For years his birth was reported as 1925. Recently I have seen 1923. Which appears to have been endorsed recently by his family in a documentary which has made rounds.
His playing is remarkable…and so is his beautiful smile. Just a really a cool, nice guy. A happy person. Imagine that. No attitude….just the joy of playing music and living.
An almost carefree, nonchalant virtuosity delivered with a lively spirited joyous sense of delight.. What an astonishingly wonderful talent Wes truly was,
As far as I know, only Art Tatum, Thelonius Monk, Sonny Rollins and Wes Montgomery could play unique and fabulous music so EFFORTLESSLY (almost as easily as walking or even breathing).
@@davidmcw1026 : I love O.P. but I wouldn’t use “EFFORTLESSLY” to describe his play … he perspired too much. Instead, one musician I failed to mention is Sonny Rollins.
I was privileged to have grown up listening to this great Artist hypnotically melodic conversations on the guitar, which was always sparkling and clear--no matter the tune he was playing--it was free and wonderfully new. Wes Montgomery: God's gift to Jazz.
There are millions upon millions that call themselves jazz guitarists, and many of them can play million notes in a second. Yet only a handful that every time they touch those strings with their fingers....magical notes will ring through the air and will touch your soul! WES is ONE OF THEM!🙏🙏🙏
@@viarnay Love this remark - so darned true - why must they? To keep chiropractors in business? And of course the absence of all the 'gear" which many insist is essential to produce a relevant sound - just a good instrument and the soul of the muso is all -
Wes Montgomery plays with such ease, elegance and musicality in a style all his own ; and he's such a gentleman too. This British audience was clearly delighted , and so was he! Great trio. Great video. They don't come like this no more.
Antti Hyvärinen It was always thought that the guitar couldn't be played in octaves. Nobody told Wes! Mind you..Wes DID have two thumbs on his right hand!
@@jean-lucbersou758 : Yes, Wes was a musician first guitarist, and a formidable improviser. That’s why he has been respected and admired not only by guitarists but also by musicians of other instruments.
Good lord...I'd forgotten about Wes Montgomery...what a mistake I've made! He was utterly brilliant. His tones were so soft and luxurious. A genius who could swell my attention!
Montgomery had 2 things going 1. A great ear for music, jazz and rhythm and 2. Ability to control his pick attack and note resonance. That tone wasn't coming out of his guitar just because it was a carved Gibson L5 or because of his inset bridge pickup or amp. Such were at most 50% of his sound. Most of his sound came from his well trained hand and ear coordination. His musicians and his ability to play over them was incredible. It's no flimsy assessment that gives his all time best Jazz guitarist spot on all poles. And it wasn't just that he was good for his day; he is just as good nowadays as back when. Even his ability to get volume enough for auditoriums without harshness or loss of sound spectrum was also in his hands and a treat.
There is something about Wes that transcends. His ease, energy, and prowess were so unique. The L5 is a huge jazz box, not super easy to play because of its size (for mere mortals)and yet Wes’ giant hands just glide. He never looks like he’s trying or thinking too hard and he’s always having fun. Music just flows. Total mastery!
@@timbernard8783 Absolutely! You get the feeling some people (because of their talent) are doing exactly what they were meant to do. Hendrix, SRV and Vai come to mind too. Appreciate the compliment very much! The worse modern “music” gets, the more valuable the true artists of the past become to me.
Most people dislike Jazz which is not too popular and prefer pop music and easy listening. So there are millions who do not love this music :-) simple as that.
In case viewers don't know, Jazz 625 was so called because the channel (BBC2) could be watched using the new UHF TV system broadcast using 625 lines as opposed to the 405 lines of the former system.
My mom and dad loved wes. I could ask my dad, why would anyone hate folks that play music like this and he'd say, right? I'm glad I was never exposed to racism in my home growing up. My parents exposed us to all cultures in a positive way. This is magnificent, I wish they were alive to see how easy it is now to find all this stuff and have access to it on demand. Wes Montgomerys day in the life is incredible if you can find that.
