Born John Leslie Montgomery in 1925, Wes was raised in Indianapolis with two musical brothers, bassist Monk and pianist/vibist Buddy who later formed the nucleus of the Mastersounds. He came to the guitar late, at 19, and taught himself by listening to Charlie Christian recordings.
Similarly, How did Wes Montgomery learn?
Wes learned by jamming with his brothers and by emulating Charlie Christian, who inspired Wes to pursue jazz guitar professionally. … According to Wes, thumb-plucking and his technique of “playing two notes at the same time an octave apart” were both accidental revelations.
Additionally, Who influenced Wes Montgomery? Inspired by late-swing guitarist Charlie Christian, Montgomery improvised in broken phrases and with a bop harmonic imagination. Instead of using a plectrum or fingers, he played guitar with the soft part of his thumb, resulting in a soft attack especially appropriate to his lyrical lines.
Did Wes Montgomery use drugs?
He also was a different sort of jazz musician in that he didn’t drink, he didn’t do drugs. In fact, some of his band mates apparently at one point called him Reverend Montgomery. But he smoked heavily, and he died of a heart attack at the age of 45.
Why did Wes Montgomery play octaves?
Instead of using a guitar pick, Montgomery plucked the strings with the fleshy part of his thumb, using down strokes for single notes and a combination of up strokes and down strokes for chords and octaves. He developed this technique not for technical reasons but for the benefit of his neighbors.
Did Wes Montgomery know how do you read music?
Although Wes was not skilled at reading music, he could learn complex melodies and riffs by ear. Montgomery started learning guitar in his late teens, listening to and learning recordings of his idol, the guitarist Charlie Christian.
Did Wes Montgomery know music theory?
Even more, he couldn’t read music, didn’t know theory, and didn’t understand all the electronics of the guitar. But he could play stuff that even professional guitarists to this day still have issues trying to play. He was a naturally gifted guitarist and a master of his guitar.
Did Wes Montgomery write a day in the life?
A Day in the Life is an album by the jazz guitarist Wes Montgomery, released in 1967.
…
Track listing.
| No. | 1. |
|---|---|
| Title | “A Day in the Life” |
| Writer(s) | John Lennon, Paul McCartney |
| Length | 5:45 |
Who was the most influential jazz guitarist in the history of jazz guitar style?
Wes Montgomery
There’s really no arguing that Wes Montgomery is one of the most important figures in jazz guitar history. He is easily one of the most influential jazz guitarist, and many great guitarist who came after him would agree. He took the art of jazz guitar as a soloist to the next level.
At what age did Wes Montgomery start playing guitar?
Born John Leslie Montgomery on March 6, 1925 in Indianapolis, he was self taught. He picked up the guitar at the age of 19, being able to imitate the solos of Charlie Christian from his favorite recordings.
What strings did Wes Montgomery use?
Wes Montgomery used Gibson HiFi Flatwound strings . 014 to . 058. These Flatwound strings produce a mellow, rich tone.
Did Wes Montgomery use an octave pedal?
Yet another master we might study in our efforts to reach that ultimate goal, who without a doubt captured a completely innovative style, is Wes Montgomery. Part of his unique sound came from playing with his thumb, but also from his use of octaves in his solos.
Did Wes Montgomery use a guitar pick?
He died suddenly — a heart attack — when he was just 45. At the time, Montgomery was at the height of his fame, having had a string of popular albums. And the thing that really made his sound so unique was that he didn’t use guitar picks, using his thumb instead, which gave an intimacy and warmth to his playing.
Can Chet Baker read music?
To the Editor: True, ”Baker could barely read musical notation,” but as his longtime collaborator Gerry Mulligan said, ”Chet can read, but he doesn’t have to. … ”
Which jazz musician couldn’t read music when he became famous?
The only jazz musician on this list, Dave Brubeck, is among the greatest pianists of all time but he couldn’t read a bit of music notation. He was a music student in college, and to hide his inability, he didn’t take piano courses until his senior year.
Did Django Reinhardt know music theory?
He’s improvising his own melody over the top of the tune.” I didn’t know anything about musical theory – I played professionally for nearly 20 years before I could read music – but I could hear it. Playing the guitar is the only thing in my life I’ve ever found easy.
Did jazz musicians know music theory?
By the beginning of bop, the early 1940s, virtually all major jazz musicians were immersed in music theory. Musicians like Miles Davis and John Coltrane knew music theory to a high degree of refinement.
Who is the greatest jazz guitar player of all time?
10 of the Best Jazz Guitarists of All Time
- Django Reinhardt. Recommended Django Reinhardt album – The Classic Early Recordings in Chronological Order.
- Charlie Christian. …
- Wes Montgomery. …
- Grant Green. …
- Joe Pass. …
- Kenny Burrell. …
- Barney Kessel. …
- Jim Hall.
Who is the father of modern jazz guitar?
Born today, 1916, in Dallas, Texas, Charlie Christian was for a short time the most influential jazz musician, ever, and only exceeded in that regard by another great jazz Charlie, “Bird” Parker.
Who is considered the greatest jazz fusion guitarist?
Best Fusion Guitarists
- Frank Gambale. If there is one player that really defines this genre for me it has to be Frank Gambale. …
- Allan Holdsworth. My next guitar player for the fusion genre is a giant of the instrument. …
- Shawn Lane. …
- Brett Garsed. …
- Greg Howe. …
- Tony Macalpine. …
- Shaun Baxter. …
- Guthrie Govan.
Can Joe Pass read music?
A year later Pass’s parents sent him to New York to study with the highly respected studio guitar player Harry Volpe. When Volpe realized that Pass improvised better than he did, he focused on teaching Pass to sight read music. But Pass became frustrated with his lessons and returned to Johnstown—though not for long.
What type of guitar did Wes Montgomery play?
While a few of his earliest recordings pictured Wes with a Gibson ES-175, for most of his recording and performing career he played various models of the venerable Gibson L5-CES.
Did Wes Montgomery ever play with Miles Davis?
The saxophonist was at the peak of his popularity, as he was a member of the legendary sextet Miles Davis, with John Coltrane, and led his own quintet.