The Complete Riverside Recordings
Encyclopedia
The Complete Riverside Recordings is a box set of American
jazz
guitarist Wes Montgomery
's early recordings on the Riverside
label. It is a twelve-CD box set and was released in 1992. It contains 157 songs and includes 15 previously unissued performances, six re-edited versions of previously issued numbers and 29 alternate takes. The extensive liner notes by producer Orrin Keepnews
and Jim Ferguson
, session notes, and photographs. Keepnews and Ferguson received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Album Notes.
The collection covers Montgomery's recordings from 1959 until late 1963 before he moved to the Verve
label. The recordings made during this period are considered by fans and jazz historians to be his best and most influential. It includes recordings with his siblings Monk and Buddy
, Tommy Flanagan
, Nat
and Cannonball Adderley, Milt Jackson
, George Shearing
, Johnny Griffin
and many others.
Writing for the Los Angeles Times
, Zan Stewart praised the box-set, writing "Time has done little to diminish the elegant charm that Montgomery offered in his ardently swinging improvisations. On a ballad such as "Born to be Blue," he could be relaxed and luxuriant. For a blues, he was straightforward and melodic, never opting for funk cliches, while on the up tempos he displayed a rippling muscularity... a must-have for the jazz guitar enthusiast."
Production notes:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
guitarist Wes Montgomery
Wes Montgomery
John Leslie "Wes" Montgomery was an American jazz guitarist. He is widely considered one of the major jazz guitarists, emerging after such seminal figures as Django Reinhardt and Charlie Christian and influencing countless others, including Pat Martino, George Benson, Russell Malone, Emily...
's early recordings on the Riverside
Riverside Records
Riverside Records was a United States record label specializing in jazz. Founded by Orrin Keepnews and Bill Grauer under his firm Bill Grauer Productions, Inc. in 1953, the label was a major presence in the jazz record industry for a decade...
label. It is a twelve-CD box set and was released in 1992. It contains 157 songs and includes 15 previously unissued performances, six re-edited versions of previously issued numbers and 29 alternate takes. The extensive liner notes by producer Orrin Keepnews
Orrin Keepnews
Orrin Keepnews is an American writer and jazz record producer. In June 2010, he received a lifetime achievement award from the National Endowment for the Arts.- Career :...
and Jim Ferguson
Jim Ferguson
Jim Ferguson is an American guitarist, composer, music educator, author, and music journalist/editor.Born in Dayton, Ohio, Jim Ferguson began his early music education playing the trombone at age 7, and then after eight years of study, switched to the guitar at age 15...
, session notes, and photographs. Keepnews and Ferguson received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Album Notes.
The collection covers Montgomery's recordings from 1959 until late 1963 before he moved to the Verve
Verve Records
Verve Records is an American jazz record label now owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded by Norman Granz in 1956, absorbing the catalogues of his earlier labels, Clef Records and Norgran Records , and material which had been licensed to Mercury previously.-Jazz and folk origins:The Verve...
label. The recordings made during this period are considered by fans and jazz historians to be his best and most influential. It includes recordings with his siblings Monk and Buddy
Montgomery Brothers
The Montgomery Brothers were a jazz trio consisting of the brothers Wes Montgomery , Buddy Montgomery and Monk Montgomery ....
, Tommy Flanagan
Tommy Flanagan
Thomas Lee Flanagan was an American jazz pianist born in Detroit, Michigan, particularly remembered for his work with Ella Fitzgerald...
, Nat
Nat Adderley
Nathaniel Adderley was an American jazz cornet and trumpet player who played in the hard bop and soul jazz genres. He was the brother of saxophonist Julian "Cannonball" Adderley....
and Cannonball Adderley, Milt Jackson
Milt Jackson
Milton "Bags" Jackson was an American jazz vibraphonist, usually thought of as a bebop player, although he performed in several jazz idioms...
, George Shearing
George Shearing
Sir George Shearing, OBE was an Anglo-American jazz pianist who for many years led a popular jazz group that recorded for MGM Records and Capitol Records. The composer of over 300 titles, he had multiple albums on the Billboard charts during the 1950s, 1960s, 1980s and 1990s...
, Johnny Griffin
Johnny Griffin
John Arnold Griffin III was an American bop and hard bop tenor saxophonist.- Early life and career :Griffin studied music at DuSable High School in Chicago under Walter Dyett, starting out on clarinet before moving on to oboe and then alto sax...
and many others.
Reception
In his Allmusic review, critic Scott Yanow stated, "All in all, there is a tremendous amount of rewarding performances included in this essential set, most of which show why Wes Montgomery is still considered one of the all-time great jazz guitarists."Writing for the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
, Zan Stewart praised the box-set, writing "Time has done little to diminish the elegant charm that Montgomery offered in his ardently swinging improvisations. On a ballad such as "Born to be Blue," he could be relaxed and luxuriant. For a blues, he was straightforward and melodic, never opting for funk cliches, while on the up tempos he displayed a rippling muscularity... a must-have for the jazz guitar enthusiast."
Personnel
- Wes MontgomeryWes MontgomeryJohn Leslie "Wes" Montgomery was an American jazz guitarist. He is widely considered one of the major jazz guitarists, emerging after such seminal figures as Django Reinhardt and Charlie Christian and influencing countless others, including Pat Martino, George Benson, Russell Malone, Emily...
– guitar - Cannonball Adderley – alto saxophone
- Nat AdderleyNat AdderleyNathaniel Adderley was an American jazz cornet and trumpet player who played in the hard bop and soul jazz genres. He was the brother of saxophonist Julian "Cannonball" Adderley....