There are very few jazz guitarists who play at all times only with their thumb, and for good reason: It is very difficult technically to do it at a high level, let alone anything like Wes Montgomery managed to do. George Benson can do it, albeit in a somewhat different manner than Wes did (Benson plays with the side of his RH thumb, not with his hand arched over the guitar as Wes did), maybe a few others.. but really, Wes is all alone in what he managed to accomplish with it. A lot of jazz guitarists palm their pick to play ballads or chordal passages at times, or to play some octaves like Wes did, but that's just the beginning of his style. He played everything he did on the instrument only with that amazing thumb, including extremely rapid tempos of 200 or beats per minute. Not only could he alternate-pick, he could also do upwards or backwards sweeps and rakes, too. Downwards sweeps/rakes are the easier to execute, and of course he did those expertly, too. What made his single note lines unique, in my view, is that so few jazz guitarists get that popping Clifford Brown-like articulation happening when they play single note lines - but Wes did, and to a greater extent than anyone who has ever played the instrument in jazz. He did the seemingly impossible because no one had ever told him that it could not be done, so he figured out a way to do it. How? With a dazzling array of hammer-ons, pull-offs and other slurs, slides, glisses, sweeps, ghost notes, rest and free strokes, and other methods, all wedded to his musical genius and amazing creativity. Plenty of guys have outstanding technique, but so few manage to combine it with the sheer level of musicality that he did. Perhaps one of the reasons that Wes sounded more like a horn player than a guitarist is that whereas he did listen to prominent jazz guitarists - such as Charlie Christian - he also spent a great deal of time listening to horn players, so it ought not to surprise us that influence is felt in his playing. Wes' famous solos in block chords may have originated from his experience listening to and playing in big bands, like that of Lionel Hampton, especially the horns playing the climatic or "shout" chorus of the tune - which is very much what his chord passages sound like. Wes also learned a lot from his brother Buddy, who played piano and vibes, and also from organ players, too. They influenced his thinking about harmony and other subjects, too. What a bloody genius that man was!
Wes is captivating!...these guys sound sooo amazing! I got to see Harold Maybern at the Village Vanguard...just a few weeks before he passed. Maybern is killing the keys here!! Also....how about Arthur Harper on Bass?!?!?...he killed it with his solo on "Twisted Blues"..!! He never looses the funk...!...(too many bassist today try to do too many tricks ...just over doing it....and lose the grove...!!...bass is suppose to make you bounce...!! The great Ron Carter is a master at that...!!)
In his documentary he shares how he developed the thumb style and octave playing so as to keep the noise down when he was practicing to be considerate of the neighbors…..
Whenever I hear Wes, I fluctuate between pure joy that he existed and absolute despair about my own playing. Why do I even bother? Today it's pure joy. What a gift he gave to us all!
Segovia said that the guitar is the easiest instrument to learn but the hardest to master, the great man Wes Montgomery is showing us mastery of his talent.
@ John Faser Re: "Segovia said that the guitar is the easiest instrument to learn but the hardest to master..." And with respects to that great classical guitar maestro, there is no idiom in which it is tougher to attain mastery on guitar than in jazz. You darned near have to be a virtuoso to do it, I believe that jazz guitar Russell Malone said that once.... and he wasn't far wrong. Like all of the greats, Wes makes his artistry appear so effortless but that belies the difficulty of the guitar as a musical master. Wes even said it once in awhile, when people would ask him about his practice habits, he'd laugh a bit and say, "Every once in a while, I just open up the guitar case, and throw some meat in there!" But what a genius he was! No one has approached his mastery of the instrument or his fluency upon it for jazz, let alone surpassed him. George Benson and others have carved out their own legends in jazz, but no one has emulated what Wes did. On one had, we can mourn that his light burned brightly for so brief a time, but on the other hand, how fortunate we all are to have what he left behind, a priceless legacy of jazz for the ages. And not just Wes, but the amazing musicians and collaborators with which he worked.....
Piano layout is easier to play difficult material. Arpeggios on guitar are hard but on piano it's just pressing keys in time. And hard to keep in tune. Guitar is not easy.
If you have rhythm drums are probably the easiest. It's hitting things in time. No key, no scales, just pounding skins which you have to tune I know. Guitar is not the easiest. Melodica is easier.
In order of appearance in over the many years / decades the real guitar ground shakers were Lonnie Johnson - Eddie Lang - Django Reinhardt - Eddie Durham - Teddy Bunn - Charlie Christian - Tal Farlow - Barney Kessel - Wes Montgomery - and that really is where it has stayed and influenced the jazz guitar world - If I left out somebody I just felt that these were the guys that raised the bar to new ground !
I am listening to this wonderful stuff..as I am listening in the middle of nowhere Alberta..the train horn matches the music?.serendipity..and God's humour..I am always amazed
I think that is part of his secret. It lends a softness to each note. There isn't any aggression to his notes, they each come out clear and soft, almost machine like, inhuman, beautiful.
The music of Faso is an inexhaustible source of sweetness. It allows us to plunge deep inside ourselves and at the same time resonate with our fellow man, Yé Lassina Coulibaly❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Lovely to see this and hear him play with such enjoyment and no frills to the presentation, just the astounding music so no need. A throwback also to when the BBC was still a public service broadcaster catering for more acerbic minority tastes and education before getting swallowed in to the glossy superficial rating chasing morass of modern media. TV now is a million miles wide and about half an inch deep. Someone below pointed out he Wes died 3 years later so the comment by Humphrey that he was only 42 is doubly sad seeing him at his peak here. The sweetest lives are too often the shortest.
To be the inventor of a the smoothest. Articulated and classy heady even quality that has proven the standard bearer to our present day and I dare say. Stands to continue in to the future foreseeably and beyond.
