Wes Montgomery is one of the most famous and talented guitarists working in the jazz and blues genre. He had a huge impact on all subsequent jazz musicians, his playing technique to this day is a mandatory requirement for guitarists in jazz orchestras.
Biography
The future famous guitarist Wes Montgomery (real name John Leslie Montgomery) was born March 6, 1923 in Indianapolis (Indiana, USA). He was born in a poor, large family (Wes had five brothers and sisters), but a musical family. Parents were amateur musicians, and two older brothers - Monk and Buddy - made music professionally, performing in clubs. Despite this, Wes himself came to music relatively late, he first picked up the guitar only at the age of 20. Unable to read music, the young man learned to play, picking up the melodies of his idol - guitarist Charlie Christian.
The beginning of creativity
Thanks to his unique natural hearing and innate tenacity, Wes Montgomery quickly mastered the instrument and began to superbly replay Christian's guitar solos. Hearing his game, the then-famous jazz musician Lionel Hampton hired a young man in his group. As in the wake of the wind, Wes Montgomery headed for his new mentor, participating in all the touring tours from July 1948 to January 1950. However, growing skills and homesickness forced him to stop working.
Returning to Indianapolis, Wes got a job at the factory to help his family. He worked there from seven in the morning, and then went to speak at the club until two in the morning. Periodically, he performed with his brothers.
Success
In 1959, during one of his club performances, Wes Montgomery heard and praised the saxophonist Cannonball Edderley, and then won a contract with the Riverside Records for the aspiring musician. Here Montgomery recorded his CDs, released from 1959 to 1963, until the bankruptcy and the closure of the studio. Wes Montgomery's albums of that period, such as So much guitar (1961), Full House (1962), Boss Guitar (1963) and others, are considered the best and most influential, both in the musician’s work and in the history of jazz. Four On Six and West Coast Blues from The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery (1960) are Montgomery’s most famous songs.
From 1964 to 1966, Wes Montgomery recorded at the Verve studio, along with this, changes in his sound became noticeable, the musician turned to rhythm and blues for a while. Montgomery sounded softer in this genre, but no worse. However, he never stopped playing jazz, as evidenced by video recordings from performances.
In 1967, Wes moved to A&M Records. Three albums released under this label are considered the most popularly oriented. In pursuit of profit, Wes chose a more commercial genre, although he continued to perform with old jazz numbers.
Montgomery Technique
Wes Montgomery’s playing style has come from several elements. Firstly, he liked to play solos in a three-tier way, repeating progression in free notes on one line, modulating, varying octaves and ending the solo with a block of chords. Secondly, it was Montogomery who invented the Naptown style, characterized by the use of a single note. And thirdly, the musician never used a pick or a brute force game; instead, he hit the strings with his thumbnail, using top-down strokes for single notes, and a combination of up and down for octaves and chords.
The technique was forced, Wes often had to learn the guitar at night, and in order not to disturb the household and neighbors, he played with his finger, making the sound softer, muffled. Guitarist George Benson said that during the game with this method Montgomery formed a special callus with which he controlled the strings, and his thumb was uniquely flexible, it could fold to the back of the wrist.
Throughout his work, the musician used exclusively Gibson guitars, most often it was the L-5 model. Subsequently, he began to play on the Gibson model, designed specifically for him.
Personal life
In 1943, Wes Montgomery married a girl named Serin. Two children were born in the marriage - daughter Charlene and son Robert.
The environment recalls Wes as an easygoing, cheerful and hardworking person. He was always ready to help, and nothing in life was more important to him than family. Montgomery regarded his unique work as a work. The transition to the commercial genre was determined by the desire to provide for his wife and children, as well as parents, sisters and brothers (by the end of Wes's life, their number had reached seven).
Wes Montgomery died June 15, 1968 from a heart attack caused by overwork, he had just returned from another concert tour. A few minutes before his death, Wes told his wife that he was feeling unwell, after which he fell to the floor. Death came instantly. In memory of the great musician, the Wes Montgomery Park was opened in Indianapolis.
During his short career, the guitarist was nominated for a Grammy Award six times, becoming the owner of one award for the album Goin 'Out of My Head, as well as receiving the New Star Award and three times the title of best guitarist from Down Beat magazine.