lovers line up early for a chance to snag limited-edition releases--many of them archival treasures, rarities, or long-lost recordings brought back to life. While the overall selection spans ...
From Fad To Phenomenon: The Lasting Legacy Of Record Store Day
by Kyle Simpler
Despite its growing popularity, some still view the vinyl resurgence as a passing trend that will eventually fade. Articles frequently appear in newspapers and magazines almost celebrating any dip in vinyl sales. In late 2024, for example, several headlines noted that vinyl sales were down 33%--somewhat ironic, considering that an LP spins at 33 1/3 RPM. ...