Wes was tops, with his thumb, his speed and touch, I feel the Boss Guitar album was his best with Mel Rhyne B3, Jimmy Cobb drums one of the greatest time keepers- just his cymbol work alone was worth listening to carefully. They were a dynamite trio. Mel Rhyne was a great soloist and B3 Master never given full credit for his talents. Many guitarists copy Wes but will never have his feel, speed, touch, soul and creative explosive inspiring solos and sound. Wes was one of a kind as was Luis Armstrong, one of my favorite musicians in jazz. Masters always inspire others to be better musicians and reveal the unlimited creativity of their craft or wring out jealous criticism from less talented or skeptics when there is nothing there to criticize but pure talent. Wes was a hard working man with 7 kids and a wife. Working as a tradesman and playing gigs/finding practice time/taking care of his family was not an easy life. His talent eventually was seen and he rose through the maze of obstacles to become known and admired. He was said to be a very kind man and down to earth. RIP Wes and all the great jazz cats that have passed and left so much for us in education and appreciation of music and what can be done with music and it's endless possibilities. God Bless all these players and for setting the bar.
@ airdale73 - After Wes' death, tributes poured in and not just about his musical achievements and genius, but his down-to-earth personality, his gentle kindness, and his devotion to his family. Orrin Keepnews, his producer at Riverside Records, said that in their long association, he never saw Wes mistreat anyone or raise his voice in anger. Relentlessly self-critical, Wes was hard on himself, but kind to others. Never a discouraging or harsh word. I know maybe three or four people who were fortunate enough to be alive in those days and see/hear Wes live, and they all said pretty much the same thing about him: That the kindness and gentleness of spirit of Wes the man came through in his music, too. So many performers, jazz cats, look grim when they play - like they were undergoing a root canal or something. Not Wes; he smiled and laughed with the band and the audience as he played. He enjoyed being there and wanted them to feel that way also.
Such a refined and intellectual property that is a bubble of light and consciousness that burns brightly into a dark and stormy night blanketing the city. Yet almost a candle light devotional. Feel. Wes Montgomery has carved his signature into the annals of history. Even if not everyone knows it Wes Montgomery is a quentissential pillar of what we understand as jazz and modern music entire dedicated his life to creating a sound that is truly larger than life. A sound that transcends even death Magnify his name in the sight of almighty God
I knew Tim to be a consummate professional, and I became intrigued by his Wes book. I bought it, got it last week, and I think it is FANTASTIC. I have no connection to Tim other than as a follower of music, but this book is well laid out, easy to read; it has complete, detailed analyses of what Wes plays on each solo, and is well worth the money. A delightful purchase.
Thanks a lot for this video. Well Wes has always been my older brother's favorite guitar player.And I like his kind of improvisation very much too. Thanks!
@ Nander: Re: "The line at 6:50 that he comes in with is amazing" Everyone talks about Wes' octaves and his use of block chords in solos, and rightly so, but his genius as a player of compelling single-note lines often gets overlooked. Wes had that popping, Clifford Brown-like articulation happening, which is so sought after by jazz musicians but so seldom attained. Using not only alternative picking with his thumb, he added in slides, glisses, hammers, pull-offs, ghost notes, slurs, slides and rest strokes to attain greater character in his lines. Guitarists know how difficult it is to pull that off on the instrument, but Wes made it look all so effortless and smooth. What a genius he was!
"Jingles" - the live version played on the 1965 tour of Europe - is almost scary it is so good. That band, the cats in it ... Harold Mabern on piano, Art Harper on bass, and Jimmy Lovelace on drums... were some bad dudes in their own right. Superb musicians, all of them. It is really interesting to listen to tunes Wes covered at different times in his career - sometimes with different band-mates - to hear the different interpretations Wes and the band make. "Jingles" was covered early on by Wes on his LP with Milt Jackson. That version sounds nothing like this one, the one done in 1965 in Europe. You can do this comparison with other tunes also. Wes played "Four on Six" in the studio with the Wynton Kelly Trio in 1965, the sessions were done at Rudy Van Gelder's studio, if memory serves. Great take by Wes and the band. They then did it again live at the "Half Note" jazz club in 1965 as well, also a killer version of the tune, but different again from the studio cut. Finally, Wes did the tune with Mabern and the band in Europe, and it sounded great there, too, but different as well. Absolutely amazing the way these elite musicians each put their own stamp on Wes' composition, and how Wes played it different at different times, but always brilliantly. I was fortunate-enough to see/hear Harold Mabern live in Chicago several times in the 2000s and the early 2010s, at the famous "Jazz Showcase" club, where he played piano for Eric Alexander's group, the brilliant tenor sax player. I spoke with 'Mabes - as he was called - several times, and he was such a fine gentleman and a wonderfully kind man in addition to being an amazing musician. We lost him some years ago, but his playing will live on. He was still playing brilliantly, too.
the story goes something like this : When Wes was learning to play guitar he had to work a day job . It was in a factory or as a welder but something he came out of amazingly without damaging his fingers . He would practice after he came home from his day job into the wee hours . He lived in an apartment building . I don't think his wife and children minded much but His neighbors complained . So he stopped using a pick and started playing with his thumb to dampen the volume of his guitar ( you'll also see him open hand pluck with thumb and fingers at times). And as they say the rest is history . Benson may be faster but Wes has the best tone and does all those nuanced things on guitar better than George Benson imho . I don't blame Wes for playing on "elevator music" albums too. Pure Jazz just doesn't pay as well as commercial mainstream music . Sad Wes left us when he was only 45 years old . He's definitely in a better place now
Harold Mabern on piano! Met him at a masterclass and told him how great he sounded on these recordings. He stopped me and said, “I played so good cause he payed so good!” Class act. RIP Mabes and Wes.
