Oliver Dunskus - Wes Montgomery: His Life and his Music

Bibliografische Information der Deutschen Nationalbibliothek: Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek verzeichnet diese Publikation in der Deutschen Nationalbibliografie; detaillierte bibliografische Daten sind im Internet ber www.dnb.de abrufbar.

2020 Oliver Dunskus

Herstellung und Verlag: BoD Books on Demand GmbH, Norderstedt

ISBN: 978-3-75261-4268

Wes Montgomery is today considered as one of the three most influential jazz guitarists, next to Django Reinhardt and Charlie Christian. Surprisingly, he remained in obscurity most of his life. As a renowned guitarist, he was only active from 1959 until 1968, when he passed away aged 45.

This is the first biography written about him in over 35 years. Since Adrian Ingrams biography was published in 1985, much additional information has become available and many previously unreleased recordings have become available.

One intention of this book is to give an overview of his life, starting from his family roots, continuing with his beginnings and influences as a young guitarist in Indianapolis, until his rise to fame, followed by his transformation to a commercially-oriented record star until his early death in 1968.

The other intention of this book is to provide a summary of his records, and recording sessions in chronological order to serve as a reference.

Wes importance as a jazz guitarist overshadows his brothers major accomplishments: Monk Montgomery was possibly the first recorded bass guitarist in music history, and Buddy Montgomery was a member of the Miles Davis Quintet.

Over 50 years after his death, the community of Wes Montgomery fans is consistently growing, thanks to the easier availability of the recordings and the possibility to communicate in social media.

I hope that many guitarists and fans will enjoy this book for its background information and guidance across the many recordings Wes Montgomery recorded for us.

Dusseldorf, March, 2020

Wes Montgomery was born in Indianapolis on March 6, 1923, the third of five children. Wes ancestors have been traced back into times of slavery, back to 1860 in Floyd County, Georgia.

Indiana Anthropologist Paul Mullins did profound research on Wes Montgomerys ancestors:

In about 1917 Wes father Thomas was probably the first of his family and future in-laws to migrate to Indianapolis. It is unclear specifically why Thomas went to Indianapolis, but he may have gone for labor opportunities in the Haughville neighborhood on the citys west side. He secured work on the eve of the war at National Malleable and Steel Casting, one of several Haughville ironworks.

Mullins further reports Wes father doing his military service in Kentucky 1917-18 and marrying Wes mother Frances Blackman in 1919.

The couples first child Thomas (June) Montgomery Jr. was born in January, 1920, followed by William Howard (Monk) in October, 1921; John Leslie (Wes) in March, 1923; Charity Frances in June 1925 (she would die in infancy); Ervena Marie in August, 1927; and Charles (Buddy) in 1930.

Wes parents separated early during the great recession and around 1930, Wes moved to Ohio with his father and his elder brothers, while his mother stayed in Indianapolis with the younger children. The family was strongly engaged in church music and Wes mother had a piano in her house.

The first evidence of the Montgomery households musicality came in 1926, when the Indianapolis Recorders news column noted that The Blackburn Quartette met at the home of Tom Montgomery Saturday night for rehearsal. The quartet is making a specialty of folk songs. () Ervena Marie Montgomery was living with her mother

In an article written by John A. Kuri for Just Jazz Guitar, Kuri, who was a friend of Monk Montgomery, describes Wes beginnings on the guitar as follows:

It started for Wes when he was 10 years old. On his way to the movies, Monk met a guy trying to sell his guitar so hed have enough change to see the show. So Monk cut a deal for 50 cents and walked away with the 5-string. Later that night, he and Wes set down trying to figure out how to play on it. This dude from down the block called preach came over the next day and showed us how to tune it. Than he and Wes sat on the front porch and played things like My Dog Has Fleas. Preach knew a few chords, just enough to get along. Wes soaked up everything the dude had to offer. Wes outgrew Preach really fast. Two years passed and their folks separated. The mother moved back to Indianapolis and the brothers stayed on with the father. Somehow during the shuffling of their lives, the prize guitar was lost. Now fourteen, Monk quit school and began working full-time. Wes saw a guitar in a pawn shop and dragged Monk to look at it This time, Wes didnt have to wait for someone to show him how to do it.

In an interview with Maggie Hawthorne, Monk remembered this moment:

When I was 9 and Wes was 7, Wes and I moved to Columbus with my older brother June to spend some time with my dad. We ended up staying for 10 years. When Wes was around 8, I remember there was a guy living down the street by the name of Preach OBannon. He played a tiple, a sort of five-string guitarmany changes; all he could do was solo work. But it felt good when he played, he let him hold it any play and showed him a couple of chords, and showed him how to play a couple of chords because he was really interested