RIP, Wes Montgomery (1923-1968)

Jazz guitarist Wes Montgomery died of a heart attack on June 15, 1968, in Indianapolis, Indiana. He was just 45 years old. He is buried in the New Crown Cemetery in Indianapolis.

Jazz critics Dave Miele and Dan Bielowsky said that Montgomery "was certainly one of the most influential and most musical guitarists to ever pick up the instrument" and that he "took the use of octaves and chord melodies to a greater level than any other guitarist, before or since." Montgomery played with his thumb rather than with a pick, and this gave his playing a uniquely round and soft sound.

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends the Wes Montgomery album, While We're Young (Milestone). Unfortunately, the album is only available on vinyl.  (Available from Amazon.com.) For CDs, Jim Determan recommends the following:

• Wes Montgomery: Incredible Jazz Guitar (Original Jazz Classics), available from Amazon.com.
• Wes Montgomery: So Much Guitar! (Riverside), available from Amazon.com.

Montgomery plays "Twisted Blues" here with a big band led by Oliver Nelson:

Robert
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Recent Links :: 26 May 2015

Louis Armstrong: At The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong, Ricky Riccardi recounts the 1965 interview with Armstrong that was conducted by Dan Morgenstern and Jack Bradley.

Louis Armstrong: At The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong, Ricky Riccardi discusses Louis Armstrong's album, Louie and the Dukes of Dixieland. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

John Coltrane: New Jazz United shares a clip of John Coltrane with the Red Garland Quintet playing "Undecided." (The song is available on the album, All Mornin' Long, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Miles Davis: Ian Patterson reviews Victor Svorinich's book, Listen To This: Miles Davis and Bitches Brew, at All About Jazz. (Purchase the book from Amazon.com.)

Miles Davis: New Jazz United shares a clip of Miles Davis performing "My Ship." (The song is available on the album, Miles Ahead, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Miles Davis: On May 26, his birthday, Miles Davis was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

Miles Davis: According to JazzTimes, the official Miles Davis Website has been revamped.

Duke Ellington: Peter Hum interviews jazz pianist Nancy Walker on the appeal of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn at The Ottawa Citizen.

James P. Johnson: According to JazzTimes, Jazz at Lincoln Center has announced its 2015 Ertegun Jazz Hall of Fame inductees, one of whom is pianist James P. Johnson.

Wes Montgomery: At Mother Jones, Jon Young reviews the album, In the Beginning, by Wes Montgomery. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Sun Ra: On his birthday, May 22, Sun Ra was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

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Recent Links :: 18 May 2015

Louis Armstrong, Dave Brubeck, John Coltrane: Nextbop shares animated shorts from Blank on Blank, featuring Louis Armstrong, Dave Brubeck, and John Coltrane.

Herbie Hancock: New Jazz United shares a clip of the Herbie Hancock Trio performing "Triangle." (The song is available on the album, Inventions and Dimensions, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Chick Corea, Miles Davis, Wayne Shorter: According to The Jazz Line, the 2015 Jazz Journalists Association Jazz Award Winners have been announced. They include:

• Keyboards Player of the Year: Chick Corea.
• Historical Record of the Year: Miles Davis, Miles At The Fillmore (Miles Davis Bootleg Series Vol 3). (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Midsize Ensemble: Wayne Shorter Quartet.

Miles Davis: New Jazz United shares a clip of the Miles Davis Quintet playing "Tadd’s Delight." (The song is available on the album, 'Round About Midnight, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Keith Jarrett: At The Guardian, John Fordham reviews Keith Jarrett's Creation. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Charles Mingus: New Jazz United shares a clip of Charles Mingus with the Wally Cirillo Quartet playing "Smog L.A." (The song is available on the album, Jazz Composers Workshop, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Wes Montgomery: At JazzWax, Marc Myers reviews Wes Montgomery's In the Beginning. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Woody Herman: On May 16, his birthday, Woody Herman was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

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Recent Links :: 13 May 2015

Art Blakey: At All About Jazz, Marc Davis reviews the Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers album, Moanin’. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Anthony Braxton: Mark Corroto reviews the Anthony Braxton Quartet's album, (Santa Cruz) 1991 1st Set, at All About Jazz. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

John Coltrane: As part of the "Building a Jazz Library" series at All About Jazz, John Eyles lists the best John Coltrane albums.

John Coltrane: Open Culture shares an animated version of an interview between Frank Kofsky and John Coltrane.

