Top Picks
Wes Montgomery Quartet
Groove Brothers, Milestone. Buddy Montgomery, vibes, piano; Monk Montgomery, bass; Larance Marable, drums
Incredible Jazz Guitar, OJC/Riverside. Tommy Flanagan, piano; Percy Heath, bass; Albert Heath, drums
’Round Midnight, Affinity. Harold Mabern, piano
Smokin’ at the Half Note, Verve. Wynton Kelly, piano; Paul Chambers, bass; Jimmy Cobb, drums. What happened to the sidemen’s solos? Were they edited out?
Wes Montgomery Quartet/Quintet: Quintessential Wes, Fuel. Harold Mabern, piano; Johnny Griffin, tenor sax
Wes Montgomery Quintet
Encores, Vol. 2: Blue ‘n’ Boogie, Milestone. Johnny Griffin, tenor sax; Wynton Kelly, piano; Paul Chambers, bass; Jimmy Cobb, drums
Far Wes, Pacific Jazz. Harold Land, tenor sax, or Pony Poindexter, alto sax; Buddy Montgomery, piano
Full House, OJC/Riverside. Johnny Griffin, tenor sax; Wynton Kelly, piano; Paul Chambers, bass; Jimmy Cobb, drums
Milt Jackson and Wes Montgomery: Bags Meets Wes, OJC/Riverside. Wynton Kelly, piano; Sam Jones, bass; Philly Joe Jones, drums
Cannonball Adderley Quartet: Cannonball and the Poll-Winners, Capitol. Victor Feldman, piano, vibes; Ray Brown, bass; Louis Hayes, drums
Superior
Wes Montgomery: Compact Jazz: Wes Montgomery Plays the Blues, Verve. CD earns its superior rating for one track only, “Sundown,” with Herbie Hancock, piano; Richard Davis, bass; Grady Tate, drums, and a shouting big band ending.
Wes Montgomery Trio: Boss Guitar, OJC/Riverside. Mel Rhyne, organ; Jimmy Cobb, drums
Wes Montgomery Quartet
The Montgomery Brothers, OJC/Riverside. Buddy Montgomery, vibes, piano: Monk Montgomery, bass; Bobby Thomas, drums
Recorded Live at Jorgie’s Jazz Club, VJM. Buddy Montgomery, piano, vibes; Monk Montgomery, bass; Billy Hart, drums
Wes Montgomery Quintet: So Much Guitar, OJC/Riverside. Hank Jones, piano; Ron Carter, bass; Ray Barretto, congas
Harold Land Sextet: West Coast Blues, OJC/Jazzland. Joe Gordon, trumpet; Barry Harris, piano; Sam Jones, bass; Louis Hayes, drums
Excellent
Wes Montgomery Trio: Wes Montgomery Trio, OJC/Riverside
Wes Montgomery Quintet: Moving Along, OJC/Riverside. James Clay, tenor sax, flute; Victor Feldman, piano, vibes; Sam Jones, bass; Louis Hayes, drums
Jimmy Smith-Wes Montgomery: Further Adventures of Jimmy and Wes, Verve. Grady Tate, drums; Ray Barretto, congas