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  1. #1

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    Hello,

    Just curious to hear if you know anything about the performance Wes did with Trane somewhere back in 1961, in Newport Jazz Festival? I am also interested if Wes actually played with McCoy Tyner.

    Let me know!

    Epistrophy

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  3. #2

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    Quote Originally Posted by Epistrophy
    Hello,

    Just curious to hear if you know anything about the performance Wes did with Trane somewhere back in 1961, in Newport Jazz Festival? I am also interested if Wes actually played with McCoy Tyner.

    Let me know!

    Epistrophy
    I know Kenny Burrell did an album with Trane, but I never heard of a release with Wes and Trane.

    Please let us know if you find one.

    Doug

  4. #3

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    It's confusing because apparently there were April Fool's rumours around this story but it seems that it's true

    John Coltrane Discography

    John Coltrane Sextet

    John Coltrane, soprano, tenor sax; Eric Dolphy, alto sax, bass clarinet; McCoy Tyner, piano; Wes Montgomery, guitar; Reggie Workman, bass; Elvin Jones, drums.

    "Monterey Jazz Festival", Monterey, CA, September 22, 1961

    ----

    There's probably a tape somewhere, but no one has put it online AFAIK. Would love to hear it.

  5. #4

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    There are a bundle of reports that Wes and Dolphy joined Coltrane in '61 but no recordings as far as most people can tell. Or it may be that they do exist but the quality's not good enough for an album.

    I'm sure if they were out there we'd all know about it.

  6. #5

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    Apparently (off the top of my head) Wes left because he didn't like playing such long numbers.

  7. #6

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    Some stories and rumors, few facts. The things I have run across about it are that it was "legendary" but nobody seems to have recorded it. Wes apparently had no trouble hanging with the band musically. Trane reportedly tried to talk Wes into joining his band, but Wes was on his own thing at that point and declined.

    Like I suspect most everyone here, I would certainly love to hear any recording that was made of that. Even a terrible quality recording would probably have been released just because of what it was.

  8. #7

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    Found this reference to the event in google books:

    Wes Montgomery with John Coltrane-36dfcea0-e4c3-477a-8862-1d9adca3b967-jpeg

  9. #8

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    There have been rumors of a recording going back decades, but none has ever surfaced. A few candidates have circulated, but they’ve always turned out to be something else. I remember hearing a cassette that was being passed around ca. ‘83-84.

  10. #9

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    I also found this in the book on Wes by Adrian Ingram. (The review quoted was from Downbeat.)

    Wes Montgomery with John Coltrane-5ebc1abb-cd42-4b09-9c39-5d08d8f741a8-jpg

  11. #10

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    For what it's worth, this is from Lewis Porter's book on Coltrane:


  12. #11

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    I agree with Zan Stewart from the Jazz Report.

    coltrane's style does not wear well with long choruses

  13. #12

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    But no recordings then, so that's that. I'm surprised actually, given it was a public festival.

  14. #13

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    Something to regret, especially for us guitarists.

  15. #14

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    Quote Originally Posted by ragman1
    But no recordings then, so that's that. I'm surprised actually, given it was a public festival.
    In 1961 portable tape recorders were not exactly commonplace. The cassette hadn’t even been introduced yet.

  16. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by John A.
    In 1961 portable tape recorders were not exactly commonplace. The cassette hadn’t even been introduced yet.
    I don't know what you mean. I'm talking about professional recordings. There are albums of the Monterey Jazz Festival going back to at least 1958.

    Monterey Jazz Festival Records Label | Releases | Discogs

  17. #16

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    I think Wes would have been a great fit to Coltrane’s group but I still think that he was more into playing hardbop than free jazz influenced music that Trane did, so I kind of understand that Wes wanted to play with his own group. Anyway, the articles were interesting to read about. Thanks for the replies.

  18. #17

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    In the book, "Coltrane on Coltrane" there is alot said about a car ride with Eric Dolphy Trane and Wes. They were driving to a festival date and actually played together. It is a fact theyve played together but i have yet to find any recordings.

    On another note, one of my musical fathers, Randy Gelispie who was on the road alot with Wes told me a great story. He said Trane loved Wes and would always come by if they were in the same town. One night Wes left the bandstand and was talking with Trane. When everyone was hanging out in the back of the club, Wes told Randy " Wes was asking about you and saying you could swing your ass off."

    Randy, who is very humble, thought it was amazing. It was quiet in the room for a minute and Wes said "dont think that qualifies you for a raise or anything". I love hearing those stories. Most everyone was so humble and always joking around.

  19. #18

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    Randy Gelispie is the drummer on the ‘Young Guns’ live recording with Pat Martino and Gene Ludwig (on organ), he sounds great on that (they all do!).

  20. #19

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    you're right. thats the one and same. May 22nd will be Randys 88th birthday and i just played with him this past tuesday on an organ gig with Jim Alfredson. Randy sounds like hes 25 on the drums. No signs of slowing down. I love him so damn much
    Attached Images Attached Images Wes Montgomery with John Coltrane-20230314_204326-jpg 

  21. #20

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    I found this photo long time ago, was looking for recording, but never found one.

    Wes Montgomery with John Coltrane-wes_and_trane-jpg

  22. #21

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    Holy Expletive! That is great photo!

  23. #22

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    I love that photo. May this be for Wes and Trane. My composition from my new album.

  24. #23

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    One unique detail about that great photo in #20. The darkness of the background and the white binding on the body and fretboard of Wes’s L-5CES. It’s a great striking contrast that the binding provides, in the visual presentation of the photo.

    Wonderful photo….I saved it to the “cloud”. Thank you Akubra!

    Tom

  25. #24

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    That was great Miles er... I mean Selim :-)

    I truly enjoyed that and I can hear why you might've posted the question. You and your band sound really good. Heading over to bandcamp now.

  26. #25

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    Thank you so much for going to Bandcamp! My music is available from BC. Wes and Trane are indeed some of my main influences.