He’s Humphrey lytelton he was a well known trad jazz band leader in the UK , Also because he had such an easy way with him he would be on the radio and tv .He did a lot bringing jazz to the tv audiences in the early sixties ,
Whenever Wes smiled, the whole world smiled with Wes
Yes WES smiles when he plays - a lot of guitar players do not - !
Wes would have been 100 years old this year. His musical genius is mind blowing. Still unmatched to this day.
WES MONTGOMERY - - MARCH 6 1923 - - JUNE 15 1968 - - AND GONE UP TO HEAVEN 55 YEARS NOW !
Exactly.
For years his birth was reported as 1925. Recently I have seen 1923. Which appears to have been endorsed recently by his family in a documentary which has made rounds.
WES has been gone longer than he was here ! Twice as long and then some - I remember when HE went to Heaven on that 1968 day
His phrasing was incredible and butter smooth.
When I first got into jazz guitar, I became a huge fan of Grant Green. Well, still am. But when I found Wes, I knew who the GOAT was.
Look at all those folks in the audience truly enjoying the genius that Wes was! Those were the times.
His playing is remarkable…and so is his beautiful smile. Just a really a cool, nice guy. A happy person. Imagine that. No attitude….just the joy of playing music and living.
His smile is pure gold.
An almost carefree, nonchalant virtuosity delivered with a lively spirited joyous sense of delight.. What an astonishingly wonderful talent Wes truly was,
As far as I know, only Art Tatum, Thelonius Monk, Sonny Rollins and Wes Montgomery could play unique and fabulous music so EFFORTLESSLY (almost as easily as walking or even breathing).
Not to mention the rest of the band!
Yeah right
@@jimtakahashi4638 May I suggest that Oscar Peterson belongs in that group too?
@@davidmcw1026 : I love O.P. but I wouldn’t use “EFFORTLESSLY” to describe his play … he perspired too much.
Instead, one musician I failed to mention is Sonny Rollins.
I was privileged to have grown up listening to this great Artist hypnotically melodic conversations on the guitar, which was always sparkling and clear--no matter the tune he was playing--it was free and wonderfully new. Wes Montgomery: God's gift to Jazz.
GODS GIFT TO ALL OF US!!!!
A nice cold beer on a warm afternoon, and Wes Montgomery to listen to.
I'm enjoying a nice warm beer on a cold afternoon, because I'm so bloody British.
There are millions upon millions that call themselves jazz guitarists, and many of them can play million notes in a second. Yet only a handful that every time they touch those strings with their fingers....magical notes will ring through the air and will touch your soul! WES is ONE OF THEM!🙏🙏🙏
Amen2That !
*period* ❤
rock'n roll watches his own belly button too much :- 1
He honors the all-important spaces in composition.
@@viarnay Love this remark - so darned true - why must they? To keep chiropractors in business? And of course the absence of all the 'gear" which many insist is essential to produce a relevant sound - just a good instrument and the soul of the muso is all -
2LPAAMPMAMMMAAA
There are many pioneers, geniuses, and great jazz guitarists, but to me, Wes is the embodiment of jazz guitar itself.
Wes Montgomery plays with such ease, elegance and musicality in a style all his own ; and he's such a gentleman too. This British audience was clearly delighted , and so was he! Great trio. Great video. They don't come like this no more.
Great music and great performance 👍
Thumbs up for Wes’ magic thumb!
Listening to Wes is one thing, actually watching him play makes one love him so much more. Why do we lose so many wonderful people so young?
He smoked a lot
his long flexible fingers where related to an type of illnes, mostly mortally.
Wes would be 98 today. Still unmatched the undisputed G.O.A.T.!
Amen2That !
*period* ❤
one of the greatest guitarists ever!
Antti Hyvärinen
It was always thought that the guitar couldn't be played in octaves. Nobody told Wes!
Mind you..Wes DID have two thumbs on his right hand!
WES is really a genius first as a MUSICIAN and incredible guitar virtuoso .
THE GREATEST
@@jean-lucbersou758 : Yes, Wes was a musician first guitarist, and a formidable improviser. That’s why he has been respected and admired not only by guitarists but also by musicians of other instruments.
Antti Hyvärinen : In my book, he is the very best as a jazz guitarist.
It's a Great Privilege to see Wes Montgomery like this: one more Gig!!!!!
You know just had to be a lovely man to play such lovely music
Only the best guitarist of all time........................
