Customer Reviews

Groove Yard

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

 

 

We all know about Wes Montgomery. It's a shame that more people don't know about the talent of his brothers, Monk (bass) and Buddy (piano). This album is recorded in the format in which Wes sounds best- guitar/piano/bass/drums. While Monk and Buddy may not be able to compare to the Flanagan and Heath (who backed him on "Incredible Jazz Guitar"), these guys were extremely cohesive, giving this album a funkier sound than many of Wes' other recordings.

The jazz guitar of Wes Montgomery has a very distinctive sound. Because he used his thumb instead of a pick the sound is much more mellow than sharp. It's also a familiar sound because he went on greater popularity in more "popular" music later in the 60s. But this album is a classic from his earlier times, and features his equally talented brothers Monk and Buddy in this jazz quartet.

This is really a great jazz album. The sometimes mellowness of the guitar is tempered by the other instruments, including a couple of nice drum solos, and the result is an upbeat yet relaxing sound. I have a hard time thinking of any negatives with this album. Instead, as a new listener of jazz music, this is a great addition to my small but growing library.

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. Say what? This is a great Wes album. Are people not aware of it? Whatever, maybe the fact that it is a "Montgomery Brothers" session and not a "Wes" session has thrown it off the radar. For me, this is a topshelf "Wes" album. There always seemed to be 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, but standouts, for me, are "Doujie", which may have the greatest Wes octave solo, ever, "Delirium", "Bock To Bock" and "Grooveyard". In my opinion, if you are a Wes fan, you buy this album. Any really fine Wes Montgomery album is better than the best by most any other jazz guitarist.