The best of Wes Montgomery: Five essential albums by the eternally influential guitarist
The Montgomery Brothers in Canada (1961)
Wes was part of a musical family. From 1957 to 1961, he and his brothers — pianist and vibraphonist Buddy and bassist Monk — played and recorded as the Montgomery Brothers (and, for a period, the Mastersounds). It’s fascinating to hear the brothers in Canada on this LP, recorded at the Cellar in Vancouver. It’s also a chance to hear Wes with his siblings before all the hits came along.
Movin’ Wes (1964)
This is classic middle-period Montgomery. The varied material is well-chosen: In and Out and West Coast Blues are originals, but any track will get you there. Theodora is a blues ballad of the highest order, and Caravan will blow your socks off. Hearing an electric guitar in a big-band context is especially thrilling, with call and response between Wes and the band.
Tequila (1966)
With producer Creed Taylor, Montgomery takes the titular quirky hit by the Champs into the realm of jazz and bop. Tequila won high praise from critics of the day thanks to Wes’s original compositions like Bumpin’ on Sunset and his masterful handling of ballads. Here, Wes also upped the octave ante by utilizing doubles: the same note played in three octaves.
A Day in the Life (1967)
Oftentimes a jazz musician’s success brings critique that perhaps they had sold out and gone commercial. At this stage of his career, Wes Montgomery outwardly shrugged it off and continued to make beautiful music. On the title track, we hear a Beatles opus reimagined with lush orchestral jazz backing, arranged by Claus Oogerman.
Wes and Friends (1973)
This double-album co-led with Milt Jackson and George Shearing is pure jazz in a combo setting. Stairway to the Stars is heavenly. The sound here is wry and dry with only the musicians and their dialogue. Here, Wes Montgomery’s sound is noticeably brighter than many jazz guitarists, thanks to his exclusive use of the top-of-the-line Gibson L-5CES with its solid spruce top that gave more highs. The album cover shows the artist and his axe in all their glory.