Good lord...I'd forgotten about Wes Montgomery...what a mistake I've made! He was utterly brilliant. His tones were so soft and luxurious. A genius who could swell my attention!
Montgomery had 2 things going 1. A great ear for music, jazz and rhythm and 2. Ability to control his pick attack and note resonance. That tone wasn't coming out of his guitar just because it was a carved Gibson L5 or because of his inset bridge pickup or amp. Such were at most 50% of his sound. Most of his sound came from his well trained hand and ear coordination. His musicians and his ability to play over them was incredible. It's no flimsy assessment that gives his all time best Jazz guitarist spot on all poles. And it wasn't just that he was good for his day; he is just as good nowadays as back when. Even his ability to get volume enough for auditoriums without harshness or loss of sound spectrum was also in his hands and a treat.
There really needs o be a huge public monument to Wes Montgomery's thumb!
ahahah just picture that
For real, surely the hardest-working thumb in history, music or otherwise!
@@00MetaHunter00 Good one
Don't forget that giant thumb of Hendrix!!
I totally agree with you. I've been trying for years to get a monument to the legendary 'actor' John Holmes, altho of another part of his anatomy
There is something about Wes that transcends. His ease, energy, and prowess were so unique. The L5 is a huge jazz box, not super easy to play because of its size (for mere mortals)and yet Wes’ giant hands just glide. He never looks like he’s trying or thinking too hard and he’s always having fun. Music just flows. Total mastery!
Well said. I feel like he was built to play this kind of music at the highest level.
@@timbernard8783 Absolutely! You get the feeling some people (because of their talent) are doing exactly what they were meant to do. Hendrix, SRV and Vai come to mind too. Appreciate the compliment very much! The worse modern “music” gets, the more valuable the true artists of the past become to me.
@@BI-km6dl 10000% agree
His smile. For me it's his beautiful smile.
He never appears to be pushing, he's always smiling, he makes it look effortless, and sound too !
NO one plays or will ever play like WES! Great video...wish I was there
How could anyone NOT love his music?! 😊 Full House is my favorite recording by this man of endless talent.
Most people dislike Jazz which is not too popular and prefer pop music and easy listening. So there are millions who do not love this music :-) simple as that.
@@2009framat Well I love it, always will, and it's as simple as that! Pop sucks.
@@Tomatohater64 I like the Beatles, Wes Montgomery, Lightning Hopkins and many unknown Blues and Jazz. Beatles do'nt suck (unless you are a sucker).
@@2009framat Beatles were/are sooooooo 😴😴😴. Yuk.
@@Tomatohater64 Wes liked them. But he knew about good music 🙂
Every note and execution of the note and phrase. Way beyond his thumb. Musical genius.
The greatest! The king!
Yeah ! Man😉👍W.Montgomery
Dont play ☝️GUITAR but Use it ❤
met harold mayburn in toronto about 3 years ago, still had such excellent touch now as he did then legendary
あの伝説のウェスが動いている‼️音だけなら多くが出回っているし、本作品のCDは出ているけどもやっぱり動いているウェス、熱演しているウェスが観られるのは私のようなウェス信者にとっては奇跡としか言いようがありません。
贅沢を言うならば、現在の技術でこのモノクロ映像がカラー化されたらなぁなどと思っています。
In case viewers don't know, Jazz 625 was so called because the channel (BBC2) could be watched using the new UHF TV system broadcast using 625 lines as opposed to the 405 lines of the former system.
That bass player is just unbelievably Great on that instrument!
And just a kid.
Arthur Harper was his name. He and drummer Jimmy Lovelace made a wonderful combination. And Harold Mabern on piano was simply sublime.
Just goated out of his mind
My mom and dad loved wes. I could ask my dad, why would anyone hate folks that play music like this and he'd say, right? I'm glad I was never exposed to racism in my home growing up. My parents exposed us to all cultures in a positive way. This is magnificent, I wish they were alive to see how easy it is now to find all this stuff and have access to it on demand. Wes Montgomerys day in the life is incredible if you can find that.
I've never seen such fast alternate picking from a musician who plays with his thumb - Brilliant!
There are very few jazz guitarists who play at all times only with their thumb, and for good reason: It is very difficult technically to do it at a high level, let alone anything like Wes Montgomery managed to do. George Benson can do it, albeit in a somewhat different manner than Wes did (Benson plays with the side of his RH thumb, not with his hand arched over the guitar as Wes did), maybe a few others.. but really, Wes is all alone in what he managed to accomplish with it.
A lot of jazz guitarists palm their pick to play ballads or chordal passages at times, or to play some octaves like Wes did, but that's just the beginning of his style. He played everything he did on the instrument only with that amazing thumb, including extremely rapid tempos of 200 or beats per minute. Not only could he alternate-pick, he could also do upwards or backwards sweeps and rakes, too. Downwards sweeps/rakes are the easier to execute, and of course he did those expertly, too.
