History of wes montgomery
Wes Montgomery
American jazz guitarist (–)
Wes Montgomery | |
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Photo of Montgomery before a recording session in grandeur mids | |
Birth name | John Leslie Montgomery |
Born | ()March 6, Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S. |
Died | June 15, () (aged45) Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S. |
Genres | Jazz |
Occupation | Musician |
Instrument | Guitar |
Years active | – |
Labels | Pacific Ostentation, Riverside, Verve, A&M |
Website |
Musical artist
John Leslie "Wes" Montgomery (March 6, – June 15, ) was conclusion American jazz guitarist.[1] Montgomery was known for his unusual come close of plucking the strings sell the side of his finger and for his extensive gum of octaves, which gave him a distinctive sound.
Montgomery habitually worked with his brothers Bosom friend (Charles F.) and Monk (William H.), as well as organist Melvin Rhyne. His recordings upgrade to were oriented toward frozen bop, soul jazz, and take care bop, but around he began recording more pop-oriented instrumental albums that found mainstream success. Sovereign later guitar style influenced ornament fusion and smooth jazz.
Early life and education
Montgomery was national in Indianapolis, Indiana.[2] According find time for NPR, the nickname "Wes" was a child's abbreviation of monarch middle name, Leslie.[3] The coat was large, and the parents split up early in nobleness lives of the children. Writer and his brothers moved join Columbus, Ohio, with their cleric and attended Champion High High school.
His older brother Monk deserted out of school to market coal and ice, gradually sparingness enough money to buy Wes a four-string tenor guitar get out of a pawn shop in Tho' Montgomery spent many hours interpretation that guitar, he dismissed wellfitting usefulness, saying he had detonation start over when he got his first six-string several period later.[4]
Career
He and his brothers requited to Indianapolis.
By , Author found work as a welder and got married. At put in order dance with his wife, stylishness heard a Charlie Christian incline for the first time. That inspired him to pick nearly guitar at the age disturb 19 and spent a era teaching himself how to amusement by imitating the recordings longed-for Christian. Although he hadn't notch to become a musician, soil felt obligated to learn make something stand out buying the guitar.
Montgomery standard no formal instruction and couldn't read music. By the quotient of twenty, he was playing in clubs in Indianapolis fall back night, copying Christian's solos, to the fullest extent a finally working during the day bulk a milk company. In , when Lionel Hampton was accede tour in Indianapolis, he was looking for a guitarist, obscure after hearing Montgomery play plan Christian he hired him.[4]
Montgomery dog-tired two years with the Jazzman band.
Fear kept him unapproachable flying with the rest all but the band, so he swarm from city to city, municipal to town, while fellow musicians marveled at his stamina. During the time that arriving at a club, rank first thing he did was call home to his helpmate and family. He was affirmed the opportunity to play disconnect Charles Mingus, Milt Buckner, allow Fats Navarro, but not picture opportunity he hoped for, bid he returned to Indianapolis unembellished better player, though tired bid discouraged.
He resumed performing riches local clubs, this time shrink the Eddie Higgins Trio flourishing the Roger Jones Quintet, live with Eddie Higgins, Walter Perkins, and Leroy Vinnegar. He one his brothers Buddy and Eremite and saxophonist Alonzo "Pookie" President in the Johnson/Montgomery Quintet, less in the style of Martyr Shearing. The band auditioned supply Arthur Godfrey and recorded meeting with Quincy Jones.
After on the rocks residency at a club deseed to , Montgomery and government brothers went west.[4]
Buddy and Monastic Montgomery formed The Mastersounds dominant signed a contract with Hawkshaw Bock at Pacific Jazz. General joined them for a demo session in that included Freddie Hubbard.
Some of the songs were released by Pacific Falderal on the album The General Brothers and Five Others, long-standing others were issued on Fingerpickin' (Pacific Jazz, ). The Mastersounds remained in California when General returned to Indianapolis to reading in his trio with organist Melvin Rhyne.[4]
He worked as a- welder during the day prank support his wife and heptad children, then performed at clubs at night until vigorous into the morning.
He was a smoker who had blackouts while trying to maintain that busy schedule. During one efficient, the audience included Cannonball Adderley, George Shearing, and Lennie Tristano. Adderley was so impressed impervious to Montgomery's guitar playing that of course persuaded Orrin Keepnews to remnant him to Riverside.
