Wes Montgomery - BEGINNINGS

[Joe Christmas]

Any discographical help with this would be appreciated. I have the 70's Blue Note series LP's (2), which lists the personnel and dates, but I'd like to know more about these sessions. What label were they originally issued on? Thanks.

[Chuck Nessa]

This stuff was originally on Pacific Jazz.

[Joe Christmas]

Thanks, Chuck. I have trouble with the fine print. These sides are glorious.

[ghost of miles]

Thanks, Chuck. I have trouble with the fine print. These sides are glorious.

Is this the material released on FAR WES and FINGERPICKIN'?

I'm about to start a series on the history of Indiana jazz, and one of the sessions is particulary intriguing in regards to personnel, featuring not only Wes, but a local sax legend (Pookie Johnson, who still performs frequently) and a very young Freddie Hubbard.

[mikeweil]

Freddie Hubbard (tp -2/5) Waymon Atkinson, Alonzo Johnson (ts -2/5) Buddy Montgomery (vib -2/7) Joe Bradley (p -1/6) Wes Montgomery (g) Monk Montgomery (B ) Paul Parker (d)

Indianapolis, IN, December 30, 1957

1. Finger Pickin' World Pacific JWC 509, Blue Note BN LA 531 H2

2. Sound Carrier World Pacific PJ 1240

3. Bud's Beaux Arts -

4. Billie's Bounce World Pacific PJ 1240, Blue Note BN LA 531 H2

5. Bock to Bock -

6. Lois Ann World Pacific PJ 1240

7. All the Things You Are -

* The Blues, Vol. 2 - Have Blues Will Travel / various artists (World Pacific JWC 509)

* Beginnings (Blue Note BN LA 531 H2)

* The Montgomery Brothers and Five Others (World Pacific PJ 1240)

Harold Land (ts) Buddy Montgomery (p) Wes Montgomery (g) Monk Montgomery (B ) Tony Bazley (d)

Los Angeles, CA, April 18, 1958

4321 Far Wes Pacific Jazz PJ 5, ST 5, Blue Note BN LA 531 H2

4322 Leila -

4323 Old Folks -

4324 Wes' Tune -

4325 Hymn for Carl Pacific Jazz PJ 17, Blue Note BN LA 531 H2

4326 Montgomery Funk (mof Montgomeryland Funk) Pacific Jazz PJ 17

4327 Stompin' at the Savoy -

* Montgomeryland (Pacific Jazz PJ 5, ST 5)

* Beginnings (Blue Note BN LA 531 H2)

* Wes, Buddy and Monk Montgomery / The Montgomery Brothers (Pacific Jazz PJ 17)

Buddy Montgomery (vib) Richie Crabtree (p) Wes Montgomery (g) Monk Montgomery (B ) Benny Barth (d)

Los Angeles, CA, April 22, 1958

Olive Tree World Pacific WP 1243, Pacific Jazz ST 1010, PJ 10130, ST 20130

Not Since Nineveh -

Baubles, Bangles and Beads World Pacific WP 1243, Pacific Jazz ST 1010, PJ 10130, ST 20130, Blue Note BN LA 531 H2

Fate World Pacific WP 1243, Pacific Jazz ST 1010, PJ 10130, ST 20130

And This Is My Beloved -

Stranger in Paradise World Pacific WP 1243, Pacific Jazz ST 1010, PJ 10130, ST 20130, Blue Note BN LA 531 H2

* Kismet / The Mastersounds (World Pacific WP 1243, Pacific Jazz ST 1010)

* Kismet / The Mastersounds with Wes Montgomery (Pacific Jazz PJ 10130, ST 20130)

* Beginnings (Blue Note BN LA 531 H2)

Pony Poindexter (as) Buddy Montgomery (p) Wes Montgomery (g) Monk Montgomery (B ) Louis Hayes (d)

Los Angeles, CA, October 1, 1959

Monk's Shop Pacific Jazz PJ 5, ST 5, Blue Note BN LA 531 H2

6555 Summertime -

Falling in Love with Love -

Renie -

* Montgomeryland (Pacific Jazz PJ 5, ST 5)

* Beginnings (Blue Note BN LA 531 H2)

Edited February 17, 2004 by mikeweil

[JSngry]

I've often wondered about the Indianaopolis session - how it came o be recorded there and with those players. Excellent stuff.

Hey Ghost, is the studio still standing?

[ghost of miles]

I've often wondered about the Indianaopolis session - how it came o be recorded there and with those players. Excellent stuff.

Hey Ghost, is the studio still standing?

I don't know--I'm going to look into it this year as I'm doing research for the series. Part of the consensus on why the Indpls. scene never got its national props has to do with the lack of recording labels and good studios in the city. Definitely a theme I'm going to explore at some point. I want to ask David Baker about the Charles Tyler ESP session (EASTERN MAN ALONE) that was allegedly recorded in Indy as well, in 1967. (Baker plays on it.)

[LAL]

Should be enough material here for a 2 or 3 CD Mosaic Select.

[mikeweil]

I've often wondered about the Indianaopolis session - how it came o be recorded there and with those players. Excellent stuff.

Quite simple: This was the Montgomery Brothers' home-based working band of local musicians.

[mikeweil]

Should be enough material here for a 2 or 3 CD Mosaic Select.

All of this material was reissued on two Pacific Jazz CDs titled Far Wes and Fingerpicking. I think they are still available. They left off some tracks on which Wes played only written parts, which weren't on that twofer LP either. All of this was scattered over three or four Pacific Jazz LPs.

If you want more Brothers, you have to get the Fantasy CD Groove Brothers (Two complete Fantasy LPs) or the OJC reissues of two Riverside albums, one is with George Shearing, a little latinized, the other without him is excellent.

The CD Live at Jorgies contains some good live material of the Brothers band.