What made his single note lines unique, in my view, is that so few jazz guitarists get that popping Clifford Brown-like articulation happening when they play single note lines - but Wes did, and to a greater extent than anyone who has ever played the instrument in jazz. He did the seemingly impossible because no one had ever told him that it could not be done, so he figured out a way to do it.
How? With a dazzling array of hammer-ons, pull-offs and other slurs, slides, glisses, sweeps, ghost notes, rest and free strokes, and other methods, all wedded to his musical genius and amazing creativity. Plenty of guys have outstanding technique, but so few manage to combine it with the sheer level of musicality that he did.
Perhaps one of the reasons that Wes sounded more like a horn player than a guitarist is that whereas he did listen to prominent jazz guitarists - such as Charlie Christian - he also spent a great deal of time listening to horn players, so it ought not to surprise us that influence is felt in his playing. Wes' famous solos in block chords may have originated from his experience listening to and playing in big bands, like that of Lionel Hampton, especially the horns playing the climatic or "shout" chorus of the tune - which is very much what his chord passages sound like.
Wes also learned a lot from his brother Buddy, who played piano and vibes, and also from organ players, too. They influenced his thinking about harmony and other subjects, too.
What a bloody genius that man was!
@@GeorgiaBoy1961 Thanks for the great read!
And.... Double-jointed thumb. Try getting your thumb to bend back at that first joint like his is.
Literally made to play like that.
Great cats playing with him!
Harold Mabern - piano; Art Harper - bass; Jimmy Lovelace - drums > Talk about an amazing band!
Such beautiful humble unpretentious young men
Verissimo.mi piace la tua definizione
Wes is captivating!...these guys sound sooo amazing! I got to see Harold Maybern at the Village Vanguard...just a few weeks before he passed. Maybern is killing the keys here!! Also....how about Arthur Harper on Bass?!?!?...he killed it with his solo on "Twisted Blues"..!! He never looses the funk...!...(too many bassist today try to do too many tricks ...just over doing it....and lose the grove...!!...bass is suppose to make you bounce...!! The great Ron Carter is a master at that...!!)
In his documentary he shares how he developed the thumb style and octave playing so as to keep the noise down when he was practicing to be considerate of the neighbors…..
Another example of the 1960's being the greatest decade in recorded history.
Wow so happy playing what he loved. Great guitarist
Whenever I hear Wes, I fluctuate between pure joy that he existed and absolute despair about my own playing. Why do I even bother? Today it's pure joy. What a gift he gave to us all!
Wes was the chosen one...better than everyone else...
Segovia said that the guitar is the easiest instrument to learn but the hardest to master, the great man Wes Montgomery is showing us mastery of his talent.
@ John Faser
Re: "Segovia said that the guitar is the easiest instrument to learn but the hardest to master..." And with respects to that great classical guitar maestro, there is no idiom in which it is tougher to attain mastery on guitar than in jazz. You darned near have to be a virtuoso to do it, I believe that jazz guitar Russell Malone said that once.... and he wasn't far wrong.
Like all of the greats, Wes makes his artistry appear so effortless but that belies the difficulty of the guitar as a musical master. Wes even said it once in awhile, when people would ask him about his practice habits, he'd laugh a bit and say, "Every once in a while, I just open up the guitar case, and throw some meat in there!" But what a genius he was! No one has approached his mastery of the instrument or his fluency upon it for jazz, let alone surpassed him. George Benson and others have carved out their own legends in jazz, but no one has emulated what Wes did.
On one had, we can mourn that his light burned brightly for so brief a time, but on the other hand, how fortunate we all are to have what he left behind, a priceless legacy of jazz for the ages. And not just Wes, but the amazing musicians and collaborators with which he worked.....
Piano layout is easier to play difficult material. Arpeggios on guitar are hard but on piano it's just pressing keys in time. And hard to keep in tune. Guitar is not easy.
If you have rhythm drums are probably the easiest. It's hitting things in time. No key, no scales, just pounding skins which you have to tune I know. Guitar is not the easiest. Melodica is easier.
In order of appearance in over the many years / decades the real guitar ground shakers were Lonnie Johnson - Eddie Lang - Django Reinhardt - Eddie Durham - Teddy Bunn - Charlie Christian - Tal Farlow - Barney Kessel - Wes Montgomery - and that really is where it has stayed and influenced the jazz guitar world - If I left out somebody I just felt that these were the guys that raised the bar to new ground !
No tension in his face when he is playing, just smiling, relaxed, and in wonder; it had become second nature.
The Wes Montgomery Quartet was a true icon in the best days of jazz.
I can watch this 24/7!
Technically, this PhD Musicianship, and yet it is so Soulful, Spiritual and Ethereal.
Greetings from Uganda 🇺🇬👊🏿🖤
His notes and phrasings sound expensive and luxurious.
I am listening to this wonderful stuff..as I am listening in the middle of nowhere Alberta..the train horn matches the music?.serendipity..and God's humour..I am always amazed
Master Wes ;
Swave and Cool!
