Customer Reviews

George Shearing & Montgomery Brothers

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This 1961 recording has a little something for everyone, the Shearing quintet sound on a few pieces, three cuts featuring a Latin tinge, some ballads, faster cuts where everyone gets some solo space, and compositions by Shearing, Wes and Buddy Montgomery. The only drawback is that everything is under 5 minutes.

There are 3 alternate takes on the disk, but unlke most, these alternates offer some variety from the originals. All in all, a pretty satisfying session.

I'm a jazz guitarist and huge Wes Montgomery fan. It's interesting to see the number of reviews given each of Wes' individual albums. Some have multiple reviews, and this had two before mine. This is a very nice Wes album, and it's marvelous to hear him in the context of George Shearing arrangements (which are always fun and charming). For me, it's one of the more enjoyable Wes albums from purely a listening standpoint. There's also always something special about the albums he did with his brothers. It's said that Wes never felt comfortable in the studio, and perhaps having his brothers on the session loosened him up a bit. I like all the cuts here. In my opinion, if you are a Wes fan, you buy this album. Any good Wes Montgomery album is better than the best by most any other jazz guitarists.

If you like small group jazz of the late '50's era, this is a bargain you should own. Totally pleasant, 47-minutes of mostly mellow melodies. Can't imagine any jazz lover being disappointed.