The album is considered past times many fans in addition to critics to hold upwards the pinnacle of Montgomery's recorded studio work. The Penguin Guide to Jazz selected this album every bit part of its suggested "Core Collection", calling it "probably the best Montgomery tape currently available".
Of the CD reissue, critic Chris May of All About Jazz wrote: "The Incredible Jazz Guitar flare-up onto the U.S.A. scene inward 1960 similar a benign hurricane, in addition to it soundless sounds similar a gale almost 50 years later... Montgomery—empathetically accompanied past times pianist Tommy Flanagan, bassist Percy Heath (then riding high alongside the artet" title="Learn Wes Montgomery - 1960 [1987] The Incredible Jazz Guitar">Modern Jazz Quartet), in addition to drummer Albert Heath—makes the guitar audio similar it never had before. It has sounded similar since, of course, cheers to the legion of Montgomery-influenced players, but rarely thus approximately perfection.... The Incredible Jazz Guitar endures, in addition to volition hold to exercise so.
The incredible artist/wes-montgomery-mn0000248392">Wes Montgomery of 1960 was to a greater extent than discernible in addition to distinctive than the guitarist who would emerge a few years afterward every bit a popular stylist in addition to precursor to artist/george-benson-mn0000201760">George Benson inward the '70s. On this landmark recording, artist/montgomery-mn0000248392">Montgomery veered away from his dwelling identify Indianapolis-based organ combo alongside artist/melvin-rhyne-mn0000871623">Melvin Rhyne, the California-based artist/montgomery-brothers-mn0000479225">Montgomery Brothers band, in addition to other studio sidemen he had been placed alongside briefly. Off to New York City in addition to a appointment alongside artist/tommy-flanagan-mn0000519715">Tommy Flanagan's trio, artist/montgomery-mn0000248392">Montgomery seems inward his post- to difficult bop element, swinging fluently alongside purpose, drive, in addition to vigor non heard inward an electrical guitarist since bop progenitor artist/charlie-christian-mn0000805930">Charlie Christian. Setting him apart from the rest, this recording established artist/montgomery-mn0000248392">Montgomery every bit the most formidable modern guitarist of the era, in addition to eventually its most influential. There's some classic fabric here, including the cat-quick but maybe a trifle anxious version of the artist/sonny-rollins-mn0000039656">Sonny Rollins bop evergreen "Airegin," the famous repeated modal progressive in addition to difficult bop jam "Four on Six," in addition to artist/montgomery-mn0000248392">Montgomery's immortal soul waltz "West Coast Blues," effortlessly rendered alongside its memorable tune in addition to flowing, elegant chiffon-like lines. artist/flanagan-mn0000519715">Flanagan, at a fourth dimension before long after leaving his native Detroit, is the perfect pianist for this session. He plays forcefully but never overtly thus on the bop tracks, offering upwards his trademark delicacy on the laid-back "Polka Dots in addition to Moonbeams" in addition to easy-as-pie "Gone alongside the Wind." With the dynamic Philadelphia beat department of brothers artist/percy-heath-mn0000256575">Percy Heath on bass in addition to drummer artist/albert-heath-mn0000612715">Albert Heath, they play a good for you lot Latin compaction on the choppy in addition to dramatic tune of artist/montgomery-mn0000248392">Montgomery's original "Mr. Walker." artist/montgomery-mn0000248392">Montgomery is clearly talented beyond convention, consistently brilliant, in addition to indeed incredible inward the fellowship of his sidemen, in addition to this recording -- an essential improver to every jazz guitarist fan's collection -- seat him on the map.
As the real useful liner notes to this liberate indicate out, this 1960 recording was a chip of a coming-out party for Montgomery, arguably the best in addition to most influential jazz guitarist of the concluding one-half century. The championship is non hyperbole; the guitar playing hither is indeed incredible, although Wes sets aside mere flash for meaningful swing.
The guitarist benefits from a crevice band behind him: Al in addition to Percy Heath on drums in addition to bass, respectively, in addition to the flawless Tommy Flanagan on piano. Flanagan had before long earlier this appointment contributed mightily to Coltrane's "Giant Steps," in addition to his powerfulness to seamlessly skid inward behind Montgomery on a appointment that couldn't hold upwards to a greater extent than dissimilar than Coltrane's is testimony to his sense of savour in addition to his chops.
Wes's startling chording volition hold upwards a revelation to those who haven't heard him before, but fifty-fifty if you've listened to him a lot you'll soundless uncovering his run on, for example, "Four on Six" in addition to "West Coast Blues" immensely satisfying. On both these cuts, he flows endlessly betwixt chords in addition to octaves, creating a shine river of sound. Beautiful.
Also of complaint is his handling of "Polka Dots in addition to Moonbeams," a chestnut that Wes turns into a lovely romance that sounds novel in addition to fresh. This is a groovy CD for the jazz guitar lover, who volition realize forthwith that it doesn't acquire much improve than this.
This is my favorite Jazz Guitar album in addition to i that I've had for some time, offset on a cassette that I got from my blood brother in addition to eventually on CD. I used to psyche to this inward my motorcar in addition to didn't fifty-fifty know the names of the songs or who had written them. All I knew was that I actually dug Montgomery's guitar playing.
After getting the 1987 version of the CD, I learned that the album included Sonny Rollins' "Airegin", Dave Brubeck's "In Your Own Sweet Way", 2 standards, in addition to 4 originals past times Montgomery. I too learned that his supporting cast included Tommy Flanagan on pianoforte in addition to the Heath brothers on bass in addition to drums.
This album is a existent pleasance to psyche to, non but for Montgomery's genuinely incredible guitar playing, but too for the relaxing atmosphere all 4 musicians create. This is a perfect album to play belatedly at nighttime earlier going to bed; but plow downward the lights, prevarication downward on your couch, in addition to allow the music soothe your soul.
My alone complaint virtually the CD I owned (the 1987 remastering) was that the audio was sort of muddy. While reviewing that version, I learned that this "Keepnews Collection" version had been released, thus I ordered it to compare the sound. It does bring slightly improve sound, mainly stronger bass. In retrospect, I suspect that the "muddiness" I heard inward the 1987 version was generally inward Montgomery's ain audio or inward the source tapes.
The existent value of the 2008 version, however, is the novel booklet alongside a novel assay past times Orin Keepnews, who produced the original sessions. He explains how he offset heard virtually Montgomery from Cannonball Adderly, talks virtually the offset 2 records (including this one) that Montgomery cutting for Riverside, in addition to explains the boastful title. He too puts the album inward the broader context of Montgomery's brief but bright ix twelvemonth career.
Track listing
1. "Airegin" (Sonny Rollins) – 4:26
2. "D-Natural Blues" (Wes Montgomery) – 5:23
3. "Polka Dots in addition to Moonbeams" (Jimmy Van Heusen) – 4:44
4. "Four on Six" (Montgomery) – 6:15
5. "West Coast Blues" (Montgomery) – 7:26
6. "In Your Own Sweet Way" (Dave Brubeck) – 4:53
7. "Mr. Walker" (Montgomery) – 4:33
8. "Gone With the Wind" (Allie Wrubel) – 6:24
Songs 1, 2, 4, 5, in addition to vi recorded at Reeves Sound Studios, NYC, Jan 26, 1960
Songs 3, 7, in addition to 8 recorded at Reeves Sound Studios, NYC, Jan 28, 1960
Riverside RLP 12-320, RLP 1169; Fantasy OJC 036, OJCCD 036-2
Personnel
Wes Montgomery- electrical guitar
Tommy Flanagan - piano
Percy Heath - bass
Albert Heath - drums
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