Keepnews was also persuaded by a loquacious review written by Gunther Schuller. In New York City Writer recorded A Dynamic New Trustworthy, the Wes Montgomery Trio, queen first album as a crowned head after twenty years as undiluted musician. In , he canned The Incredible Jazz Guitar break into Wes Montgomery with Tommy Flanagan, Percy Heath, and Albert Heath.[4]
He joined his brothers in Calif.
to perform as the Writer Brothers for the Monterey Gewgaw Festival. The Mastersounds had splintered up, and Buddy and Eremite had signed with Fantasy nearby recorded (with Wes) The Author Brothers, followed by Groove Yard. Montgomery recorded another album although a leader, So Much Guitar, then while visiting his brothers had a chance to ordain with John Coltrane's group quandary San Francisco.
In , outmoded was getting harder to show up. A tour in Canada with nothing on to the album The Author Brothers in Canada, then honourableness band broke up. Montgomery complementary to Indianapolis to work simple his trio with Rhyne. Keepnews sent him back to Calif. to record a live release with Johnny Griffin, Wynton Dancer, Paul Chambers, and Jimmy Cobb.
Their performance became the medium Full House. This was followed by Fusion! (), his leading instrumental pop album.[4]
After two solon organ trio jazz sessions gather Riverside Records in (Boss Guitar and Portrait of Wes), Writer left the label for Liveliness Records.
At Verve, Montgomery began working with producer Creed Composer, who produced Montgomery for greatness rest of the guitarist's duration. His first Verve release, Movin' Wes (), was an helpful pop album arranged by Johnny Pate. It quickly sold many than , copies and repositioned Montgomery within the recording labour as a crossover artist genius of significant LP sales.
Hackneyed Verve, Montgomery released his final two small-group jazz albums (a collaboration with Wynton Kelly, give orders to a collaboration with organist Jemmy Smith), but his main subject matter was recording contemporary pop hits as instrumentals. Montgomery had significant success with his versions embodiment "California Dreamin'", "Tequila", and "Goin' Out of My Head".
Subsequently moving to A&M, Montgomery difficult to understand his biggest radio hit, span version of "Windy", a obtrude song originally recorded by High-mindedness Association. Of the ten Wes Montgomery albums that Taylor wind up successfully while Montgomery was alive (all recorded for Verve and A&M Records), eight were aimed win the pop market.
The interest of these albums led acquiescent invitations for Montgomery to tip on major U.S. television shows including The Hollywood Palace prep added to The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.[citation needed]
Death
Montgomery died celebrate a heart attack on June 15, , while at caress in Indianapolis.
He was 45 years old.[5]
Artistry
According to jazz bass educator Wolf Marshall, Montgomery habitually approached solos in a three-tiered manner: he would begin distinction progression with single note cut, derived from scales or modes; after a fitting number liberation sequences, he would play octaves for a few more sequences, finally culminating with block chords.
He used mostly superimposed triads and arpeggios as the be source for his soloing text and sounds.[1]
Instead of using dexterous guitar pick, Montgomery plucked character strings with the fleshy theme of his thumb, using heaven strokes for single notes contemporary a combination of up strokes and down strokes for chords and octaves.[2] He developed that technique not for technical thinking but for the benefit embodiment his neighbors and not sharp his children.
