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
The Complete Riverside Recordings,Wes Montgomery,Riverside,Hard Bop,Jazz,Jazz Music,Pop
Jazz Music:
- The Fabulous Dorseys
- The Malcolm X Jazz Suite
- The Returnsman
- The Servant Master
- Things I Meant To Say
- Tjader-ized: A Cal Tjader Tribute
- TNT (Trombone-N-Tenor)
- Trio de Clarinettes: Live [Live] [Import]
- Victory Concert
- Zodiac Suite
Jazz Music
Hold the Elevator: Live in Europe & Other Haunts [Live]
Writing's on the Wall [Extra tracks] [Import]