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Wes Montgomery

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Wes Montgomery was born in Indianapolis in 1923 and for years worked as a welder and machinist. He did not start playing the guitar seriously until he was nineteen, after hearing a record by Charlie Christian, and he learned to play by copying Christian's solos. In 1948 Lionel Hampton took him into his band, but he did not enjoy touring and returned to Indianapolis. There he played with his brothers Buddy and Monk and with the organist Melvin Rhyne. The saxophonist Cannonball Adderley heard him in a club and got him a deal with Riverside, where his first album as a leader came out in 1959.

Music and breakthrough

Montgomery played without a pick: he struck the strings with the side of his thumb, at first so as not to wake his neighbours and children at night. This gave him a warm, round sound. His trademark was playing in octaves. He often built a solo in three layers: first single notes, then octaves and finally full chords. On albums such as The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery from 1960 and Full House he played hard bop and soul jazz.

Influence

In 1964 he moved to Verve, where the producer Creed Taylor mainly had him make instrumental versions of pop songs, such as California Dreamin' and Windy. Those records were his greatest commercial successes, and Goin' Out of My Head earned a Grammy. Montgomery died of a heart attack in 1968, aged 45. His octave technique and his warm sound influenced, among others, George Benson and later fusion and smooth jazz.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to Windy and notice the guitar melody played in octaves. Can you hear how the two notes together form a single warm line, without the sharp attack of a pick?

Discography

Studio albums

Other work

In School of Rock

The chapters, maps and magazine stories of School of Rock are currently available in Dutch only.

See also

Categories: ArtistsHard bopSoul jazzSmooth jazz