Incredible Jazz Guitar

Wes Montgomery's Incredible Jazz Guitar is exactly what the title implies, the greatest jazz guitar album of all-time. Montgomery is unconscious during these sessions, starting out with the fast passed "Airegin," Montgomery improvises throughout a constantly changing chord progression that is to complicated for myself to even fathom. Wes is backed by Tommy Flanagan on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Albert Heath on drums. But there is no doubt that this is the Wes Montgomery show.

Wes plays in his signature octave style throughout most of the album. His unorthodox technique with his strumming hand gives him a completely original sound. "Four on Six" is a jazz standard with the most recognizable jazz guitar riff around. Montgomery explores every part of the fretboard in the song and cleverly integrates octaves within his improvisation.

I have always thought that Montgomery was underrated in the world of guitar. Maybe not jazz, but when people talk about the all-time greatest guitarists, Montgomery's name usually does not get mentioned. The most obvious example is when Rolling Stone came out with a list of the 100 greatest guitarists, Montgomery's names was not even mentioned. The almost undisputed greatest jazz guitarist of all-time. Rolling Stone even put Grant Green and John McLaughlin on the list, but no Wes.

Nonetheless Incredible Jazz Guitar is a monumental album that continues to amaze me every time I listen to it.