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Wes Montgomery
The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery
[Keepnews Collection]
(Riverside/Concord)
First Appeared in The Music Box, August 2008, Volume 15, #8
Written by John Metzger
Thu August 7, 2008, 06:30 AM CDT
The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery is something of an
anomaly in Wes Montgomery’s canon. Originally released in 1960, it was the
second album that the Indianapolis-born guitarist recorded after signing with
Riverside. Not only was it a departure from the work of the organ-based outfit
with which he had developed a local following, but it also hardly provided an
indication of the orchestrated pop-leaning arrangements that he later would
pursue with both Verve and A&M. Fronting a quartet that featured pianist Tommy
Flanagan as well as brothers Percy and Albert Heath, on bass and drums,
respectively, Montgomery — with the help of producer Orrin Keepnews — created
what many consider to be his finest studio endeavor.
The problem with many recordings that are designed specifically to showcase
the skills of a jazz guitarist is that too often they devolve into long-winded
displays of technical proficiency. All musicians find it difficult, at times, to
keep their egos in check, but for whatever reason, guitarists typically have
wrestled with this concept the most. Consequently, their output tends to appeal
to other guitarists more than it does to casual music fans.
While listening to The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery, there
is no doubt that Montgomery is giving a masterful course in how to play his
chosen instrument. Anyone who pays close attention to the notes he hits as well
as the chords he strikes is apt to be stunned by how effortlessly he makes the
intricate details of his concoctions sound. His solos are delicate dances that
move with tremendous fluidity across the gently swinging rhythmic terrain that
is supplied by Percy and Albert Heath. His interplay with Flanagan is equally
remarkable, and their melodic, give-and-take exchanges make it seem as if they
had been performing together for years.
A touch of rock ’n‘ roll filters through the introduction to D-Natural
Blues, while the elegantly graceful flow of Dave Brubeck’s In Your Own
Sweet Way provided at least a portion of the template that Lee Ritenour
utilized for his smooth jazz forays in the 1970s. At its heart, however, The
Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery is a hard bop endeavor. On West
Coast Blues, for example, Montgomery supplies a framework that Miles Davis
might have employed, except that he replaces the horns with his own darting
guitar licks. Likewise, Four on Six relentlessly pushes forward, its
underlying rhythm forming a rapid current upon which Flanagan’s and Montgomery’s
solos ride.
Few people knew who Montgomery was when The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes
Montgomery was written, recorded, and released. Therefore, the set’s title
was a rather bold pronouncement, one that reeks of an over-the-top marketing
campaign. Keepnews admits as much in his liner notes for the recently
refurbished rendition of the album. Tellingly, he also makes no apologies for
his choice of words. None is necessary either because in this particular case,
such lofty praise actually proves to be an apt description of the endeavor. 
Other Keepnews Collection Releases
Nat Adderley - Work Song
Coleman Hawkins - The Hawk Flies High
Joe Henderson - Power to the People
Thelonious Monk - Plays Duke Ellington
Sonny Rollins - Freedom Suite
McCoy Tyner - Fly with the Wind
The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery is available from
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Ratings
1 Star: Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!
Copyright © 2008 The Music Box
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