Wes Montgomery: Bumpin’ (1965 – Verve)

Taking the listener on a smoother, rather than bumpier, ride down the moonlight highway of jazz is Wes Montgomery, a chief architect of the world’s guitar virtuoso scene. Not only is his brilliant command of the six-string present here, so is the vivid color tones of notes and blue notes played between. Backed up by a hauntingly beautiful and mesmerizing orchestra conducted and arranged by Don Sebesky, the music almost lifts the listener off his feet into a dreamy, water-like landscape. The atmosphere is serene and enchanting, such as a romantic evening for two under starlight, and certainly a romantic eve merits the accompaniment of this record. The sounds are soft, smooth, and silky, and Montgomery addresses full leadership of his graceful melodic style, fronting close to 20 members of a orchestra perhaps best described resonant and sweeping. So too are the sweeping note flows of Montgomery’s guitar, and his surprising fluidness towards the art of comping, a necessary trait of the jazz guitar virtuoso. Even the unforgettable Jim Hall can be tickled and intrigued through a listen of these influential records, as for all amateur and professional guitar musicians. “A Quiet Thing” is perhaps the most somber, peaceful, and smooth piece on the record, demonstrating Montgomery’s love of quiet, and how much the idea of not playing at all brings music to the listeners. The charming sounds of orchestral violas, violins, cellos, and harp are sent ablaze to create a pleasant atmosphere, either for a quick morning get up, get ready for work, or evening dining setting. “Here’s That Rainy Day” is an up-tempo bossa nova tune that resonates with Montgomery’s enticing chordal changes and blissful phrasing, not to mention the blend of harp and strings lays the groundwork for a perfect rainy day inside, with drops pattering at the windows and fires aglow. The recording engineer did a wonderful job with this album. The sound quality is clear and lush, and, overall, this collection of mid-’60s cool jazz is a delight to listen too, once and again.
Shawn M. Haney (All Music Guide)
Recorded at Van Gelder Recording Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey (May from 16th to 20th, 1965)

Track List:
1. Bumpin’.
2. Tear It Down
3. A Quit Thing
4. Con Alma
5. The Shadow of Your Smile (from “The Sandpiper”)
6. Mi Cosa
7. Here’s That Rainy Day
8. Musty
9. Just Walkin’ (bonus track)
10. My One And Only Love (bonus track)
11. Just Walkin (bonus track)

Personnel:
Wes Montgomery (guitar)
Roger Kellaway (piano)
Bob Cranshaw (bass)
Helcio Milito, Grady Tate (drums)

Original Release Date: 1965  –  Verve Records

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Stan Getz: Sweet Rain (1967 – Verve)

One of Stan Getz’s all-time greatest albums, Sweet Rain was his first major artistic coup after he closed the book on his bossa nova period, featuring an adventurous young group that pushed him to new heights in his solo statements. Pianist Chick Corea, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Grady Tate were all schooled in ’60s concepts of rhythm-section freedom, and their continually stimulating interplay helps open things up for Getz to embark on some long, soulful explorations (four of the five tracks are over seven minutes). The neat trick of Sweet Rain is that the advanced rhythm section work remains balanced with Getz’s customary loveliness and lyricism. Indeed, Getz plays with a searching, aching passion throughout the date, which undoubtedly helped Mike Gibbs’ title track become a standard after Getz’s tender treatment here. Technical perfectionists will hear a few squeaks on the LP’s second half (Getz’s drug problems were reputedly affecting his articulation somewhat), but Getz was such a master of mood, tone, and pacing that his ideas and emotions are communicated far too clearly to nit-pick. Corea’s spare, understated work leaves plenty of room for Getz’s lines and the busily shifting rhythms of the bass and drums, heard to best effect in Corea’s challenging opener “Litha.” Aside from that and the title track, the repertoire features another Corea original (“Windows”), the typically lovely Jobim tune “O Grande Amor,” and Dizzy Gillespie’s Latin-flavored “Con Alma.” The quartet’s level of musicianship remains high on every selection, and the marvelously consistent atmosphere the album evokes places it among Getz’s very best. A surefire classic.
Steve Huey, All Music Guide

Track List:
1. Litha
2. O Grande Amor
3. Sweet Rain
4. Con Alma
5. Windows

Personnel:
Stan Getz (Ten.Sax)
Chick Corea (Piano)
Ron Carter (Bass)
Grady Tate (drums)

Original Release Date: 1967  Label: Verve

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