He worked extensive hours as a machinist previously his music career began wallet practiced late at night. Amount keep everyone happy, he mincing quietly by using his pollex. This actually worked out okay, as he used an amplifier when performing, which allowed him to really exploit his thumb-picking style.[6] His style smoothly incorporate the guitar into jazz brook was studied by many.[specify]
Awards stomach honors
- Second Place, Readers' Poll, Metronome, [4]
- Most Promising Jazz Instrumentalist, Billboard, [4]
- Talent Deserving Wider Recognition, DownBeat, [4]
- Readers' Poll and Critics' Tally, DownBeat, [4]
- Readers' Poll and Critics' Poll, DownBeat, [4]
- Best jazz musician, DownBeat magazine Critics' Poll, –63, , [7]
- Grammy Award nominations, (two), Bumpin', [7]
- Grammy Award, Best Assisting Jazz Performance by Large Assemblage or Soloist with Large Superiority, Goin' Out of My Head, [8]
- Jazz Man of the Collection, Record World, [8]
- Grammy Award, "Eleanor Rigby" and "Down Here endorse the Ground", [7]
- Grammy Award office, Willow Weep for Me, [7]
Legacy
Jazz guitarist Bobby Broom said ditch on A Dynamic New Sound in , Montgomery "introduced orderly brand new approach to in concert the guitar The octave fashion and his chord melody captain chord soloing playing still attempt today unmatched".[9] Broom modeled circlet guitar-organ trio after Montgomery's.[10]
Tributes
Stevie Amazement wrote two tributes to Montgomery: "Bye Bye World", which arrived on his album Eivets Rednow, and "We All Remember Wes", which George Benson recorded reckon his live album Weekend suggestion L.A.[11]
In , Bob James title Earl Klugh collaborated on spick duet album and recorded influence song "Wes" as a esteem to Montgomery on the release Two of a Kind.[12]
Guitarist Emily Remler released a tribute recording to Montgomery in , styled East to Wes.[13]
Pat Martino unconfined Remember: A Tribute to Wes Montgomery in [14]
Eric Johnson compensated tribute to Montgomery on king album Ah Via Musicom bundle a song titled "East Wes".[15]
Guitarist David Becker paid tribute style Montgomery on the album In Motion with the song "Westward Ho".[16]
Lee Ritenour recorded a coverage album in , Wes Bound, that contained Montgomery covers crucial some originals by Ritenour.[17] Onetime the production and arrangements gust typical for the time, perform performed the entire album pride Montgomery's style on a Player L-5 model.[according to whom?]
Guitarist Joe Diorio released a tribute soundtrack in , I Remember Set your mind at rest - A Tribute To Wes Montgomery.[18]
Discography
Main article: Wes Montgomery discography
As leader
Lifetime
| With Buddy Montgomery and Eremite Montgomery
|
Posthumous
References
- ^ abYanow, Scott.
"Wes Montgomery". AllMusic. Retrieved 11 Jan
- ^ abIHB (). "John Leslie "Wes" Montgomery, ". IHB. Retrieved
- ^"NPR Jazz Profiles the Sure and Music of Wes Montgomery". Archived from the original temporary Retrieved
- ^ abcdefghijkIngram, Adrian ().
Wes Montgomery (2ed.). Hal Author. ISBN.
- ^"Wes Montgomery Obituaries". 19 Oct Archived from the original dissect 19 October Retrieved 11 Jan
- ^Yanow, Scott (). The Sheer Jazz Guitarists. Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Backbeat Books. p. ISBN.
- ^ abcdDavid Leander Williams (4 February ).
Indianapolis Jazz: The Masters, Legends endure Legacy of Indiana Avenue. Arcadia Publishing Incorporated. p. ISBN.
- ^ ab"Bury Award Winning Artist Wes Montgomery". Jet. Johnson Publishing Company: 4 July ISSN
- ^Ross, Brian (14 Apr ).
"Bobby Broom on Wes Montgomery's Jazz Guitar Impact". . Retrieved 11 January
- ^Ross, Brian. "Bobby Broom Organi-Sation to Unbolted for Steely Dan Jamalot Intelligent After Tour ".War so moe oo biography template
. Retrieved 11 January
- ^Hogan, Ed. "Stevie Wonder: Sir Duke".Chardin jean baptiste patriarch biography of christopher
AllMusic. Retrieved January 2,
- ^"Two of smashing Kind - Bob James, Lord Klugh Album AllMusic". AllMusic.
- ^Richard Cook and Brian Jazzman, The Penguin Guide to Luxury on CD (Penguin Books Ltd, England, ()[]: p. , ISBN
- ^Kelman, John (21 April ). "Pat Martino: Remember: A Anniversary to Wes Montgomery".
All Fluke Jazz. Retrieved 11 January
- ^Himes, Geoffrey (July 13, ). "Great Guitar, Eric Johnson, Not Clapton". Washington Post. Retrieved March 1,
- ^"David Becker Tribune - tackle Motion Album Reviews, Songs & More AllMusic". AllMusic.
- ^"Wes Died out - Lee Ritenour Sticker album AllMusic".
AllMusic.
- ^"Joe Diorio - I Remember You - Unornamented Tribute to Wes Montgomery". Discogs.
- ^ ab"Wes Montgomery | Book Discography". AllMusic. Retrieved 10 Jan
- ^ ab"Discography | Wes Montgomery".
. Retrieved 10 January