Wes Montgomery

John Leslie "Wes" Montgomery was an African-American jazz guitarist. He was born in Indianapolis, Indiana on March 6, 1925. He was part of a musical family including his brothers, Monk (string bass) and Buddy (vibraphone). His recordings for Riverside Records (1959-1963) include The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery (1960) and the live recording Full House (1962). After Riverside Records went bankrupt, Montgomery recorded for Verve Records (1964-1966), including the album Smokin' at the Half Note (1966). He signed with A&M Records; in 1967 and recorded three popular albums. He died of a heart attack on June 15, 1968.

Wes' technique was unorthodox in that he did not use a pick, instead plucking the strings with the fleshy part of his thumb. This technique enabled him to get a mellow, expressive tone from the instrument.

Although Wes did not read music, he had an intimate knowledge of jazz harmony and an incredible command of the fretboard. Along with the octaves for which he is widely known, Wes was also an excellent single-line player, and he was very influential in his use of block chords in his solos.

Many jazz guitarists today list Wes among their influences, including Pat Metheny and George Benson.

External links

• All Music Guide

Discographies

• http://www.jazzdisco.org/wes/dis/c/
• http://www.duke.edu/~mjs4/wes/wesdisc.htm
• http://www.edfila.com/wes/