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Editorial Reviews
Review
One of the most inspired and consistent improvisers of all time and one of the most transcendent inventors of melody ever. --Pat Metheny
This newly discovered collection of recordings captures not only the magic that was Wes, but also the wonderful Indianapolis jazz scene of which he was so proudly a part. --Dr. David N. Baker
This newly discovered collection of recordings captures not only the magic that was Wes, but also the wonderful Indianapolis jazz scene of which he was so proudly a part. --Dr. David N. Baker
This newly discovered collection of recordings captures not only the magic that was Wes, but also the wonderful Indianapolis jazz scene of which he was so proudly a part. --Dr. David N. Baker
This newly discovered collection of recordings captures not only the magic that was Wes, but also the wonderful Indianapolis jazz scene of which he was so proudly a part. --Dr. David N. Baker
Product Description
The first full album of previously unheard Wes Montgomery music in over 25 years contains studio &
live performances recorded in Indianapolis 1957 1958! Includes four tracks recorded at Indianapolis s famed
club, The Hub Bub. 24-page booklet with family photographs provided by
the Montgomery family. Liner notes by some of music s most respected writers
including Dan Morgenstern, David N. Baker, Bill
Milkowski, Michael Cuscuna, and others.
Classic 50s photos of Wes taken in Indianapolis by
legendary photographer Duncan Scheidt.
Previously unpublished essay by Wes brother, Buddy
Montgomery.
Rare interview with Wes s brother Monk Montgomery
from 1980.
live performances recorded in Indianapolis 1957 1958! Includes four tracks recorded at Indianapolis s famed
club, The Hub Bub. 24-page booklet with family photographs provided by
the Montgomery family. Liner notes by some of music s most respected writers
including Dan Morgenstern, David N. Baker, Bill
Milkowski, Michael Cuscuna, and others.
Classic 50s photos of Wes taken in Indianapolis by
legendary photographer Duncan Scheidt.
Previously unpublished essay by Wes brother, Buddy
Montgomery.
Rare interview with Wes s brother Monk Montgomery
from 1980.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
23 of 24 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
A MARVELOUS FIND: WES MONTGOMERY, FAMILY & FRIENDS: SMOKIN' IN INDIANAPOLIS
March 6, 2012
Format:Audio CD
Five HUGE Stars! This treasure trove of recently discovered performances from 1957 in Indianapolis, Indiana by legendary jazz Hall of Fame guitar virtuoso Wes Montgomery, brothers Buddy and Monk Montgomery and friends is worthy of Six stars. Recorded in 3 sessions just before his breakout years with the Pacific Jazz and Riverside record companies, Wes is in incredible form, on the level of his legendary Smokin' At The Half Note performances. Unbelievably, the tapes were originally offered on eBay and eventually found their way to the renowned jazz producer Michael Cuscuna and associates who digitally restored the tapes with impressive overall sound. The CD is accompanied by a multi-page, highly-detailed booklet with rare photographs and essays from family, friends, and peers that makes this CD all the more valuable. The 'best of the best' begins with a breezy "Diablo's Dance" that reminds one of the Montgomery brother's 'Mastersounds' conceptualizations, but the pianist here is the formidable Melvin Rhyne and note Wes' great horn-like soloing. A beautiful "Round Midnight" gets some complex dancing single lines from Wes, with Melvin Rhyne switching to organ for late night atmospherics and some tasty block chords of his own. Thelonious Monk's skittery "Straight No Chaser"is bluesy and swings hard, featuring musical ESP chasing between brothers Wes, Buddy and Monk Montgomery in their only appearance. "Darn that Dream" and "Misty" are lush things of beauty. And perhaps, best of all, one of Wes' best performances of "Body & Soul", which 'morphs' twice on Earl Van Riper's excellent piano solo. And a recorded live, 6 minute, smoking performance of "After Hours Blues (improvisation)". This fragmentary track catches most of Wes' solo in a performance that shows evidence of the characteristic noticed by fellow guitarist Pat Martino in the booklet: Wes could change his approach for venues and players, and in this instance he's the consumate, intense 'honky tonk' blues guitarist, like some of us have never heard before, playing to the lively crowd. These are 'not to be missed' Wes Montgomery performances that go very far in completing the early part of the Wes Montgomery portrait in jazz history: Wes was a self-taught genius who played with his thumb instead of a pick and you can hear his influence in the playing of many jazz, pop, and rock guitar players. I think about what the jazz scene was in those days on guitar (Ray Crawford, Tal Farlow, and Les Paul might have been the best), just before Wes and Kenny Burrell arrived. Wes was revolutionary and his solos stand up to the best of today's music. Caught here on the cusp of becoming one of jazz' greatest musicians, Wes Montgomery was smokin' on Indiana Avenue. My Highest Recommendation. Five MAGNIFICENT Stars! (9 tracks; Time 52:32. This review is based on an mp3 download.)
