Former Verve Label Jazz Guitarist Switched For A&M Records Last Year

INDIANAPOLIS — Wes Montgomery, whose albums topped Billboard’s Jazz Chart for 24 of the first 25 weeks of 1968, died of a heart attack at his home here on June 15. He was 45. The jazz guitarist was home after a concert tour with a quintet that included his brothers Buddy and Monk.

Montgomery, after several successful years on Verve, switched to A &M last year. His first A &M album “A Day In The Life” topped the jazz chart for the last four weeks of 1967 and chalked up 22 more weeks as No. 1 this year. His second A &M album “Down Here On The Ground” had two weeks on top.

“A Day In The Life” also scored high on the album chart, starting this year at No. 13. Verve’s “Best of West Montgomery” also registered well on both charts. Other Verve albums that hit the jazz chart last year were “Tequila,” “California Dreaming,” and “Dynamic Duo.” The last also featured organist Jimmy Smith.

Montgomery’s Verve album “Goin’ Out of My Head” was the 1966 Grammy Award winner as the best instrumental jazz performance. Smith’s Verve albums were produced by Creed Taylor since 1963.

It was Taylor who suggested the guitarist do his first album with orchestra. The LP, “Movie Wes,” was released in 1965. Then came “Bumpin’ ” and “Goin’ Out Of My Head.”

He toured with the Lionel Hampton Band for two years beginning in 1948.

He began recording for Riverside Records in 1959 and regularly toured with a small group that usually included his brothers. Montgomery also had two albums on Pacific Jazz. END

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(Information and news source: Billboard; June 29, 1968)