A massive lost funk classic – one of those rarer than rare albums that's well worth the fuss! The Montgomery Express were a Florida combo who played on the state's small club circuit – working equally well on their own, or backing up a number of better known singers. The group's got a diversity that's really great – and they're equally well-suited to longer, trippier funk instrumentals, and shorter more soul-based tunes. The vocal numbers are especially haunting, as they've got a moody and sad feel that's more like New Jersey or Detroit group soul of the time than the usual Miami soul – and the funkier tunes have a nice psychedelic approach that uses plenty of sweetly-tuned guitar! 8 tracks in all – "Party Fever", "Precious Wing", "Montgomery Movement", "Gotta Make A Comeback", "Who", "Steal Away", "I'm Standing By", and "Left Me With A Memory". CD

Wes Montgomery's first album as a leader – a relatively obscure set that has him playing in a trio with Indianapolis bandmates Mel Rhyne on organ and Paul Parker on drums – a mode that strongly recalls Montgomery's roots in the Indy scene at the time! If you only know the later, famous Wes Montgomery with bigger charts, you'll be surprised to hear him here in a cooking little combo – the kind of group that made Mel Rhyne a local Hammond hero in Indy, although it seemed to take decades for him to get any sort of larger recognition. The groove is straight and simple, but the real charm is Wes' chromatic lines on guitar – already quite distinctive among his contemporaries, and allowed ample room to express their voice in this setting. Titles include "Ecorah", "Missile Blues", "Too Late Now", "Jingles", and "Whisper Not". CD features 2 bonus tracks! CD

Mindblowing! This is when Wes Montgomery really starts to get interesting to us – when he's working with a top-line arranger like Don Sebesky, crafting some incredibly compelling chords over lightly jazzy arrangements and soaring strings, in a whole new mode of expression that would go onto transform a generation of guitar players! And sure, this album sold a gazillion copies – but we'll be honest in saying that we think it's loads more complex and mature than some of Wes' straight jazz sides from earlier years – light years away from the small combo dates of the early years, both in conception and sound. Titles include "Day In The Life", "Watch What Happens", "California Nights", "Windy", "Trust In Me", and "The Joker". CD