Impressions: Verve Jazz Sides
Guitarist Wes Montgomery grew up in a musical family with brothers Monk (bass) and Buddy (piano/vibes). All three musicians were self-taught, and recorded together as the Montgomery Brothers, but Wes would go on to the greatest success. The guitarist had crossed over to pop by the time of his death, after a heart attack, at age 43. The Verve material collects later Montgomery sides, one disc of OK studio recordings with sidemen including Jerome Richardson, Phil Woods, and Danny Bank on various wind instruments, and Donald Byrd, Ernie Royal, Snooky Young, and Joe Newman on trumpets. The second CD is the keeper, the completeSmokin' at the Half Notesessions with the Wynton Kelly trio.--John Swenson