Keith Jarrett: On May 8, his birthday, Keith Jarrett was the Jazz Musician Of The Day at All About Jazz.

Keith Jarrett: At The Ottawa Citizen, Peter Hum reviews Keith Jarrett's album, Creation. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Keith Jarrett: All About Jazz celebrates Keith Jarrett's 70th birthday by republishing an October 2003 article from its "Genius Guide to Jazz" series.

Keith Jarrett: At Do the Math, Ethan Iverson discusses Keith Jarrett's legacy, including his classical recordings.

Keith Jarrett: Rachel Martin interviews Keith Jarrett at NPR's Weekend Edition Sunday.

Wes Montgomery: Peter Hum reviews Wes Montgomery's album, In the Beginning, at The Guardian. Charles L. Latimer has a brief review of the album at I Dig Jazz. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Bud Powell: New Jazz United shares a clip of the Bud Powell Trio playing "Little Willie Leaps."

Bessie Smith: The Telegraph discusses HBO's biopic about Bessie Smith.

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Recent Links :: 28 April 2015

Louis Armstrong: At The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong, Ricky Riccardi discusses three events focusing on Louis Armstrong during Jazz Appreciation Month.

John Coltrane: At his blog, About Last Night, Terry Teachout shares a clip of the John Coltrane Quartet playing Coltrane’s “Alabama” on television in December 1963.

John Coltrane: Marc Davis reviews John Coltrane's album, Blue Train, at All About Jazz. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Duke Ellington: According to Factory 92, in June 2015, Grönland Records will release a previously unreleased recording of one of sound engineer Conny Plank's sessions with Duke Ellington.

Ella Fitzgerald: On April 25, her birthday, Ella Fitzgerald was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

Lionel Hampton: According to J Weekly, the score for Lionel Hampton's "King David Suite" has been donated to Ben-Gurion University.

Charles Mingus: On April 22, his birthday, Charles Mingus was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

Charles Mingus: At Rifftides, Doug Ramsey reviews the Charles Mingus album, The Jazz Experiments of Charles Mingus. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Wes Montgomery: According to Eric R. Danton at The Wall Street Journal, a 1958 Wes Montgomery version of "A Night in Tunisia" has been discovered.

Sonny Rollins: The New York Times has a short piece by Sonny Rollins about practicing his saxophone on New York City's Williamsburg Bridge in the 1950s.

Bessie Smith: HBO has a trailer for its May 16 show, "Bessie," about the blues singer, Bessie Smith, which stars Queen Latifah.

Cecil Taylor: At All About Jazz, Mark Corroto reviews Cecil Taylor's album, Garden 1st Set. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

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Recent Links :: 9 April 2015

Louis Armstrong: At The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong, Ricky Riccardi discusses Armstrong's 1930 recording of "I Can't Believe That You're in Love with Me." (The song is available on the album, The Big Band Sides, 1930-1932, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Miles Davis: The Riverbender reports that the ground has been broken for a statue of Miles Davis in Alton, Illinois.

Billie Holiday: Jazz singer Hilary Gardner discusses the influence of Billie Holiday at her blog, Hilary Gardner: Ad Alta Voce.

Billie Holiday: NPR's Fresh Air jazz critic Kevin Whitehead shares his thoughts on Billie Holiday's style and influence.

Billie Holiday: At NPR's Jazz Night in America, John McDonough discusses Billie Holiday, calling her "a singer beyond our understanding."

Billie Holiday: The Booklist Reader shares a list of books about Billie Holiday.

Billie Holiday: Chris Robinson reflects on Billie Holiday at cuepoint.

Billie Holiday: According to All About Jazz, the Philadelphia Music Alliance will celebrate Billie Holiday's centennial and make the singer the first 2015 inductee on the Philadelphia Music Walk of Fame.

Billie Holiday: On April 7, her birthday, Billie Holiday was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

Carmen McRae: On her birthday, April 8, Carmen McRae was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

Wes Montgomery: Resonance Records announces the release of a 26-track collection of Wes Montgomery tracks from 1949 to 1958. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Fats Waller: At Jazz Lives, Michael Steinman discusses Fats Waller as a jazz singer and shares a video of "I'm Always in the Mood for You."

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Recent Links :: 7 April 2015

Chick Corea: Yamaha features a video of Chick Corea discussing his piano playing.

Miles Davis: The In the Groove podcast looks at Miles Davis's development of fusion.

