Probably the best of Buddy Montgomery's solo albums, with a tight little group that features Mel Rhyne on organ, Jodie Christian on piano, and brother Monk Montgomery on sweet heavy bass – all coming together in a messed up style of funky jazz! Buddy plays piano and vibes on a number of tracks that sound similar to the Cliff Coulter work on Impulse at this time – kind of a trippy Cali blend of soul, jazz, funk, and even an undercurrent of blues at times. Very groovy, and very California funky, with the tracks "Winding Up", "Rose Bud", "Willy Nilly Blues", and "This Rather Than That". LP, Vinyl record album

A pretty cool 2LP set – one that dips back into Wes' early recordings for Riverside, and brings together a bunch of alternate takes of the tunes that appeared on albums like Full House, Guotar On The Go, Bags Meets Wes, and Groove Yard. Players on the tracks include Johnny Griffin, Wynton Kelly, Jimmy Cobb, Mel Ryne, Milt Jackson, Buddy Montgomery, Monk Montgomery, and James Clay – and the album features alternate takes of tunes that include "Tune Up" (2 versions, one with strings!), "Bock To Bock", "Movin Along", "Besame Mucho", "Fried Pies", "The Way You Look Tonight", "Born To Be Blue", "SOS", "Doujie", and "Jingles". LP, Vinyl record album

With Pony Poindexter on alto saxophone, Harold Land on tenor saxophone, Buddy Montgomery on piano, Monk Montgomery on bass, and Louis Hayes and Tony Bazley on drums, . CD

Wes Montgomery on guitar – with Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Buddy Montgomery on vibes, and Monk Montgomery on bass. CD

A pretty cool set – one that dips back into Wes' early recordings for Riverside, and brings together a bunch of alternate takes of the tunes that appeared on albums like Full House, Guotar On The Go, Bags Meets Wes, and Groove Yard. Players on the tracks include Johnny Griffin, Wynton Kelly, Jimmy Cobb, Mel Ryne, Milt Jackson, Buddy Montgomery, Monk Montgomery, and James Clay – and the album features alternate takes of tunes that include "Tune Up" (2 versions, one with strings!), "Bock To Bock", "Movin Along", "Besame Mucho", "Fried Pies", "The Way You Look Tonight", "Born To Be Blue" and "Jingles". CD

An excellent addition to any collection of Wes Montgomery's work – a rare album of live material from his early years, recorded in a style that really enriches an understanding of his work! 4 tracks with Billy Hart and brothers Buddy and Monk Montgomery – grooving with Wes in that soulful easy mode that the latter two used often in their Mastersounds group. The set's well recorded – and Wes has a fat tone that really points the way towards his later work. Includes lengthy takes on "All Of You" and "Back To Bach To Boch", plus "Heartstrings" and "Summertime". LP, Vinyl record album

Really fantastic early work from guitar genius Wes Montgomery – a series of live recordings from his Indianapolis roots – done at a level that's quite different than his bigger records of the 60s! Even at this early age, Wes is already a chromatic master – able to get sounds out of his guitar that are so different than most of his contemporaries – playing in a small combo mode on most tracks, but with less of the R&B influence than most postwar guitarists. Instead, Montgomery is pure jazz all the way through, but also without that too-clean tone that some folks were going for – just a great focus on color and open, honest tone – in the company of musicians who include Carl Perkins and Buddy Montgomery on piano, Mel Rhyne on Hammond, Monk Montgomery on bass, David Baker on trombone, and David Young on tenor. Those last two players only make a few appearances – as most groups are horn-less, which gives Wes even more solo space – on titles that include "Four", "Between The Devil & The Deep Blue Sea", "It's You Or No One", "Ecaroh", "Sandu", "Whisper Not", "Four On Six", "Mr Walker", "Round Midnight", "West Coast Blues", "Tune Up", "So What", and "The End Of A Love Affair". CD

Great early work from guitar genius Wes Montgomery – a late 60s album, but one that pulls together his recordings with The Brothers Montgomery – with Monk Montgomery on bass, and Buddy Montgomery on vibes and piano – with either Lawrence Marable or Paul Humphries on drums! Titles include "Jingles", "Monterey Blues", "Snowfall", "Angel Eyes", "Beaux Arts", "Lover Man", "June In January", and "Barbados". LP, Vinyl record album

