Your Favorite Wes Montgomery Album

[Kirk Garrett]

Interesting that this thread came back up, I was just listening to Full House again last night.

I have to put in for another favorite-- "A Dynamic New Sound" with Mel Rhyne on organ, and Wes on a 175, I beleive!

“Dynamic new sound” is the one I listen to the most often. It’s just tasty.

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

Try this one, it's outstanding Jazzed Up – Resonance Records Releases Newly Discovered Wes Montgomery, Bill Evans Recordings for Record Store Day – The Stratton Setlist

Agreed!! I got it few months ago along with In The Beginning. It's fascinating to hear how his playing was so mature so early in some ways, yet it developed so much in others. I think a lot of his early work was more innovative and exciting than his later playing. But he became much more introspective later on, playing less complex and intense lines but beautifully shaping what he did play more artfully. I suspect he thought about everything a bit more deeply near the end because he sensed an impending premature demise. He may well have had cardiac symptoms he never described, which is common in middle aged men with heart disease.

[charlieparker]

Boss guitar all day! I love the vibe of that album. Blew my mind when I first heard.

[JazzPadd]

Mid-70s vinyl from Verve, “The Small Group Recordings.” Still have the copy I bought in high school. Not sure if CD available.

[uschmidtguitar]

1. The Incredible Jazz Guitar
2. Smokin' At The Half Note
3. Boss Guitar

[frankl99]

Definitely "The Incredible Jazz Guitar." That album is perfect.

[Doug B]

Just wondering what everyone's favorite Wes Montgomery album is...

Every last one of them! :-)

Doug

[Bflat233]

The Resonance Records releases have been some of my favorite in the past few years. They capture Wes in his earlier years, and much is recorded live.

My current favorite is Back on Indiana Avenue. It’s a double album, one recorded in the studio, the other live. The recordings were lost in a fire, but a second set was duplicated on DAT by Jamie Aerbersold.

Resonance released this with a wonderful historical retrospective booklet. Many contributors bring very comprehensive view of Wes’ career, including Benson.

It’s an amazing archive and the 22 tunes are great listening and are really quite useful in my studies of guitaristic covers of tunes like Tune-up, where you really want to focus on how Wes approaches a progression and an improvised solo.

Resonance releases of Wes’ work have made an important contribution to jazz and to his estate.

Wes Montgomery Back on Indiana Avenue: The Carroll DeCamp Recordings [CD] | Resonance Records


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[Flat]

An unrelated Wes tidbit I just learned:
The actor who played Ensign Travis Mayweather on the TV series Star Trek: Enterprise is Anthony Montgomery, a grandson of Wes. Kinda looks like Wes, doesn't he?

[TAA]

i have (23) of his albums and I like many.

But Smokin at the Half Note is probably the one I go to the most.

Tom

[veejazz]

As a Jazz guitarist, my favorite Wes album without a question is Smokin' at the Half Note. Can't go wrong with Wes.

[L50EF15]

I’m torn between “A Day In The Life,” (my introduction to Wes 40 years ago when I first began playing guitar in earnest, via Dad’s awesome record collection); and “Down Here on The Ground,” the first Wes album I bought for myself (the Record Co-op, at the University of Maryland, College Park).

Granted “Full House” (bought not long after “Down Here on The Ground”) is special, special stuff; but “Down Here on The Ground” probably takes it for me. In fact, I often use it as a rebuttal to those who say Wes “sold out” and wasn’t really playing on his later albums. I defy anyone to say that after hearing “The Other Man’s Grass Is Always Greener” or “Up And At It”. Hard-swinging, head bobbing, finger popping stuff.

Yeah. “Down Here On The Ground”.

[AndyV]

I first heard Wes when I was 20 and for 40+ years he has been my jazz guitar gold standard. I love everything I've ever heard from Wes. My unconventional choice for favorite album is "Tequila." His ability to transform pop material into high art is breathtakingly realized on this record. All the jazz records are sublime but for me, this one encapsulates his greatness through a different lens.

[Doug B]

In fact, I often use it as a rebuttal to those who say Wes “sold out” and wasn’t really playing on his later albums. I defy anyone to say that after hearing “The Other Man’s Grass Is Always Greener” or “Up And At It”. Hard-swinging, head bobbing, finger popping stuff.

Yeah. “Down Here On The Ground”.

Agreed. Besides, it's not like Wes didn't have a ton of jazzier (is that a word) albums. Who amongst us wouldn't go a bit commercial to support their family? If I remember, Wes had 7 kids!

Doug

[2bornot2bop]

and yes, Down here on the ground, truly takes me home to my youth in the 60’s…

[2bornot2bop]

Agreed. Besides, it's not like Wes didn't have a ton of jazzier (is that a word) albums. Who amongst us wouldn't go a bit commercial to support their family? If I remember, Wes had 3 kids!

Doug

Wes had 7 children! Talk about a man on a mission. He had mouths to feed. Good on you Wes for doing whatever was necessary to support your family!

[L50EF15]

[L50EF15]

Forgot to mention that I had the privilege of playing THE guitar at Mandolin Brothers back in the summer of 2001. I so miss that shop. Rest In Peace, Stan Jay, and many thanks.