Search - Wes Montgomery :: Boss Guitar (20 bit mastering)

The definitive Wes Montgomery recording

Ian K. Hughes | San Mateo, CA | 11/24/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"For this reviewer "BOSS GUITAR" (1963) is by some distance the greatest recording that Wes Montgomery ever made (his 1965 performances @ the Half Note in NYC take honorable second place). For this session, the guitarist worked with hometown friend Mel Rhyne in the "organ trio" ( B-3 organ, guitar, drums ) format in which he previously plied his trade in an endless succession of gigs at bars and after-hours clubs in his native Indianapolis. What sets this LP apart from the others? 1) Repertoire:It is carefully programmed as a balance of blues + ballads + bop. Two of Wes' best original tunes are here ( "Fried Pies" and "The Trick Bag" ). Some tunes have a Latin/Bossa feel ( "Besame Mucho" and "Canadian Sunset" ) while standards such as "Dearly Beloved" and "Days of Wine & Roses" are taken at varying tempos ( the former taken at an incredibly fast clip ). 2) Performance: Wes was unbelievably "on" (even by his Olympian standards) for this recording: some of the melodic lines that come out of his improvisations are impressive enough to be considered "tunes" themselves (his improv on the ballad titled "For Heavens Sake" brings tears to the eye). Also, a crucially important aspect of this session was having the services of the great drummer Jimmy Cobb, who really helps propel the group in dynamic fashion. 3) Sound:The (original) engineering on this album comes closer than most other "Riverside" albums in revealing the beautiful tone of Wes' Gibson L5. While not as rich as his later "Verve" releases, "BOSS GUITAR" is notable for its sound quality, which is subtly enhanced in the 20-bit remastered version under review (NB- another point in favor of this recent re-issue is that the original order of tunes has been restored, alternates being properly relegated to the "bottom" ). CONCLUSION:Wes Montgomery was a very consistent artist, so one will not find many mediocre offerings in his oeuvre. Nevertheless, "BOSS GUITAR" stands out both as the flawless diamond in his brilliant (and all too brief) career and as a truly great jazz recording."

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Blues Bro | Lakewood, Colorado USA | 09/28/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Another vote for Boss Guitar for the best Wes Montgomery record of all time. These remastered series are limited, and the sound is so much better than the regular CD that you wont believe it. This is essential listening."