22 of 25 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
88 years ago, March 6th, Wes Montgomery was born. It was no accident that this album was released then. The holy trinity of jazz guitarists is widely acknowledged as being Django Reinhardt, Charlie Christian and Wes. Here we get a sample of his earliest recordings, and the first full album of `new' material in 25 years. This isn't the same old hash, remixed, rearranged and served up to an undying public. These recordings haven't been heard by the general public and the original tapes were thought to be lost. These tapes are the earliest known recordings of Montgomery as a leader and pre-date his 1959 debut on Riverside Records.
Recorded in 1957-1959 at night clubs in his home town of Indianapolis (they have this to celebrate, even if they are letting a different kind of legend slip away). There are also some rare studio recordings. The mystery of how these long lost tapes were rediscovered almost pushes this post into the book report topic. It is surely worthy of it. It's a tale of intrigue, with twists, turns, false leads and it's enthralling to say the least.
The identity of the person who made the tapes still remains unknown, although he or she clearly possessed more than an amateur amount of knowledge about professional recording. The tapes passed through a number of hands, some international, and most owners only rumored, before being acquired in 1990 by guitarist Jim Greeninger, who is also a huge fan. It wasn't until 2008, after Greeninger had tried to sell the tapes on eBay, that he contacted Michael Cuscuna, a well respected producer with Blue Note Records. Cuscana contacted Zev Feldman at Resonance Records, and the first thing they did was transfer the fragile tapes to digital. Then between 2010 and 2011, they worked on restoring the music, making trips to Indie to interview and discuss the recordings with scholars, musicians and friends of Wes' .
"Echoes Of Indiana Avenue" on Resonance Records
Wes Montgomery came to the guitar relatively late in life, 20 years of age. But, he came from a musical family. His brothers, Monk a bassist and Buddy a piano player were well respected in the jazz community. Also, all indications are that Wes had mastered the four string, tenor guitar as early as the age of 13 and it was probably on that instrument that he taught himself to pick out complex melodies and riffs by ear. From there, he took the use of octaves and chord melodies to a greater level than any other guitarist, before or since.
As jazz guitar was becoming less rare in jazz circles in the bebop/post-bop era, and made acceptable by players such as Tal Farlow, Johnny Smith, Jimmy Raney, and Barney Kessell. These players quickly stopped recording for the most part in the `60s, but it was then that Wes became most prolific. He adapted and improvised on the same music that Miles Davis and John Coltrane were creating in the wake of bop. he even gave a jazz touch to pop songs of the mid to late `60s, "Eleanor Rigby" being one that comes to mind. As the leader of his own group, and as a contributor to projects by Miles, Coltrane, Milt Jackson, and as a co leader on projects with Jimmy Smith, he laid down a catalog of music between 1959 and his death in 1968 that comprise some of the greatest jazz guitar tracks ever recorded. His influence is still being felt on jazz guitar and on guitar regardless of genre.
Boss Guitar-Wes Montgomery
Pat Martino, George Benson, Russell Malone, Emily Remler, Kenny Burrell, Pat Metheny, Steve Howe, and Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Eric Johnson, Joe Satriani, David Becker, Joe Diorio, Steve Lukather and Lee Ritenour all credit him as a major influence. And for good reason. Listening to Wes solo is like teetering at the brink of some musical abyss. Yet he always felt in control. His playing during his peak was almost unbearably breath-taking and daring.
Montgomery toured with Lionel Hampton's orchestra from July 1948 to January 1950, and can be heard on recordings from this period. Montgomery then returned to Indianapolis, took a "day job" at a factory to feed is large family, and did not record again until December 1957 (save for one session in 1955), when he took part in a session that included his brothers Monk and Buddy, as well as trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, who made his recording debut with Montgomery. His first few recordings were as The Montgomery Brothers, and either Monk or Buddy often recorded with him after then.
