ENDEIT
Wes Montgomery
Photo: Published by A&M Records. Photographer uncredited and…, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Guitarists · 1923–1968

Wes Montgomery

American jazz guitarist (1923–1968)

Born
6 March 1923
Indianapolis
Died
15 June 1968
Indianapolis
Country
United States
Record labels
Verve Records, Riverside, A&M Records, Pacific Jazz Records
Discography
36 albums

Biography

Wes Montgomery was a jazz musician who played guitar. Wes Montgomery was born on 6 March 1923 in Indianapolis and died on 15 June 1968 in Indianapolis. The music is usually filed under jazz, jazz fusion and hard bop. Record labels: Verve Records, Riverside, A&M Records and Pacific Jazz Records. The discography here lists 36 albums, from “The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery” (1960) to “The Complete Full House Recordings” (2023).

John Leslie "Wes" Montgomery (March 6, 1923 – June 15, 1968) was an American jazz guitarist. He is most known for his unusual technique of plucking the strings with the side of his thumb and for his extensive use of octaves, which gave him a distinctive sound. Montgomery often worked with his brothers Buddy (Charles F.) and Monk (William H.), as well as organist Melvin Rhyne. His recordings up to 1965 were oriented toward hard bop, soul jazz, and post bop, but around 1965 he began recording more pop-oriented instrumental albums that found mainstream success. His later guitar style influenced jazz fusion and smooth jazz.

Read the full article on Wikipedia ↗ · From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Discography

Studio and live albums

The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery 1960
Movin' Along 1961
So Much Guitar! 1961
Full House 1962 · Live
Boss Guitar 1963
Fusion! 1963
Movin’ Wes 1964
Bumpin’ 1965
Smokin’ at the Half Note 1965 · Live
Straight, No Chaser 1965 · Live
California Dreaming 1966
Goin’ Out of My Head 1966
Tequila 1966
A Day in the Life 1967
Down Here on the Ground 1967
Road Song 1968
Willow Weep for Me 1969
Solitude Part 2 1973 · Live
Impressions 1978 · Live
Live At Jorgies 1980 · Live
Live in Paris, 1965 1988 · Live
Live in Europe 1992 · Live
Body & Soul 1996 · Live
Smokin' at the Half Note Vol. 2 1998 · Live
Complete Live in Paris 1965 2003 · Live
The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery 2004 · Live
Complete Live at the Half Note 2005 · Live
The Unissued 1965 Half Note Broadcasts 2013 · Live
One Night in Indy 2016 · Live
Smokin’ in Seattle: Live at the Penthouse 2017 · Live
In Paris: The Definitive ORTF Recording 2018 · Live
Live At The BBC Studios 1965 2018 · Live
The NDR Hamburg Studio Recordings 2020
Maximum Swing: The Unissued 1965 Half Note Recordings 2023 · Live
The Complete Full House Recordings 2023 · Live
Live at the Half Note · Live

Standards written by Wes Montgomery

TitleKeyFormGroove
Four On Six G minor A · 16 Up-tempo swing
Full House F minor AABA · 56 Jazz waltz
Leila C major AABA · 32 Slow swing
Road Song G minor AABA · 32 Latin
S.O.S. C minor ABCBD · 40 Up-tempo swing
Sun down A major A · 12 Medium swing
Twisted Blues D♭ major A · 19 Medium-up swing
West Coast Blues B♭ major AA · 36 Jazz waltz

Listen on Spotify

Frequently asked questions

What instrument did Wes Montgomery play?

Wes Montgomery is known for playing guitar.

When and where was Wes Montgomery born?

Wes Montgomery was born 6 March 1923 in Indianapolis.

What are Wes Montgomery's best-known albums?

Albums in our database include The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery (1960), Movin' Along (1961), So Much Guitar! (1961), Full House (1962) and Boss Guitar (1963).

External links

Data compiled from open sources; see the source links below. Spotted an error? Let us know.