John Leslie “Wes” Montgomery was signed by Riverside Records in 1959 on the recommendation of the great alto saxophonist Julian “Cannonball” Adderley. Formerly with Lionel Hampton’s band, Wes (1925-1968) had also recorded with his brothers Charles (b. 1930), better known as Buddy, who doubled piano and vibes, and William (1921-1982), better known as Monk, a pioneer of the electric bass who is, however, heard exclusively in this set on the acoustic instrument. The material herein, recorded in 1960 and ’61, comprises the brothers’ two albums for Fantasy. With alternating drummers Paul Humphrey and Larance Marable rounding out the quartet, we hear a tightly-knit post-bop unit whose inventive arrangements featured clearly-articulated unisons or contrapuntal voicings on standards, emerging jazz favorites, and the blues. And we are again rewarded by the warm octave runs and single-note lines generated by the celebrated thumb of Wes Montgomery.

with Buddy Montgomery, Monk Montgomery, Paul Humphrey