Hard to believe he makes all those perfect notes with only his thumb as a pick. Definitely one of the greats
I think that is part of his secret. It lends a softness to each note. There isn't any aggression to his notes, they each come out clear and soft, almost machine like, inhuman, beautiful.
My thumb would be bleeding in ten minutes. I can feel the pain just thinking about it. 🙂@@glennjames7107
Like black velvet tones, North, East, South, & Wes🎸!
Wes was wise and a genius at playing the guitar ❤he made it look so natural he was my favorite ❤
Il vero jazz è partito da lui.uno spettacolo ascoltarlo.sono sessant'anni che l ascolto è non mi stanco mai.la buona musica non muore mai
Top musicianship!.
I love Wes Montgomery
Fantastic film. Thanks for putting this up.
One of the all time great guitarists!
The music of Faso is an inexhaustible source of sweetness.
It allows us to plunge deep inside ourselves and at the same time resonate with our fellow man, Yé Lassina Coulibaly❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
The best (imo) - pure Jazz Guitar genius!
He’s so accomplished and well versed that the guitar is a pure extension of him and thus he is completely cool and relaxed. Beyond brilliant!
Nicely done.
The unique Wes Montgomery!
Head and shoulders the best jazz guitar
Lovely to see this and hear him play with such enjoyment and no frills to the presentation, just the astounding music so no need. A throwback also to when the BBC was still a public service broadcaster catering for more acerbic minority tastes and education before getting swallowed in to the glossy superficial rating chasing morass of modern media. TV now is a million miles wide and about half an inch deep. Someone below pointed out he Wes died 3 years later so the comment by Humphrey that he was only 42 is doubly sad seeing him at his peak here. The sweetest lives are too often the shortest.
WHAT BRILLIANCE....by all FOUR !
Simply effortless the best, as a human as well.
To be the inventor of a the smoothest. Articulated and classy heady even quality that has proven the standard bearer to our present day and I dare say. Stands to continue in to the future foreseeably and beyond.
What a creative musician, innovator. Greats never fade.
美しい音ですね！聴いてると懐かしい気持ちになります🥲。アメリカからよろしく！
One of kind-Wes Montgomery!
Absolutely/Positively/Fantastic, Mr. Wes Montgomery and the Band!!!!!!!
Wes was tops, with his thumb, his speed and touch, I feel the Boss Guitar album was his best with Mel Rhyne B3, Jimmy Cobb drums one of the greatest time keepers- just his cymbol work alone was worth listening to carefully. They were a dynamite trio. Mel Rhyne was a great soloist and B3 Master never given full credit for his talents. Many guitarists copy Wes but will never have his feel, speed, touch, soul and creative explosive inspiring solos and sound. Wes was one of a kind as was Luis Armstrong, one of my favorite musicians in jazz. Masters always inspire others to be better musicians and reveal the unlimited creativity of their craft or wring out jealous criticism from less talented or skeptics when there is nothing there to criticize but pure talent. Wes was a hard working man with 7 kids and a wife. Working as a tradesman and playing gigs/finding practice time/taking care of his family was not an easy life. His talent eventually was seen and he rose through the maze of obstacles to become known and admired. He was said to be a very kind man and down to earth. RIP Wes and all the great jazz cats that have passed and left so much for us in education and appreciation of music and what can be done with music and it's endless possibilities. God Bless all these players and for setting the bar.
It's a shame you can't say something nice about the guy
@@spactick nice...😏
@ airdale73 - After Wes' death, tributes poured in and not just about his musical achievements and genius, but his down-to-earth personality, his gentle kindness, and his devotion to his family. Orrin Keepnews, his producer at Riverside Records, said that in their long association, he never saw Wes mistreat anyone or raise his voice in anger. Relentlessly self-critical, Wes was hard on himself, but kind to others. Never a discouraging or harsh word.
I know maybe three or four people who were fortunate enough to be alive in those days and see/hear Wes live, and they all said pretty much the same thing about him: That the kindness and gentleness of spirit of Wes the man came through in his music, too. So many performers, jazz cats, look grim when they play - like they were undergoing a root canal or something. Not Wes; he smiled and laughed with the band and the audience as he played. He enjoyed being there and wanted them to feel that way also.
Will always be for me “the most beautiful sound in jazz guitar” No one like Wes Montgomery! R.I.P. 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🎼🎵🎶🎶🎵🎼
Such a refined and intellectual property that is a bubble of light and consciousness that burns brightly into a dark and stormy night blanketing the city. Yet almost a candle light devotional. Feel. Wes Montgomery has carved his signature into the annals of history. Even if not everyone knows it Wes Montgomery is a quentissential pillar of what we understand as jazz and modern music entire dedicated his life to creating a sound that is truly larger than life. A sound that transcends even death
Magnify his name in the sight of almighty God
how is , how he plays , even possible?