An obscure set of tracks – but some really wonderful material from the catalog of Pacific Jazz Records! The CD's title clearly showcases the presence of Wes Montgomery on the sides – but Wes was actually more of a sideman on these tracks, and the real credit for the greatness goes to the leaders! The first 10 tracks on the CD are from the album Good Git Together by Jon Hendricks – a rare early non-LHR session by the jazz vocalist – one cut in a very different style than his more famous group vocalese work. Hendricks is laidback, open, and very soulful – working with Wes, Buddy, and Monk Montgomery – as well as Cannonball and Nat Adderley, Pony Poindexter, and Gildo Mahones – all coming together in a "git together" session that features some of Hendricks' best vocals on record! The session features great readings of Hendricks originals that include "Minor Catastrophe", "I'll Die Happy", and "I'm Gonna Shout" – as well as Gigi Gryce's "Music In The Air" and "Social Call", plus a great take on Randy Weston's "Pretty Strange" and Gildo Mahones' "The Shouter". Next up on the set are 8 more tracks from a jazz version of Kismet – recorded by The Mastersounds group which featured Buddy Montgomery on vibes and Monk Montgomery on bass – joined here by Wes on guitar! The source of the tunes is a musical, but the presentation is all jazz – and the group craft some real magic in their exotic style, with tracks that include "Fate", "Olive Tree", "Not Since Nineveh", and "Gesticulate & Rhymes Have I". CD

The Mastersounds seem to take a page from the book of the MJQ – especially with a title like this – but as usual, the end results are a fair bit hipper! The album features the classic lineup with Buddy Montgomery on vibes, Monk Montgomery on electric bass, Richie Crabtree on piano, and Benny Barth on drums – all working through a batch of extremely mellow numbers that put Buddy's vibes right out front, ringing out with a clear, clean sound that cuts through any potential sleepiness. Titles include "Little Stevie", "Solar", "Monk's Ballad", "How Deep Is The Ocean", "One Mint Julep", and "The Champ". LP, Vinyl record album

Always-beautiful work from the Mastersounds – the unique late 50s group that featured Buddy Montgomery on vibes and Monk Montgomery on bass! The pair work together wonderfully with pianist Richie Crabtree and drummer Benny Barth – in a well-crafted approach to jazz that borrows a bit from the MJQ, but which also has a more exotic, and more soulful approach. Monk's work on electric bass is especially striking, and the live setting of the record gives them a bit more room to muse around than usual – on tracks that include "Love For Sale", "Our Very Own", "Star Eyes", "Somebody Love Me", and "These Foolish Things". LP, Vinyl record album

The Jazz Crusaders at their early best – swinging hard, and virtually defining the sound of soul jazz on the west coast scene of the 60s! The sound here is impeccable – tight rhythms overlaid with searing solos – all the best the young group had to offer, thanks to the early genius of Wayne Henderson on trombone, Wilton Felder on tenor and alto, Joe Sample on piano, and Stix Hooper on drums. The set also features a bit of guitar from Joe Pass, and bass from Monk Montgomery – who brings in a nice bottom to the rhythms – furthering the groove that really keeps things going! The set list is a mix of originals and tracks by other jazz artists, and includes "Long John", "Out Back", "Bachafillen", "Sweetwater", and "You Are Only Sometimes Rain". LP, Vinyl record album

Hugh Masekela kicks off the 70s with this wonderfully bold statement – a record that's light years from the shorter, simpler instrumentals of his earliest American years – and which really shows Hugh trying to reach out for a new groove! Masekela sings a bit on the set – often with this raspy tone that echoes his slight grimace on the cover – and instrumentation includes lots of work from other LA electric jazz giants, including members of The Crusaders – with Joe Sample on Fender Rhodes, Monk Montgomery and Wilton Felder on bass, Arthur Adams on guitar, and Larry Willis on piano. Some of the best tracks have earthy percussion at the bottom – congas by Francisco Aguabella – which complicates the rhythms in a great way – and titles include "Woza", "I Can't Dance", "Make Me A Potion", "Sala Le Mane", "Traces", and "Leave Us Alone". LP, Vinyl record album

