Wes Montgomery's Comping Skills

[AlsoRan]

Anyone have an opinion on Wes Montgomery's comping skills? I was well aware of his great improvising skills; but, after listening intently to some of his CDs, I think he was very inventive with comping as well.

[Kman]

I agree. I love the strong rhythmic element to it. Sparse and never obtrusive. It almost like you don't notice it, which is how I like it.

[AmundLauritzen]

He'd comp along with Wynton Kelly, using voicings that would usually clash with the piano, but somehow he made it work. And boy did it work!

Once again goes to show that if you have good time, you can break conventions and sound great.

[mr. beaumont]

All about the rhythm...wes dropped chords like a good drummer drops "bombs."

[Belltower]

Check out the videos on the Live in 65 series... There is a clip of Wes showing the rhythm section how to play "End of a Love Affair" and his voicings are as modern as anything anyone is playing today.

Here is the site of the guy that knows everything about Wes. I studied with him nearly 20years ago at The Berklee College of Music.

Richie Hart: Instruction

Everything I know about Jazz I learned from studying Wes' music. Check Richie out. He is an incredible player and an even better teacher.

Here is my site www.belltowertrio.com.

[BlueMiles]

I'm not very technical, but I have to say I find Wes' comping behind Herbie Hancock on "Sun Down" to be very impressive and cool. This may be the finest track Wes ever laid down for Verve.

[AlsoRan]

OK! So others share my view.

fep and others on the forum already turned me on to Jim Hall's comping skills, now I have Wes to try and emulate.

[Synchro]

Wes pretty much had it all in my book and I can tell that he is loved around here. I don't know what lesson one is best to take away from this. Wes copied the right person, Charlie Christian. He had an innate sense of swing that came out every pore. He was good at what he did but his taste was great too.