Miles Davis: As part of the "Building a Jazz Library" series at All About Jazz, the staff list the best Miles Davis albums.

Billie Holiday: At The New Yorker, Richard Brody reviews John Szwed’s new book, Billie Holiday: The Musician and the Myth. (Purchase the book from Amazon.com.)

Billie Holiday: Gary G. Vercelli remembers Billie Holiday at Capital Public Radio.

Billie Holiday: Open Culture shares four videos of Billie Holiday on April 7, the 100th anniversary of her birthday.

Wes Montgomery: At Take the "A" Train, Ehsan Khoshbakht quotes rock guitar legend Pete Townshend on Wes Montgomery.

Jaco Pastorius: According to Rolling Stone, Metallica's bass player, Robert Trujillo, is producing a documentary about the life of the late jazz bassist Jaco Pastorius.

Sun Ra: An article on Afrofuturism by Ashley Clark in The Guardian calls Sun Ra "a key player" for his only feature film, "Space is the Place." (Purchase the DVD from Amazon.com.)

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Recent Links :: 26 March 2015

John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Bill Evans, Erroll Garner, Dizzy Gillespie, Charles Mingus, Wes Montgomery, Charlie Parker, Bud Powell, Max Roach, Sonny Rollins: At All About Jazz, C. Michael Bailey lists his ten best live jazz recordings from 1953 to 1965, including:

• John Coltrane, Live at Birdland.
• John Coltrane, At the Village Vanguard.
• Miles Davis, At The Plugged Nickel.
• Duke Ellington, At Newport 1956.
• Bill Evans, At the Village Vanguard.
• Erroll Garner, Concert by the Sea.
• Charles Mingus, At Antibes.
• Wes Montgomery, At The Half Note.
• The Quintet, At Massey Hall.
• Sonny Rollins, At the Village Vanguard.

Miles Davis: All About Jazz reviews Listen to This, Victor Svorinich's book about Miles Davis's 1969 album, Bitches Brew. (Purchase the book from Amazon.com.)

Miles Davis: St. Louis Jazz Notes has several short news items about Miles Davis.

Duke Ellington: Peter Blasevick shares links to two interviews with Duke Ellington at The Notes You Don't Play.

Duke Ellington: At Take the "A" Train, Ehsan Khoshbakht discusses the restoration of three Duke Ellington films: "Black and Tan Fantasy," "Symphony in Black," and "Bundle of Blues."

Billie Holiday: At About Last Night, Terry Teachout shares a video of John Hammond's 1978 CBC interview, talking about “discovering” Billie Holiday.

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Recent Links :: 9 March 2015

Louis Armstrong, Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Eric Dolphy, Bill Evans, Herbie Hancock, Charles Mingus, Oliver Nelson, Sonny Rollins, Wayne Shorter: As part of its "Building a Jazz Library" series, All About Jazz lists the albums most frequently mentioned by its readers. These include, in order of popularity:

• Miles Davis, "Kind of Blue." (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• John Coltrane, "A Love Supreme." (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• John Coltrane, "Giant Steps." (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Charles Mingus, "Mingus Ah Um." (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Sonny Rollins, "Saxophone Colossus." (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Louis Armstrong, "Complete Hot Fives and Sevens." (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Eric Dolphy, "Out to Lunch." (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Ornette Coleman, "The Shape of Jazz to Come." (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Herbie Hancock, "Maiden Voyage." (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Bill Evans, "Sunday at the Village Vanguard." (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• John Coltrane, "Blue Train." (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Oliver Nelson, "Blues and the Abstract Truth." (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Wayne Shorter, "Speak No Evil." (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

John Coltrane: The Economist looks at John Coltrane's album, A Love Supreme. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Eric Dolphy: At All About Jazz, C. Andrew Hovan reviews the reissue by Blue Note of Eric Dolphy's album, Out to Lunch. (Purchase the album from Music Matters.)

Freddie Hubbard: Dangerous Minds recounts a 1966 episode where Freddie Hubbard lost his cool onstage in Austria.

Wes Montgomery: On his birthday, March 6, Wes Montgomery was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

McCoy Tyner: The All About Jazz "Building a Jazz Library" series features McCoy Tyner and 11 of his albums.

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Happy Birthday, Wes Montgomery

Jazz guitarist Wes Montgomery (1923-1968) was born on March 6 in Indianapolis, Indiana. He is regarded as one of the greatest and most influential guitarists in Jazz.