A great album of funky grooves put together by Bill Cosby, and featuring some of his funky friends from LA, like Stu Gardner, Gildo Mahones, Mel Brown, Willie Bobo, Monk Montgomery, and Paul Humphrey! The set's not to be confused with the similarly titled album on Uni – but is equally great – and it features 3 looooong funky tracks – "Abuse", "The Blues", and "Bunions" – all with a lot of silliness, plus two shorter ones, including "I Love You Camille", written for his wife to stop her getting mad at all of his philandering! LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic addition to the too-small catalog of work from the wonderful Harold Land – the west coast tenorist whose sound was maybe more of a bridge to the New York scene in the 50s and 60s – as you'll hear in this collection of well-recorded and unreleased material from his key years on the scene! All the cuts were recorded in Seattle, not LA – and Land is in top formation throughout – working in a few different groups with excellent players – including the mighty trumpeter Carmell Jones on two of the album's tracks, maybe worth the price of the record alone – plus Hampton Hawes and Buddy Montgomery on piano, Monk Montgomery on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums. Titles include "Triplin The Groove", "Vendetta", "Beepdurple", "Beauty", "Blue N Boogie", "Who Can I Turn To", and "Happily Dancing/Deep Harmonies Falling". CD

A tribute to Thelonious Monk, but one that's done with a real soul jazz swing – thanks to a lineup of players from the late 50s/early 60s glory days of the Riverside Records label! The core group could take just about any sort of music and make it great – but they sound especially nice here working with the modern compositions of Monk – swinging them in the same sort of angular, soulful way that Eddie Davis and Johnn Griffin did on some of their famous records from years back – but even more fleshed out instrumentally, too. Players include Nat Adderley on cornet, Jimmy Heath on tenor, Buddy Montgomery on vibes, Barry Harris on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Albert Tootie Heath on drums. Titles include "Bemsha Swing", "Four On Six", "Work Song", "Gemini", "Well You Needn't", "Round Midnight", and "West Coast Blues". CD

Vocalist Fay Victor pens lyrics for a jazz composer we're not sure we've ever heard with words before – modern piano legend Herbie Nichols, a player whose songs are often as full of angles and sharp changes as Thelonious Monk! And as you might guess from a style like that, the music doesn't easily lend itself to vocalization – but when it does, the results are amazing – as Victor's not only penned some fantastic lyrics for these tunes, she also delivers one of her best performances on record to date! The sound is modern, but never too outside – maybe like Jon Hendricks taking on some of Monk's music, in the way that Fay always retains a sense of humanity – working here with piano from Anthony Coleman, alto and baritone from Michael Attias, bass from Ratzo Harris, and drums from Tom Raney. Titles include "Descent Into Madness", "Non Fraternization Clause", "The Culprit Is You", "Shuffle Montgomery", "Sinners All Of Us", and "Bright Butterfly". LP, Vinyl record album

A loss leader type showcase compilation for Riverside, collecting a number of nice sides. 10 numbers in all: "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You" by Thelonious Monk off the Thelonious Monk At The Blackhawk LP, "Mister Walker" by Wes Montgomery off The Incredible Jazz Guitar Of Wes Montgomery LP, "Wade In The Water" by Johnny Griffin's Big Soul Band off The Big Soul Band LP, "Pretty Memory" by Nat Adderley off the Work Song LP, "Stella B" by Bobby Timmons off the Soul Time LP, 'Del Sasser" by the Cannonball Adderley Quintet off the Them Dirty Blues LP, "Peri's Scope" by the bill Evans Trio off the Portrait In Jazz LP, "Blue SOul" by Blue Mitchell off the Blue Soul Lp, "Newkeep" by Jimmy Heath off The Thumper LP and "Something Different" by the Mangione Brothers Sextet off The Jazz Brothers LP. LP, Vinyl record album

Includes performances by composer Thelonious Monk, plus recordings by Miles Davis, Stan Getz, Wes Montgomery, Bill Evans, Art Pepper, and Ron Carter. LP, Vinyl record album

Killer piano jazz, and some of the greatest modernist work ever recorded by Blue Note! Herbie Nichols deserves every bit of the rare fame he ever got – and it's only the paucity of his recordings that has kept him from achieving the status of Monk or Cecil Taylor as an avant garde forefather. This killer box set features all of Nichols' recordings for Blue Note – including loads of unissued and alternate tracks, packaged with a discographical booklet with writings and photos. Tracks include "Third World", "Step Tempest", "Dance Line", "Shuffle Montgomery", "The Spinning Song", "Riff Primitif", "Query", "Chit Chatting", "Hangover Triangle", "2300 Skidoo", and "Blue Chopsticks". CD