Despite his untimely death from a heart attack at age 45, the legacy of Wes Montgomery jazz is enormous. Wes is still the standard for modern jazz guitarists. Wes is to jazz what Jimi Hendrix is \u200b\u200bto rock. Crown
pioneer Charlie Christian, who died at age 26 when he still had much to say, Montgomery developed a sound and special technique based on the utilization of your thumb instead of the needle, and to use instead of complex chords only the classic line, all this added to his personal style of playing in octaves.
In the 1940's he toured with his brothers Buddy (piano and vibraphone) and Monk (bass), then joined Lionel Hampton's band and then return to his native Indianapolis, where he played almost the entire decade of 1950.
Recommended by Cannonball Adderley, Wes signed for the Riverside label in 1959 and in 1960 he recorded his masterpiece, "The Incredible Jazz Guitar" accompanied by the Heath Brothers and Tommy Flanagan on piano (the cover of Rollins' Airegin is enormous). In 1964 Verve goes to Riverside after collapse.
On Verve induce them to be less jazzy and more popular, to which access immediately slipping into the Latin with the addition of congas, strings and horn, although Montgomery did not read music, he managed to compose several songs interesting.
Wes Another memorable album is the live album recorded at the Half Note in New York: "Smokin 'At The Half Note" with organist Jimmy Smith.
Excellent version of the classic Monk's "'Round Midnight" recorded in March 1965 by the BBC. Harold Mabern accompany on piano, Arthur Harper on bass and Jimmy Lovelace on drums where you can enjoy the magic and calm that emanates from his guitar Wes.