"Round Midnight" Wes Montgomery
On Echoes of Indiana Avenue we get a taste of the early Wes. These recording, not heard for ages by any but the various owners of the tapes, were made at night clubs in Indianapolis; four tracks at The Hub Bub Club, a long forgotten jazz club on Indiana Avenue, the main, black commercial strip in Indie in the `40s and `50s. Two of the tunes are rare recording studio sessions, never released. This is straight ahead jazz. It swings with a ferociousness, it swings like it's never gonna stop. It's organic, and gives a peek at Montgomery's Bebop side. There is even the only known recorded traditional blues guitar licks by the man! It is nasty and came up out of the earth and it is sublime.
What you hear is Montgomery's fantastically fluid, horn like single note runs, which had no room for errors. He employs other techniques, but one that stands out, even today, is he used no pick, choosing to finger pick the electric guitar. He used his thumb, both for down strokes as well as up. This gave him a warm, rounded tone and became his trade mark known as the "Naptown Sound".
This CD package is very well put together, the music is not only surprisingly clean and clear and dynamic in texture, considering the period the original tapes were made. And it comes with a 24 page booklet containing never released photos as well as essays reflecting on Wes, including Pat Martino and Wes' brothers, Monk and Buddy. If you are a jazz fan, or even a casual listener, this is must have stuff.
The Dirty Lowdown
Recorded in 1957-1959 at night clubs in his home town of Indianapolis (they have this to celebrate, even if they are letting a different kind of legend slip away). There are also some rare studio recordings. The mystery of how these long lost tapes were rediscovered almost pushes this post into the book report topic. It is surely worthy of it. It's a tale of intrigue, with twists, turns, false leads and it's enthralling to say the least.
The identity of the person who made the tapes still remains unknown, although he or she clearly possessed more than an amateur amount of knowledge about professional recording. The tapes passed through a number of hands, some international, and most owners only rumored, before being acquired in 1990 by guitarist Jim Greeninger, who is also a huge fan. It wasn't until 2008, after Greeninger had tried to sell the tapes on eBay, that he contacted Michael Cuscuna, a well respected producer with Blue Note Records. Cuscana contacted Zev Feldman at Resonance Records, and the first thing they did was transfer the fragile tapes to digital. Then between 2010 and 2011, they worked on restoring the music, making trips to Indie to interview and discuss the recordings with scholars, musicians and friends of Wes' .
"Echoes Of Indiana Avenue" on Resonance Records
Wes Montgomery came to the guitar relatively late in life, 20 years of age. But, he came from a musical family. His brothers, Monk a bassist and Buddy a piano player were well respected in the jazz community. Also, all indications are that Wes had mastered the four string, tenor guitar as early as the age of 13 and it was probably on that instrument that he taught himself to pick out complex melodies and riffs by ear. From there, he took the use of octaves and chord melodies to a greater level than any other guitarist, before or since.
As jazz guitar was becoming less rare in jazz circles in the bebop/post-bop era, and made acceptable by players such as Tal Farlow, Johnny Smith, Jimmy Raney, and Barney Kessell. These players quickly stopped recording for the most part in the `60s, but it was then that Wes became most prolific. He adapted and improvised on the same music that Miles Davis and John Coltrane were creating in the wake of bop. he even gave a jazz touch to pop songs of the mid to late `60s, "Eleanor Rigby" being one that comes to mind. As the leader of his own group, and as a contributor to projects by Miles, Coltrane, Milt Jackson, and as a co leader on projects with Jimmy Smith, he laid down a catalog of music between 1959 and his death in 1968 that comprise some of the greatest jazz guitar tracks ever recorded. His influence is still being felt on jazz guitar and on guitar regardless of genre.
Boss Guitar-Wes Montgomery
Pat Martino, George Benson, Russell Malone, Emily Remler, Kenny Burrell, Pat Metheny, Steve Howe, and Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Eric Johnson, Joe Satriani, David Becker, Joe Diorio, Steve Lukather and Lee Ritenour all credit him as a major influence. And for good reason. Listening to Wes solo is like teetering at the brink of some musical abyss. Yet he always felt in control. His playing during his peak was almost unbearably breath-taking and daring.
Montgomery toured with Lionel Hampton's orchestra from July 1948 to January 1950, and can be heard on recordings from this period. Montgomery then returned to Indianapolis, took a "day job" at a factory to feed is large family, and did not record again until December 1957 (save for one session in 1955), when he took part in a session that included his brothers Monk and Buddy, as well as trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, who made his recording debut with Montgomery. His first few recordings were as The Montgomery Brothers, and either Monk or Buddy often recorded with him after then.