I knew Tim to be a consummate professional, and I became intrigued by his Wes book. I bought it, got it last week, and I think it is FANTASTIC. I have no connection to Tim other than as a follower of music, but this book is well laid out, easy to read; it has complete, detailed analyses of what Wes plays on each solo, and is well worth the money. A delightful purchase.
Thanks for this Wes Montgomery tribute!
Fantastic performance. Even Wes' theme statement brings on the goosebumps.
The timing and swing even in themes' exposition is beyond brilliant.
Thanks for sharing....
Wes had a fertile mind and seems to be able to play beautiful line after beautiful line endlessly.
Thanks a lot for this video. Well Wes has always been my older brother's favorite guitar player.And I like his kind of improvisation very much too. Thanks!
The line at 6:50 that he comes in with is amazing pff..straight burning
@ Nander: Re: "The line at 6:50 that he comes in with is amazing"
Everyone talks about Wes' octaves and his use of block chords in solos, and rightly so, but his genius as a player of compelling single-note lines often gets overlooked. Wes had that popping, Clifford Brown-like articulation happening, which is so sought after by jazz musicians but so seldom attained. Using not only alternative picking with his thumb, he added in slides, glisses, hammers, pull-offs, ghost notes, slurs, slides and rest strokes to attain greater character in his lines. Guitarists know how difficult it is to pull that off on the instrument, but Wes made it look all so effortless and smooth. What a genius he was!
The entire minute after that continues to cook.
You all are so right. What a fantastic entry line. What a blessing to be able to see this footage and hear mastery.
"Jingles" - the live version played on the 1965 tour of Europe - is almost scary it is so good. That band, the cats in it ... Harold Mabern on piano, Art Harper on bass, and Jimmy Lovelace on drums... were some bad dudes in their own right. Superb musicians, all of them. It is really interesting to listen to tunes Wes covered at different times in his career - sometimes with different band-mates - to hear the different interpretations Wes and the band make. "Jingles" was covered early on by Wes on his LP with Milt Jackson. That version sounds nothing like this one, the one done in 1965 in Europe.
You can do this comparison with other tunes also. Wes played "Four on Six" in the studio with the Wynton Kelly Trio in 1965, the sessions were done at Rudy Van Gelder's studio, if memory serves. Great take by Wes and the band. They then did it again live at the "Half Note" jazz club in 1965 as well, also a killer version of the tune, but different again from the studio cut. Finally, Wes did the tune with Mabern and the band in Europe, and it sounded great there, too, but different as well. Absolutely amazing the way these elite musicians each put their own stamp on Wes' composition, and how Wes played it different at different times, but always brilliantly.
I was fortunate-enough to see/hear Harold Mabern live in Chicago several times in the 2000s and the early 2010s, at the famous "Jazz Showcase" club, where he played piano for Eric Alexander's group, the brilliant tenor sax player. I spoke with 'Mabes - as he was called - several times, and he was such a fine gentleman and a wonderfully kind man in addition to being an amazing musician. We lost him some years ago, but his playing will live on. He was still playing brilliantly, too.
only a true master can play a bum note and then smile about it.
the story goes something like this : When Wes was learning to play guitar he had to work a day job . It was in a factory or as a welder but something he came out of amazingly without damaging his fingers . He would practice after he came home from his day job into the wee hours . He lived in an apartment building . I don't think his wife and children minded much but His neighbors complained . So he stopped using a pick and started playing with his thumb to dampen the volume of his guitar ( you'll also see him open hand pluck with thumb and fingers at times). And as they say the rest is history . Benson may be faster but Wes has the best tone and does all those nuanced things on guitar better than George Benson imho . I don't blame Wes for playing on "elevator music" albums too. Pure Jazz just doesn't pay as well as commercial mainstream music . Sad Wes left us when he was only 45 years old . He's definitely in a better place now
Harold Mabern on piano! Met him at a masterclass and told him how great he sounded on these recordings. He stopped me and said, “I played so good cause he payed so good!” Class act. RIP Mabes and Wes.
This recording is simply amazing! It's made of elegance, mastery which come from all the musicians
A cool announcer for a change!
He’s Humphrey lytelton he was a well known trad jazz band leader in the UK , Also because he had such an easy way with him he would be on the radio and tv .He did a lot bringing jazz to the tv audiences in the early sixties ,
The triads and arpeggios are amazing like only he could do.
Lovely fellas beautiful very good.
Stellar.
This is just a joy and privilege to watch, thank you for the upload. What an inspiration!
My love for jazz stared with Wes. A timeless talent.
Also starting to stare. On stairs.
⚓️ Thanks Tim 😎 OMG!!! Effortless virtuosity! 🌈
what a fantastic group of musicians playing together
Astonishing a legend of the jazz guitar
The looks he tosses right and left after doing that thing at 17:27 is awesome
Oh this is pretty good! Not bad sound quality or video quality! Niec to here this record of time
Everything about this is magnificent!!!!
What a wonderful music!!!!!!!
Beautiful
Just incredible
Super Wes ❤
Wes!!❤ Amazing gig!
The best
Incredible and fabulous.
The best