Happy Birthday Wes Montgomery And A New Wes CD!!

Wes Montgomery

Well, as many of you probably know, today is the late Wes Montgomery’s birthday. Born on this day in 1923, Wes would have been 89 years old today had he not passed away suddenly in 1968. As one of THE most influential Jazz Guitarists in the world, Wes’ singular guitar voice continues to influence up and coming Jazz Guitarists the world over and most likely will do so for many more generations to come.

As it is Wes’ birthday today, I would imagine a lot of you are listening to his past recordings and digging Wes’ tunes in all their glory. I know I am

Well, I am very pleased to say, although you all most likely know this, that there is a “new” Wes CD out today titled “Echoes of Indiana Avenue“!! This CD has been put together by Resonance Records out of California and I am including a blurb and promo video from their site at the end of this post along with a link to the source page for more information.

This new Wes album is an exciting moment in time, recorded just as Wes began making his way to becoming the legend we all know and love. And as an historic recording, “Echoes of Indiana Avenue” delivers us a glimpse of Wes’ voice prior to his first Riverside recording, which should have Wes fans jumping for joy.

As mentioned, this is indeed an exciting moment and I liken it to my youth when I could hardly wait for a favorite artist to come out with a new recording. Wes passed away when I was only seven years old, and at that time, I had no clue about anything Jazz related, except for a Sinatra album my mom had which featured the Basie Band. The point is, the excitement is back and that’s a good thing!

If you have this CD or you have any memories of Wes, please feel free to leave a comment. I’d love to hear what you have to say.

“With a lot of sleuthing and a team of experts on the case, long lost tapes of Wes Montgomery have been discovered and restored. Resonance Records will release Echoes of Indiana Avenue – the first full album of previously unheard Montgomery music in over 25 years – on March 6, 2012, which would have been Montgomery’s 88th birthday. Over a year and a half in the making, the release will provide a rare, revealing glimpse of a bona fide guitar legend. The tapes are the earliest known recordings of Montgomery as a leader, pre-dating his auspicious 1959 debut on Riverside Records. The album showcases Montgomery in performance from 1957-1958 at nightclubs in his hometown of Indianapolis, Indiana, as well as rare studio recordings. The release is also beautifully packaged, containing previously unseen photographs and insightful essays by noted music writers and musicians alike, including guitarist Pat Martino and Montgomery’s brothers Buddy and Monk.” (source: http://www.resonancerecords.org/release.php?cat=HCD-2011)