Montgomery played with his thumb rather than with a pick, and this gave his playing a uniquely round and soft sound. Jazz critics Dave Miele and Dan Bielowsky said that Montgomery "was certainly one of the most influential and most musical guitarists to ever pick up the instrument" and that he "took the use of octaves and chord melodies to a greater level than any other guitarist, before or since."

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends the Wes Montgomery album, While We're Young (Milestone). Unfortunately, the album is only available on vinyl from Amazon.com.

For CDs, Jim Determan recommends the following:

• Wes Montgomery: Incredible Jazz Guitar (Original Jazz Classics), available from Amazon.com.
  
• Wes Montgomery: So Much Guitar! (Riverside), available from Amazon.com.
  

Montgomery plays "Round Midnight" here:

Robert
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Recent Links :: 5 March 2015

Art Blakey, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Jon Hendricks, Milt Jackson, Dave Lambert, Thelonious Monk, Wes Montgomery, Charlie Parker, Bud Powell, Annie Ross: At All About Jazz, Chris M. Slawecki provides a list of bebop albums, including:

• Art Blakey Quintet: A Night at Birdland Vol. 1. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Miles Davis: Bags' Groove. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Dizzy Gillespie: Shaw Nuff. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Milt Jackson / Wes Montgomery: Bags Meets Wes! (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Lambert, Hendricks & Ross: The Hottest New Group In Jazz. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Thelonious Monk: Brilliant Corners. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Thelonious Monk: The Complete Blue Note Recordings. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Charlie Parker: Bird: The Savoy Recordings: Master Takes. (Purchase the album — vinyl only — from Amazon.com.)
• Charlie Parker: The Complete Savoy Live Performances. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie: Diz 'N' Bird at Carnegie Hall. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Bud Powell: The Amazing Bud Powell, Vol. 1. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• The Quintet, Vol. 1: The Greatest Jazz Concert Ever (Jazz at Massey Hall). (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Miles Davis: St. Louis Jazz Notes celebrates the 56th anniversary of Miles Davis's first Kind of Blue recording session. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Dizzy Gillespie: At Rifftides, Doug Ramsey discusses Dizzy Gillespie's 1987 concert in Stuttgart, Germany. (The complete 1987 session is available on YouTube.)

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Recent Links :: 28 February 2015

Ornette Coleman, Sonny Rollins, Fats Waller: According to The Jazz Line, the following jazz albums and songs will be inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2015:

• Ornette Coleman's The Shape of Jazz to Come. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Sonny Rollins's The Bridge. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Fats Waller's "Jitterbug Waltz." (The song is available on the album, Fats Waller 1942-1943, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

John Coltrane: Open Culture discusses John Coltrane's album, A Love Supreme, which was released 50 years ago, in February 1965. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Herbie Hancock: At Investors.com, Scott S. Smith highlights Herbie Hancock as an innovator.

Clifford Brown, Bill Evans, Wes Montgomery, Charlie Parker: At All About Jazz, Roger Crane provides a list of recordings of jazz musicians performing jazz with string sections. The albums include:

• Clifford Brown: With Strings. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Bill Evans: Bill Evans Trio With Symphony Orchestra. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Wes Montgomery: Fusion! (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Charlie Parker: With Strings. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

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Recent Links :: 16 February 2015

Eubie Blake: On his birthday, February 7, Eubie Blake was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

Chick Corea: As reported in JazzTimes, the Grammy Awards for jazz were announced on February 8. Winners included Chick Corea for Best Improvised Jazz Solo, "Fingerprints," and Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Trilogy. (The song is available on the album, Trilogy, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Chick Corea: Curt's Jazz Cafe previews the 2015 Grammy nominees for Best Improvised Jazz Solo, including Chick Corea's "Fingerprints." Curt's Jazz Cafe also previews the 2015 Grammy nominees for Best Instrumental Jazz Album, including Chick Corea's Trilogy.

Bill Evans: At JazzWax, Marc Myers shares a 1976 radio interview with Bill Evans.

Duke Ellington: At Air & Space, Richard Jurek writes about Duke Ellington’s 10-minute vocal ode to the first moon landing and provides a video of Ellington's performance.

Bill Evans: Marc Myers shares the first draft of Bill Evans's liner notes for the Miles Davis album, Kind of Blue, at JazzWax.