– cornet - Ray BarrettoRay BarrettoRay Barretto was a Grammy Award-winning Puerto Rican jazz musician.-Early years:Barretto was born in New York City of Puerto Rican descent...
– conga - George Brown – drums
- Bobby Thomas – drums
- Jimmy Cobb – drums
- Louis HayesLouis HayesLouis Hayes is an American jazz drummer.-Biography:His father played drums and piano and his mother the piano and he refers to the early influence of hearing jazz, especially that of big bands, on the radio...
– drums - Lex HumphriesLex HumphriesLex Humphries was a jazz drummer. He worked with two musicians known for mixing world music with jazz; Sun Ra and Yusef Lateef. As a member of Sun Ra's "Arkestra" he appeared in the film Space Is the Place....
– drums - Albert "Tootie" Heath – drums
- Walter Perkins – drums
- Osie Johnson – drums
- Ricardo Chimelis – bongos, timbales
- Paul Parker – drums
- Armando Peraza – conga
- Ray BrownRay Brown (musician)Raymond Matthews Brown was an American jazz double bassist.-Biography:Ray Brown was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and had piano lessons from the age of eight. After noticing how many pianists attended his high school, he thought of taking up the trombone, but was unable to afford one...
– bass - Ron CarterRon CarterRon Carter is an American jazz double-bassist. His appearances on over 2,500 albums make him one of the most-recorded bassists in jazz history, along with Milt Hinton, Ray Brown and Leroy Vinnegar. Carter is also an acclaimed cellist who has recorded numerous times on that...
– bass - Paul Chambers – bass
- Milt HintonMilt HintonMilton John "Milt" Hinton , "the dean of jazz bass players," was an American jazz double bassist and photographer. He was nicknamed "The Judge".-Biography:...
– bass - Percy Heath – bass
- Monk MontgomeryMonk MontgomeryWilliam Howard "Monk" Montgomery was an American jazz bassist.Born in Indianapolis, Indiana, Montgomery was the older brother of guitarist Wes Montgomery; younger brother, Buddy Montgomery played vibraphone and piano...
– bass - Sam Jones – bass
- Kenny BurrellKenny BurrellKenneth Earl "Kenny" Burrell is an American jazz guitarist. His playing is grounded in bebop and blues; he has performed and recorded with a wide range of jazz musicians.-Biography:...
– guitar - James ClayJames Clay (musician)James Earl Clay was an American hard bop jazz tenor saxophonist and flutist. While in school Clay played alto saxophone, became a professional musician, and played with local bands in Dallas, including with Booker Ervin...
– flute, tenor sax - Victor FeldmanVictor FeldmanVictor Stanley Feldman was a British jazz musician, best known as a pianist.-Early history:...
– piano, vibraphone - George ShearingGeorge ShearingSir George Shearing, OBE was an Anglo-American jazz pianist who for many years led a popular jazz group that recorded for MGM Records and Capitol Records. The composer of over 300 titles, he had multiple albums on the Billboard charts during the 1950s, 1960s, 1980s and 1990s...
– piano - Bobby Timmons – piano
- Tommy FlanaganTommy FlanaganThomas Lee Flanagan was an American jazz pianist born in Detroit, Michigan, particularly remembered for his work with Ella Fitzgerald...
– piano - Buddy MontgomeryBuddy MontgomeryCharles "Buddy" Montgomery was an American jazz vibraphonist and pianist. He was the youngest brother of Wes and Monk Montgomery. He and brother, Monk, formed the "Mastersounds," in the late 50's and produced ten recordings...
– piano - Wynton KellyWynton KellyWynton Kelly was a Jamaican-born jazz pianist, who spent his career in the United States. He is perhaps best known for working with trumpeter Miles Davis from 1959-1962.-Biography:...
– piano - Barry Harris – piano
- Dick Hyman – piano, celeste
- Milt JacksonMilt JacksonMilton "Bags" Jackson was an American jazz vibraphonist, usually thought of as a bebop player, although he performed in several jazz idioms...
– vibraphone - Hank Jones – piano, celeste
- Melvin RhyneMelvin RhyneMelvin Rhyne , is a jazz organist best known for his work with Wes Montgomery.-Early Years:Melvin Rhyne was born in Indianapolis in 1936 and started playing the piano shortly thereafter...
– organ - Joe Gordon – trumpet
- Harold Land – tenor saxophone
- Leo Kruczek – violin
- Harry Lookofsky – violin
- David Nadien – violin
- Gene Orloff – violin
- Raoul Poliakin – violin
- Samuel Rand – violin
- Sylvan Shulman – violin
- Mac Ceppos – violin
- Winston Collymore – violin
- Arnold Eidus – violin
- Paul Winter – violin
- Isadore Zir – violin
- Burt Fisch – viola
- Ralph Hersh – viola
- Alfred Brown – viola
- George Ricci – cello
- Kermit Moore – cello
- Lucien Schmit – cello
- Charles McCracken – cello
- Gloria Agostini – harp
- Margaret Rose – harp
- Phil Bodner – woodwind
Production notes:
- Orrin KeepnewsOrrin KeepnewsOrrin Keepnews is an American writer and jazz record producer. In June 2010, he received a lifetime achievement award from the National Endowment for the Arts.- Career :...
– producer, liner notes - Jim FergusonJim FergusonJim Ferguson is an American guitarist, composer, music educator, author, and music journalist/editor.Born in Dayton, Ohio, Jim Ferguson began his early music education playing the trombone at age 7, and then after eight years of study, switched to the guitar at age 15...
– liner notes - Jimmy Jones – arranger, conductor