Wes Montgomery Here’s That Rainy Day Live London 1965
Stan Tracey (piano) Wes Montgomery (guitar) Rick Laird (bass) Jackie Dougan (drums)
Television broadcast, “Tempo”, ABC TV, London, England, May 7, 1965
Wes Montgomery (1923-1968)
John Leslie “Wes” Montgomery is the most influential bebop guitarist of past and present times. Basically, he’s the one that changed both the mentality of players that followed AND the way the instrument is played. It’s hard to hear anything “Jazz Guitar” and not associate with a hint of Wes Montgomery behind it! He came right after Charlie Christian and he’s considered by many to be the logical sequel in jazz guitar history.
Wes was in fact very much inspired and influenced by Christian’s playing. It is said that early on, Wes was actually hired to play Christian’s solos during live concerts! He learned them all (by ear… Wes was not a reader) to the point that the vinyls started to disintegrate. That’s the spirit! (-:
In the end, both Montgomery and Christian contributed to the then new bebop language with great tones, rhythms, dexterity and soulfulness. Wes always had fresh, surprising melodic ideas as well a great chops. He never read a single note on paper but his ears and heart guided him dearly. Watch him on video, you’ll understand!
Wes Montgomery is now part of this great tradition and still has an influence on young jazz guitarists. His music is worth studying carefully. Most (if not all) jazz guitarists that came after cite Wes as an influence. It’s hard not to…
The great Pat Metheny goes further and says: “Wes and Miles, […] the two guys who have left a sonic residue that has pervaded all of music, not just jazz.” It’s true. When listening to both of these masters, we almost hear the conscious “edition” that is going on in their musical minds: they leave out all the extra notes and keep only the essential… We know that Wes was a HUGE perfectionist, perpetually disatisfied with his solos… keeping only “the good stuff in” take after the take in the studio.
My favorite recordings of Wes are on the Riverside label. They are small group performances that are very much in the bebop (and post-bop) idioms. I love Wes’ playing in quartets and organ trios. Such groovy stuff!
Playing Style and Gear
Wes used a Gibson L-5 throughout his career. It is a hollow-body carved-top (spruce top, maple back and sides) guitar and it was plugged into very clean sounding amplifiers. Gibson still produces a replica of the guitar Wes used to play. (-:
Wes’ sound is totally unique and original. He never liked the “noise” of the pick striking the strings. That is why he started plucking strictly with the fleshy part of his right thumb. That is perhaps, one of the most imitated sound in the jazz guitar world. If you’ve never tried it, take 10 minutes and experiment with just the thumb, it’s addictive!
Another technique that gave Wes his personal sound is the use of octaves. He would play in and out of octave playing in most of his solos. That too is a sound that’s always imitated. However, in its first experimentation with octaves, Wes was discouraged by his colleages. They said it was “piano stuff” … go figure! (-:
In summary, his signature sound opened the way for future generations. The use of the thumb and octave playing was revolutionary at the time. It is now in widespread use! Wes Montgomery was (probably) the greatest jazz guitar innovator of the 20th century.
Discography
As leader
Release date | Album | Label | Source |
---|---|---|---|
1959 | The Wes Montgomery Trio | Riverside | [1][2] |
1960 | The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery | Riverside | [1][2] |
1960 | Movin’ Along | Riverside | [1][2] |
1961 | So Much Guitar | Riverside | [1][2] |
1962 | Full House | Riverside | [1][2] |
1963 | Fusion! Wes Montgomery with Strings | Riverside | [1][2] |
1963 | Boss Guitar | Riverside | [1][2] |
1963 | Portrait of Wes | Riverside | [1][2] |
1963 | Guitar on the Go | Riverside | [1][2] |
1964 | Movin’ Wes | Verve | [1][2] |
1965 | Bumpin’ | Verve | [1][2] |
1965 | Smokin’ at the Half Note | Verve | [1][2] |
1966 | Goin’ Out of My Head | Verve | [1][2] |
