Wes missed his family so much that he quit Lionel; returned to his family and resumed working in a factory during the day, and playing music at night. That, friends, is the mark of a great musician and a dedicated and loving father.
So glad clips like this exist, they could have been lost and forgotten and folks who weren't born back in the day wouldn't have the privilege of seeing and hearing these jazz masters at play.
Lionel Hampton would come out to Idaho every year and be the marquee player in the university's jazz festival in the 1980s. He lasted damn near forever. Clicked for Wes Montgomery. Stayed for the world-class band.
He sounds so much like Charlie Christian in this clip! You can really tell how much Wes admired and looked up to Charlie’s playing. It’s such a shame that Charlie passed away so young, because I would have given anything to hear him and Wes play together. Rest in Peace to both of those gigantic legends. ❤
You have got to be kidding me!! I had NO IDEA film of Wes this early existed!! Absolute GOLD. Oh man, this has made my LIFE! My all-time favourite musician, bar none. Love it. Love it. Love it!! ThankYou! (How did you find this?? Is there any more?? :D)
One of the greatest things I've found on the internet!! It's interesting how he sounds a lot like Charlie Chrisitan and nowhere near what he would become!! Gives us all some hope!!
It is interesting to hear Wes play at that stage of his development as a player. You can't hear it in this brief solo break, but big-band horn sections - especially the shout choruses they played to climax a tune - influenced to a great extent his conception of how to solo in block chords. What a wonderful experience for a young and up-and-coming player! Those cats put the "Big" in "Big Band"!
Unmistakable Wes..big hand pulls guitar up for his great thumb strikes. .film performance is unique for Wes because he is standing up instead of sitting down!! thank you for posting
Almost the entire band solos, this isn’t just about Wes, it’s an amazing display of virtuosity for the entire band and each soloist. The entire band combined is the real killer for me. It’s cool how the sax section are behind on another when the other sections are still parallel. Maybe to make room for Lionel but who knows. Wes kills it along with everyone in the band.
Playing in this orchestra was to be the best possible training for a jazz musician. As for Wes, no doubt, his genius and his modernity are already there... Thanx 4 this video
Most excellent, hot n' talented musicians...I'd listen to these musicians play any day, it's timeless grooves are still better than most music created and produced today!
This video has been entirely too difficult to find on RU-vid. Richie Hart showed me this video at Berklee back in 2002 and that's the only time I've EVER seen it. Thank you very much for posting!
Tanto talento en una orquesta ....Creo que leí en una revista o en la portada de un LP en donde Wes dijo que en esos días los integrantes de esa orquesta se morían de hambre....
Yes and like all great improvisers, having modeled himself after a great, he stopped studying CC or the guitar and started studying music. Each modern Wes solo evidences study and innovation in advanced harmony, rhythm and melody. Much of the “Wes sound” represents a contribution to music theory as other aspects of his playing contribute to Jazz and guitar. P.S Hamp cold incinerated the joint!
"Man, those trumpets need ta quit steppin' on the trombone solo!" "Man, that IS the trombone! He just ain't 'upposed ta play that high!" Marvelous brass that knows it's brass. I'll allow the sax in as honorary horn, especially the way these guys play. Glad I grew up where I did when I did, and we got to play some of those charts in high school, with a band good enough to play songs like this, although only one or two of us was fit to solo, and all of THESE cats are studio-quality professionals, years ahead of any of us kids.
Jimi Hendrix probably saw this and thought to himself, "Yep. I wanna dance around like that sax player at the end and sound like the trumpet. What's that? There's something new out called a distortion pedal? And I can push my amp volume to 13? Cool, I'm in."