"Round Midnight" Wes Montgomery
On Echoes of Indiana Avenue we get a taste of the early Wes. These recording, not heard for ages by any but the various owners of the tapes, were made at night clubs in Indianapolis; four tracks at The Hub Bub Club, a long forgotten jazz club on Indiana Avenue, the main, black commercial strip in Indie in the `40s and `50s. Two of the tunes are rare recording studio sessions, never released. This is straight ahead jazz. It swings with a ferociousness, it swings like it's never gonna stop. It's organic, and gives a peek at Montgomery's Bebop side. There is even the only known recorded traditional blues guitar licks by the man! It is nasty and came up out of the earth and it is sublime.
What you hear is Montgomery's fantastically fluid, horn like single note runs, which had no room for errors. He employs other techniques, but one that stands out, even today, is he used no pick, choosing to finger pick the electric guitar. He used his thumb, both for down strokes as well as up. This gave him a warm, rounded tone and became his trade mark known as the "Naptown Sound".
This CD package is very well put together, the music is not only surprisingly clean and clear and dynamic in texture, considering the period the original tapes were made. And it comes with a 24 page booklet containing never released photos as well as essays reflecting on Wes, including Pat Martino and Wes' brothers, Monk and Buddy. If you are a jazz fan, or even a casual listener, this is must have stuff.
The Dirty Lowdown
22 of 26 people found the following review helpful
By bg
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
It's good that these recordings can now be heard by a wider audience, especially amongst Wes fans. The information and pictures in the attached booklet (CD version) are informative and well put together. The sound quality is OK and I'd love to hear the tapes the engineers had to work with. As for the actual music on this release, not shouting the praises of other reviews but a couple of the tracks are pretty darn good (especially the first one). The most interesting track for me was the last one, an improvisation track which isn't so much Jazz as rollicking blues boogie which brought visions of a smoky juke joint. Interesting to hear Wes and his fellow musicians cutting loose for themselves. This is best a buy for completists, but if your buying a first Wes Montgomery recording, I suggest The Incredible Jazz Guitar or Boss Guitar. Kudos to Resonance Records and all involved in getting this release onto the market. My rating: *** 1/2
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Many Years ago I met Wes living in Upland California
This jazz brought back many memories. Smooth Gutar style unlike the rock and roll I grew up with. From my fathers generation good listening thanks
Published 1 month ago by John Paul Hudson
5.0 out of 5 stars
If you like jazz guitar ...
Wes Montgomery was considered by most modern day guitarists including Pat Metheny, George Benson, Pat Martino and others to be simply the best ever. Read more
Published 2 months ago by J. Fernandes
5.0 out of 5 stars
Can't go wrong
There isn't one album with Wes Montgomery that isn't perfect. He has a distinct sound that is unforgettable- best jazz guitarist ever.
Published 4 months ago by clicker
5.0 out of 5 stars
A newly discovered treasure
Wes Montgomery's guitar playing is always interesting to listen to. In these previously unreleased recordings, both live and in the studio, we hear Wes at his peak. Read more
Published 8 months ago by TonyT
4.0 out of 5 stars
Gold mine discovery
A valuable addition to the oeuvre of Wes Montgomery. Maybe not the best introduction to his playing, but if you love Wes in any form -as a leader or band member, in the studio or... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Timothy T. Strawn
5.0 out of 5 stars
Latest recording by Wes Montgomery
I was very pleased (but sadden by his short career) to come across the recent recording by Wes Montgomery- ECHOES OF INDIANA AVENUE, something that was never released during his... Read more
Published 12 months ago by R. Williams
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great music from a great musician.
I received what I expected and was not disappointed.
You requested MY review, not YOURS. This is what you get, nothing more.
You requested MY review, not YOURS. This is what you get, nothing more.
Published 12 months ago by Clarence A. Callahan
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Album! (Amazon, you should sponsor NPR for sure)
I heard this album on NPR's Weekend Edition and just had to have it. The music makes me feels relaxed and happy and nostalgic. Love it. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Katherine
5.0 out of 5 stars
No question about being most swinging
No question about this must be earlier and most swinging recordings by Wes Montgomery. The 55 years ago sounds brought in life in the most desirable format. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Mikio Miyaki
4.0 out of 5 stars
Unmissable Wes
If you've never heard Wes Montgomery before, you need to listen to this one. If, like me, you're familiar with the man, you DEFINITELY need to get hold of this set. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Robert B. Drew
Listmania!
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