Boss Guitar (Remastered 2025) Wes Montgomery

• 1 Besame Mucho (Take 3 / Remastered 2025) 06:31
• 2 Dearly Beloved (Remastered 2025) 04:52
• 3 Days Of Wine And Roses (Remastered 2025) 03:48
• 4 The Trick Bag (Take 2 & 5 / Remastered 2025) 04:27
• 5 Canadian Sunset (Remastered 2025) 05:07
• 6 Fried Pies (Take 2 / Remastered 2025) 06:44
• 7 The Breeze And I (Remastered 2025) 04:08
• 8 For Heaven's Sake (Remastered 2025) 04:43
• Total Runtime 40:20

Info for Boss Guitar (Remastered 2025)

Wes Montgomery began his incredible series of recordings for Riverside in the organ trio context that he employed on gigs in his native Indianapolis. After a series of acclaimed albums featuring pianists, Montgomery ended his Riverside run by reuniting with Hammond B-3 master Melvin Rhyne on several sessions. The first, Boss Guitar, featured Jimmy Cobb on drums, and the Miles Davis veteran (and future Montgomery working partner) inspired the guitarist and organist to their greatest recorded work together. Highlights include a cooking 6/8 version of "Besame Mucho," the funky Montgomery blues "Fried Pies," and Montgomery’s dazzling showpiece "The Trick Bag," (each heard in both master and alternate takes).

"Before he moved away from straight-ahead jazz and starting playing what is now known as smooth jazz, Wes Montgomery was one of bop's finest guitarists. Montgomery's bop period ended much too soon, but thankfully, he recorded his share of rewarding bop albums when he was still bop-oriented -- and one of them is Boss Guitar, which Orrin Keepnews produced in 1963. It's a trio recording, employing Mel Rhyne on organ and Jimmy Cobb on performances that have held up well over time; Montgomery shows how expressive a ballad player he could be on the standards "For Heaven's Sake" and "Days of Wine and Roses," but the fast tempo exuberance of "The Trick Bag" (a Montgomery original) serves him equally well. Montgomery swings the blues with pleasing results on "Fried Pies" (another Montgomery original), while Consuelo Velázquez's "Besame Mucho" (which is usually played at a slow ballad tempo) is successfully transformed into medium-tempo Latin jazz. Boss Guitar is among the bop-oriented Montgomery albums that should continue to be savored after all these years." (Alex Henderson, AMG)

Wes Montgomery, guitar
Melvin Rhyne, organ
Jimmy Cobb, drums

Recorded April 22, 1963 at Plaza Sound Studios, New York City
Produced by Orrin Keepnews

Digitally remastered

Wes Montgomery
was born in 1923 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Wes was first introduced to guitar when his older brother, Monk Montgomery, bought him a four stringed guitar. He would eventually relocate to Akron, Ohio to attend high school. He started his music career in the mid 40’s, playing with the bandleader Lionel Hampton. During his time with Hampton, he would frequently fly back to Indianapolis to be with his family. He also held a day job as a welder, and would play gigs at night. Wes Montgomery eventually signed to Riverside Records where he would turn in some of his most seminal recordings. His style was one of the most unique guitar styles at the time. He would pluck the strings with his thumb, giving his tone a warm, muted quality, and he would extensively use octaves to give a deep sense of atmosphere. A few notable musicians that Wes played with are: Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers, Jimmy Cobb, Johnny Griffin, Tommy Flanagan, Percy Heath, Eddie Higgins, and Charles Mingus.

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