Erroll Garner, Freddie Hubbard, Wes Montgomery, Charlie Parker, Art Tatum, Lester Young: Brilliant Corners features clips of "8 Cats Who Make it Look Easy," including Erroll Garner, Freddie Hubbard, Wes Montgomery, Charlie Parker, Art Tatum, and Lester Young.

Billie Holiday: According to All About Jazz, Legacy Recordings will celebrate Billie Holiday's 100th birthday by releasing The Centennial Collection, 20 Essential Lady Day Recordings, on March 31, 2015. JazzTimes shares the track list from the album.

Carmen McRae: At JazzWax, Marc Myers discusses Carmen McRae's 1957 album, Carmen for Cool Ones. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Wayne Shorter: At Nextbop, Sebastien Helary provides a full concert video of Wayne Shorter's performance at the 2014 Stockholm Jazz Festival. (Note that the video expires on February 18, 2015.)

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Recent Links :: 31 January 2015

Betty Carter: According to JazzTimes, Jazz at Lincoln Center will host a tribute to the late vocalist Betty Carter in March.

Miles Davis: The Daily Beast shares an excerpt from Carlos Santana's autobiography, The Universal Tone, which describes how het met Miles Davis and their ensuing friendship.

Bill Evans: At JazzWax, Marc Myers shares a clip from the DVD, The Bill Evans Trio, Live in Iowa. (Purchase the DVD from Fresh Sound Records.)

Lionel Hampton: At Jazz Wax, Marc Myers shares a clip of Lionel Hampton on "The Patti Page Show" in 1957.

Keith Jarrett: At The Free Jazz Collective, Martin Schray reviews the Keith Jarrett album, Hamburg '72. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Thelonious Monk: Tim Niland reviews the Thelonious Monk album, Thelonious Monk Trio, at Music and More. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Wes Montgomery: JazzTimes reports that Resonance Records will release a 1959 live recording of Wes Montgomery, One Night in Indy, on vinyl in April.

Horace Silver: Mark Sullivan reviews the Horace Silver album, Horace Silver Quintet: June 1977 (Livelove Series Volume 2), at All About Jazz. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

McCoy Tyner: At All About Jazz, Harry S. Pariser reviews a January 2015 concert by McCoy Tyner, Geri Allen, and Kenny Barron in San Francisco.

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Recent Links :: 11 January 2015

Cannonball Adderley, Louis Armstrong, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Wes Montgomery, Bud Powell: At Night Lights, David Brent Johnson lists the best historical jazz releases of 2014, including:

• Cannonball Adderley, Black Messiah. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Louis Armstrong, Columbia and RCA Victor Live Recordings. (Purchase the box set from Mosaic Records.)
• John Coltrane, Offering: Live At Temple University. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Miles Davis, Live At The Fillmore: Bootleg Series Vol. 3. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Wes Montgomery, Live At The Turf Club. (Purchase the album in vinyl from Amazon.com.)
• Bud Powell, Birdland 1953. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Bud Powell, Live at the Blue Note Café, Paris 1961. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

George Benson: W. Royal Stokes provides a list of books on jazz and blues published "in the past year or so." These include Benson: The Autobiography (Da Capo Press) by George Benson and Alan Goldsher. (Purchase the book from Amazon.com.)

Bix Beiderbecke: Marc Myers shares a 2-hour 1981 documentary on Bix Beiderbecke at JazzWax.

Billie Holiday: At JazzWax, Marc Myers shares a video of Helen Merrill and Billie Holiday singing "You Go to My Head" in 1956. He follows it up at JazzWax with an interview with Helen Merrill in which she discusses Billie Holiday.

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Recent Links :: 10 September 2014

John Coltrane: New Jazz United shares a recording of John Coltrane playing "The Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost" from 1965. (The song is available on the album, Meditations, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk: At New Books in Jazz, Doc Stull reviews the book, Thelonious Monk Quartet with John Coltrane at Carnegie Hall by Gabriel Solis. (Purchase the book from Amazon.com.)

Miles Davis, Charlie Parker: New Jazz United shares a recording of Miles Davis and Charlie Parker playing "Embraceable You" from 1947. (The song is available on the album, Bird & Miles, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Herbie Hancock: At Music and More, Tim Niland reviews the new release, Herbie Hancock - The Warner Bros. Years 1969-1972. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Wes Montgomery: At The Notes You Don't Play, Peter Blasevick shares a video of Wes Montgomery on the television show, "People in Jazz," in 1968.

Sonny Rollins: On September 7, his birthday, Sonny Rollins was the Jazz Musician Of The Day at All About Jazz.

