 |  | At the summit of the jazz guitar mountain... |  |
...Wes Montgomery has planted the flag! This is one of the most dynamic and sonically interesting works of jazz I've had the pleasure to hear in a long time. Never really a big fan of jazz guitar, works like Bill Frisell's Have a Little Faith have started to attract me to the appeal of jazz guitar, and this CD continues that trend. Wes keeps every song going steadily from start to finish, whether a soothing ballad or a rocking blues riff, with (what must be) intricate fingering at a lightening speed and nary a clue as to how he gets the strings to make the sounds they do. That's always been the epitome of jazz guitar for me: when the sound is so seamless that it doesn't even sound like strings were plucked but more like they were simply asked to sing and then do. I did notice, however, that several of the tracks have a good amount of hiss, but fortunately, it doesn't detract much from the songs themselves, as it is not that noticeable while everything else is going on. (Cleaner versions of this work are available.) Montgomery truly scales the heights with this work and guitar players will need to have this work as a point of reference for how high they can go, while jazz fans will want this to round out and diversify their collection.
June 14, 2008In terms of emotional expressiveness and technical virtuosity, Wes Montgomery was either Miles Davis with a guitar or the Jimi Hendrix of jazz. His was a technique beyond technique: Fluid, nimble, layered, emotive, and unmistakable. Wes made his guitar sing in a way that few others have ever managed, letting it sculpt images and ideas out of pure sound, painting the sky with spine tingling octaves and churning chords. Released in 1960, Incredible Jazz Guitar is one of the finest expressions of Wes' sound. Like the best records by Stan Getz (or, for that matter, Sun Ra), it's a masterpiece of sustained mood and imagery. It's a smart, smokey, late-night wakeful dream, a stroll through back alleys and forgotten nightclubs and moonlit cityscapes, full of drunken reveries and idle thoughts. That's what I hear in it, anyway. I also hear warmth and humor, grace and desolation, loss and excitement, joy and sadness. I hear listless rhythms and feverish self-expression, and moaning pianos and twisting melodies that mingle jazz and blues, intellect and passion, sophistication and rawness. There are uptempo numbers like the sumptuous "West Coast Blues" and ballads as hypnotic and beautiful as "Polka Dots and Moonbeams." One of the most perfect guitar albums ever, and every bit as powerful as In the Wee Small Hours (or, for that matter, Electric Ladyland).
April 30, 2008I challenge people to turn off the lights, pop this one on, lay down on your bed and really focus and concentrate on that guitar playing of Mr. Montgomery. You will be mesmerized. For it's beyond amazing! This is one recording a jazz guitar player doesn't want to miss. However, any fan of the guitar, no matter what your favorite category of music may be, will still thoroughly enjoy listening to this legend. The man was arguably the greatest jazz guitarist ever. He is my personal favorite among many favorites (i.e. Grant Green, Kenny Burrell, Joe Pass, Django Reinhardt, Charlie Christian, Jim Hall, Pat Metheny, et al... et al...). Out of all of the many great Wes Montgomery recordings I would put this one, along with "Smokin' at the Half Note", as my all-time most revered.
As Ralph J. Gleason, a very highly respected jazz writer, was quoted as saying in the original liner notes: "He (Montgomery) has the electric quality, that special gift of making whatever he does come alive, that marks the true artist. He has terrific swing, the ability to build solos dramatically (and) beautifully climax after climax, and everything he plays has a sense of rightness about it."
And what really makes this one even extra special is the trio behind Wes, backing him up are - Tommy Flanagan on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and his brother Albert Heath on drums. The swinging trio plays loose and always in perfect flow, each one of them turning in terrific performances. This is a definite must own for every fan of jazz out there. As you can see, the Amazon reviewers have spoken (as of today, this will be review #43) and it is rightfully holding a five-star status. I can't believe anyone would give this less.
June 26, 2007 | | Must have for Wes Montgomery fans | |
This was my first Wes Montgomery CD, I listened to it for years, it was then stolen from me, but I still remember the sounds on the recording now. I will definitely but the tracks again. This CD shows what Wes Montgomery is all about, all the different elements in his playing are showcased and each track is enjoyable and intriging to listen to.
May 12, 2007| | | Wes: Great player and composer | |
Wes Montgomery is the father of modern jazz guitar. His style sounds fresh today. But, he also composed some incredibly catchy tunes in this hard-bop style. "D-Natural Blues", "Mr. Walker", "West Coast Blues", and my favorite "Four-on-Six",have all become standards and are played here with elegance, logic and a tremendous sense of swing. You'll never tire of this great music.
December 31, 2006More reviews at Amazon.com ...
