Guitarist Wes Montgomery
recorded for Riverside from 1959 to 1963, going in that
time from an obscure Indianapolis musician to the most
celebrated guitarist in jazz. All the reasons for that
rise are here, in a 12-CD box that includes 49 previously
unreleased and alternate takes. The settings range from
the organ trios with which Montgomery often worked to
tracks with string accompaniment, but the music is all
linked by the guitarist's highly original approach, using
thumb picking and frequent octave runs to put his signature
on blues, ballads, and bop tunes. Among the gems are live
recordings of a quintet that includes the accelerated
tenor saxophonist Johnny Griffin and bassist Paul Chambers,
as well as the studio recordings where Montgomery matches
talents with Milt Jackson and the fine pianists Tommy
Flanagan and Hank Jones. -- Stuart Broomer.
Order
here from Amazon.com