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RIP, Wes Montgomery (1923-1968)

Jazz guitarist Wes Montgomery died of a heart attack on June 15, 1968, in Indianapolis, Indiana. He was just 45 years old. He is buried in the New Crown Cemetery in Indianapolis.

Jazz critics Dave Miele and Dan Bielowsky said that Montgomery "was certainly one of the most influential and most musical guitarists to ever pick up the instrument" and that he "took the use of octaves and chord melodies to a greater level than any other guitarist, before or since." Montgomery played with his thumb rather than with a pick, and this gave his playing a uniquely round and soft sound.

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends the Wes Montgomery album, While We're Young (Milestone). Unfortunately, the album is only available on vinyl. For CDs, Jim Determan recommends the following:

• Wes Montgomery: Incredible Jazz Guitar (Original Jazz Classics), available from Amazon.com.
• Wes Montgomery: So Much Guitar! (Riverside), available from Amazon.com.

Montgomery plays "Twisted Blues" here with a big band led by Oliver Nelson:

Robert
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Recent Links :: 1 May 2014

Clifford Brown: At MacSparky, David Sparks discusses the album, Clifford Brown and Max Roach and, in particular, Brown's composition, "Joy Spring." (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Miles Davis: At The Notes You Don't Play, Peter Blasevick shares an interview with Miles Davis from 1985.

Miles Davis: fathom.info features an interactive infographic showing Miles Davis's recording sessions and the artists with whom he played.

Duke Ellington: On his birthday, April 29, Duke Ellington was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

Ella Fitzgerald: On April 25, her birthday, Ella Fitzgerald was the Jazz Musician Of The Day at All About Jazz.

Charles Mingus: At The New York Review of Books, Christopher Carroll has a long piece on Charles Mingus.

Charles Mingus: On April 22, his birthday, Charles Mingus was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

Wes Montgomery: At JazzWax, Marc Myers shares four videos of Wes Montgomery.

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Recent Links :: 6 April 2014

George Benson: At Today is the Question, Ted Panken shares a 2000 interview with George Benson.

Miles Davis: Tim Niland reviews the Miles Davis album, Miles at the Fillmore - Miles Davis 1970: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 3, at Music and More. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Miles Davis: The "American Cool" exhibition at The National Portrait Gallery features an Aram Avakian photo of Miles Davis.

Eric Dolphy: According to Ben Ratliff in The New York Times' ArtsBeat, a major two-day festival to honor Eric Dolphy will take place at Montclair State University in Montclair, N.J., on May 30 and 31.

Duke Ellington: Smithsonian.com shares footage of Duke Ellington playing baseball.

Keith Jarrett: Peter Blasevick shares the video of an interview with Keith Jarrett at The Notes You Don't Play.

Wes Montgomery: At The Notes You Don't Play, Peter Blasevick shares a link to a May 1965 interview with Wes Montgomery in Jazz Monthly magazine.

Jaco Pastorius: At All About Jazz, John Kelman reviews the Jaco Pastorius album, Modern American Music ... Period! The Criteria Sessions, which will be released in April.

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Recent Links :: 10 March 2014

Louis Armstrong: At The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong, Ricky Riccardi discusses Louis Armstrong's 1929 recording of "Knockin' a Jug." (The song is available on the album, The Complete Hot Five & Hot Seven Recordings, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Louis Armstrong: At About Last Night, Terry Teachout discusses his play about Louis Armstrong, "Satchmo at the Waldorf," which is playing off Broadway.

Bix Beiderbecke: On March 10, his birthday, Bix Beiderbecke was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

Ornette Coleman: Night After Night shares a video of the Ornette Coleman Trio in Paris in 1966.

Ornette Coleman: On March 9, his birthday, Ornette Coleman was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

John McLaughlin: According to Jeff Tamarkin at JazzTimes, John McLaughlin and the 4th Dimeson will release a new album, entitled The Boston Record, in March. (Pre-order the album from Amazon.com.)

John McLaughlin: According to All About Jazz, John McLaughlin and the 4th Dimeson will begin an Asian tour in March.

Wes Montgomery: At About Last Night, Terry Teachout shares a video of Wes Montgomery playing Horace Silver's "Nica's Dream" in 1965.

Wes Montgomery: On March 6, his birthday, Wes Montgomery was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

Sun Ra: Music and More reviews the Sun Ra album, The Soul Vibrations of Man. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

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