The choice was difficult, but I zeroed-in on Days of Wine for #5 on this list. So it's only natural that at least one of his greatest solos comes from such a context. Wes recorded quite a lot in an organ trio format, consisting of guitar, drums and organ. His best solos appear on live tapes, and you'll notice that three out of five solos below are from concerts. Moreover, let me add this before we get started: it's no secret that most of Wes' best playing was not done in the studio. "Uh-oh, just received the Complete Riverside Recordings as a birthday present!" Twelve CDs box set, I know. Even if our man did not record a lot in his fertile years (he died at age 45 and was only on the radar for 10 years or so), it's easy to be intimidated by the quantity of available Wes tracks. ![]() Now we got this off our chests, let's talk business: if you like Wes' sound but are still unsure of where to start listening, here's the top-5 list of Montgomery best solos, according to yours truly. Simply put, Wes probably was the greatest jazz guitarist to ever have lived. ![]() ![]() Montgomery brought forward his incredible octave technique, his right thumb plucking style, and much, much more in the music of the 1960's. And nobody else (before, during or after) had such an impact on the guitar scene. He single-handedly (and humbly) defined the role of the guitar as a jazz and bebop instrument. Nothing is left to be said about the legendary Wes Montgomery.
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