1966 | Tequila | Verve | [1][2] |
1966 | California Dreaming | Verve | [1][2] |
1967 | A Day in the Life | A&M | [1][2] |
1968 | Down Here on the Ground | A&M | [1][2] |
1968 | Road Song | A&M | [1][2] |
1969 | Willow Weep for Me | Verve | [1][2] |
1982 | The Alternative Wes Montgomery | Milestone | [1][2] |
1990 | Far Wes | Capitol | [1][2] |
1996 | Fingerpickin’ | Capitol | [1][2] |
2012 | Echoes of Indiana Avenue | Resonance | [3] |
2015 | In the Beginning | Resonance | [3] |
2016 | One Night in Indy | Resonance | [3] |
2017 | Smokin’ in Seattle | Resonance | [3] |
2017 | In Paris: The Definitive ORTF Recording | Resonance | [3] |
With The Montgomery Brothers
Year | Album | Label |
---|---|---|
1957 | The Montgomery Brothers Plus Five Others | World Pacific |
1958 | Montgomeryland | Pacific Jazz |
1961 | Groove Yard | Riverside |
George Shearing and the Montgomery Brothers | Fantasy | |
The Montgomery Brothers | ||
The Montgomery Brothers in Canada | ||
Love Walked In | Jazzland | |
Wes, Buddy and Monk Montgomery | Pacific Jazz | |
1969 | It’s Never Too Late | Chisa |
Collaborations
- Bags Meets Wes! with Milt Jackson (Riverside, 1962)
- Jimmy & Wes: The Dynamic Duo with Jimmy Smith (Verve, 1966)
- Further Adventures of Jimmy and Wes with Jimmy Smith (Verve, 1969)
As sideman
- Kismet, The Mastersounds (World Pacific, 1958)
- A Good Git-Together, Jon Hendricks (World Pacific, 1959)
- Work Song, Nat Adderley (Riverside, 1960)
- West Coast Blues!, Harold Land (Jazzland, 1960)
- Cannonball Adderley and the Poll Winners, Cannonball Adderley (Riverside, 1960)
- Complete Recordings with Lionel Hampton (Definitive, 2002)
Browse in the Library:
Artist or Composer / Score name | Cover | List of Contents |
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Timbaland – Way I Are | ||
Time (Inception) – Hans Zimmer – Solo Piano (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Time is like a dream (Interlude OST) Georges Delerue | ||
Time Travel Theme – Secret (Jay Chou) | ||
Timothy Brown – Daydreaming | ||
Timothy Brown – Lyric Expressions Solo Piano | ||
Timothy Brown – Soliloquy | ||
Tina Arena – Burn | ||
Tina Turner – I, Tina (Book) | ||
Tina Turner – The Best Of Simply The Best Piano Vocal guitar Chords | Tina Turner – The Best Of Simply The Best Piano Vocal guitar Chords – – | |
Tina Turner – What’s Love Got To Do With It | Tina Turner – What’s Love Got To Do With It | |
Tina Turner – What’s Love Got To Do With It.mscz | ||
Tina Turner Goldeneye (James Bond frilm Theme) | ||
Titanic – My Heart Will Go On (James Horner) | ||
Titanic – James Horner Full songbook | Titanic – James Horner | |
Titanic Movie Theme – My Heart Will Go On – Piano Guitar Vocals | Titanic Movie Theme – My HeArt Will Go On – Piano Guitar Vocals | |
To Be Pleasing You Jazz Piano Solo arr. sheet music | ||
To love you more (Celine Dion) | ||
To Zanarkand Final Fantasy X | ||
To Zanarkand (Final Fantasy X) (Musescore File).mscz | ||
TOCH, E. – La Melodía(Spanish) 1923 | ||
Tom Jobim Girl from Ipanema | Tom Jobim girl from ipanema | |
Tom Jobim Agua de Beber | Tom Jobim Sheet Music – Agua de Beber | |
Tom Jobim Desafinado | ||
Tom Jobim Ligia | ||
Tom Jobim Samba Verao | ||
Tom Jobim songbook 1 Guitar (by Almir Chediak) | Tom Jobim songbook I (Guitar) | |
Tom Jobim songbook 2 Guitar (by Almir Chediak) | Tom Jobim songbook I (Guitar) | |
Tom Jobim songbook 3 Guitar (by Almir Chediak) | Tom Jobim songbook I (Guitar) | |
Tom Jobim Triste | ||
Tom Jobim Vivo Sonhando | ||
Tom Jones Greatest Hits | Tom Jones Greatest Hits | |
Tom Kolb – Chord Progressions for Guitar (with audio MP3) | Tom Kolb – Chord Progressions for Guitar (with audio MP3) | |
Tom Odell Another Love | ||
Tom Petty Anthology Guitar Anthology Series with TABs | Anthology Tom Petty Guitar | |
Tom Petty Sheet Music Anthology – Tom Petty | Tom Petty Sheet Music Anthology – Tom Petty | |
Tom Petty, Best of (Songbook), The – Tom Petty sheet music | Tom Petty, Best of (Songbook), The – Tom Petty sheet music | |
Tom Turpin The Harlem Rag | Tom Turpin Harlem-Rag | |
Tom Waits -Alice (entire album songbook) Piano-vocal-guitar | Tom Waits -Alice (entire album songbook) Piano-vocal-guitar | |
