When "Bumpin’" was first recorded in May of 1965, the word "bumpin’" meant investigating the night life in all of its bleary-eyed, half awake glory. Guitarist Wes Montgomery (1924 - 1968) certainly knew of this world for many years. He was the most important jazz guitarist since Charlie Christian and had evolved by trial and error his own method of playing his instrument. With his thumb playing the main melody and using his fingers sparingly, he created a sound that was warmly human yet could also vary greatly the textures of the music. Many critics have complained that Montgomery sold out when he recorded albums of pop standards. Yet even these recordings are invested with a respect for the music as well as bending the music to his own particular style. "Bumpin’" displays this blending of setting an atmosphere of "the night life" in a steamy, hazy way while using the elements of the blues to add to his pallette of musical colorings. Roger Kellaway is on piano, Bob Cranshaw is on bass, Grady Tate is on drums with Margaret Ross on harp. Don Sebesky is the arranger and conductor.
