The Alternative Wes Montgomery

AMG Review of The Alternative Wes Montgomery

Scott Yanow
All Music Guide

This CD has 12 "alternate" versions of songs recorded in a variety of settings by guitarist Wes Montgomery during his period with Riverside. Montgomery's sidemen include tenor-saxophonist Johnny Griffin, organist Mel Rhyne, vibraphonist Milt Jackson, the flute of James Clay, pianists Wynton Kelly, Buddy Montgomery and Victor Feldman and (on "Tune Up") a string section. The two-LP set that this succeeded actually had two additional selections; all of the material is also available in more definitive form on Wes Montgomery's 12-CD boxed set. In any case, the mistakes and flaws (such as they are) are minor on these performances and this CD gives one a good introduction into Montgomery's early recordings.