Tom Waits Anthology 29 Titres | Tom Waits Anthology | |
Tom Waits Beautiful Maladies | Tom Waits Beautiful Maladies | |
Tom Waits Blood Money | Tom Waits Blood Money | |
Tommy Emmanuel The Mystery Transcriptions Mel Bay Presents Guitar TAB | Tommy Emmanuel The Mystery Transcriptions Mel Bay Presents Guitar TAB | |
Tommy Flanagan – Moritat Mack The Knife Solo transcription | Tommy Flanagan – Moritat Mack The Knife Solo transcription | |
Tommy Flanagan Wee Dot sheet music transcription | ||
Tommy Flint – Best Of Country Guitar Solos with audio MP3 with TABs | Tommy Flint – Best Of Country Guitar Solos with audo content | |
Tommy Shaw – Boat On The River from Styx | ||
Tomorrow (Europe) | ||
Tomorrow (From Annie) Sheet Music – Charles Strouse | ||
Tomorrowland Music From The Motion Picture Soundtrack Piano Solo by Michael Giacchini | Tomorrowland Music From The Motion Picture Soundtrack Piano Solo by Michael Giacchini | |
Tomoya Naka Rainy Song | Tomoya | |
Tonari no Totoro – My Neighbor Totoro (Joe Hisaishi) | ||
Toni Braxton – Unbreak My Heart | ||
Tonight from West Side Story (Leonard Bernstein) Easy Piano Solo arr. sheet music | Tonight from West Side Story (Leonard Bernstein) Easy Piano Solo arr. sheet music | |
Tonight From West Side Story (Leonard Bernstein) Easy Piano Solo Arr. Sheet Music (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Tony Alonso Mass Of Joy And Peace For Sab Voices And Accompaniement | ||
Tony Bennett Life Is a Gift The Zen of Tony Bennett (Book) | ||
Top 10 22 Pop Hits Piano Vocal Guitar Chords | Top 10 22 Pop Hits Piano Vocal Guitar Chords | |
Top 10 Classical Favorites | Top 10 Classical Favorites | |
Top Christian Hits Of 2019 2020 Piano Vocal Guitar 20 Powerful Songs | Top Christian Hits Of 2019 2020 Piano Vocal Guitar 20 Powerful Songs | |
Top Hits For Piano Solo 20 Great Songs | Top Hits For Piano Solo 20 Great Songs | |
Top Hits Of 2011 | TOP HITS 2011 | |
Top Hits Of 2013 | Top Hits Of 2013 | |
Top Hits Of 2017 Sheet Music 18 great songs Piano Vocal Guitar | Top Hits Of 2017 Sheet Music 18 great songs Piano Vocal Guitar | |
Top Hits of 2018 Songbook – sheet music | Top Hits of 2018 Songbook – sheet music | |
Top Movie Hits SongBook | Top Movie Hits SongBook | |
Top Rock Volume 2 (Guitar) | Top Rock songbook guitar | |
TOP TEN – N°1 | TOP TEN – N°1 | |
Top Ten – N°2 | Top Ten – N°2 | |
Top Ten 40 (Guitar) | Top ten 40 guitar songbook | |
Top Ten 43 (Guitar) | Topp ten 43 guitar songbook | |
Top Ten Slow (Guitar) | Top Ten Slow (Guitar) | |
TOP TEN X3 (5) Guitar piano | TOP TEN X3 (5) Guitar piano | |
Toquinho – A Arte Brasilera de – sheet music songbook Guitar Tabs | Toquinho – A Arte Brasilera de – sheet music sogbook Guitar Tabs | |
Toquinho – Aquarela Guitar with TABs | ||
Tori Amos – Silent All These Years | ||
Tori Kelly Paper Hearts Piano | ||
Torna A Surriento Traditional Neapolitan Song By Ernesto De Curtis (Easy Piano Solo With Lyrics In English) | ||
Torna a Surriento.mscz | ||
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Toto – Africa (Intermediate Piano Solo arr.) | Toto – Africa | |
Toto – Childs Anthem (Intermediare Piano Solo arr.) | Toto – Childs Anthem (Intermediate Piano Solo arr) | |
Toto – The Best Of Toto (Guitar, Kbds, Bass, Drum, Vocal) | Toto – The Best Of Toto (Guitar, Kbds, Bass, Drum, Vocal) | |
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Tracy Chapman Fast Car Sheet Music | ||
Traditional – Swing Low Sweet Charriot | Traditional – Swing Low Sweet Charriot | |
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Trinity – Pop and Rock Guitar Grade 3 Contemporary & Classic songs with TABs | Trinity – Pop and Rock Guitar Grade 3 Contemporary & Classic songs | |
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Trinity Classical Guitar 2010-2015 Grade 07 | ||
Trinity Classical Guitar 2020-2023 Grade 01 | ||
Trinity Classical Guitar 2020-2023 Grade 02 | ||
Trinity Classical Guitar 2020-2023 Grade 03 | ||
Trinity Classical Guitar 2020-2023 Grade 04 | ||
Trinity Classical Guitar 2020-2023 Grade 05 | ||
Trinity Classical Guitar 2020-2023 Grade 06 | ||
Trinity Classical Guitar 2020-2023 Grade 08 |