Echoes of Indiana Avenue
| Echoes of Indiana Avenue | ||||
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| Live album by Wes Montgomery | ||||
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Publication |
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| Label (s) | Resonance Records | |||
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Format (s) |
CD, download |
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Title (number) |
9 |
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running time |
52:44 |
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| occupation |
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Michael Cuscuna , George Klabin, Zev Feldman |
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Echoes of Indiana Avenue is a jazz album by Wes Montgomery . The previously unpublished live recordings were made in 1957/58 in unknown locations in Indianapolis and were released on March 11, 2012 by Resonance Records .
background
In the mid-twentieth century, Indianapolis was a hotbed for jazz talent. Trombonist JJ Johnson , trumpeter Freddie Hubbard and guitarist Wes Montgomery began their individual ascent in the heart of “ Hoosier Land”. While the first two artists had long careers, Montgomery wasn't that lucky. This self-taught genius, who made its way onto the national scene in 1958, was hit by a fatal heart attack just a decade later. While most posthumously released recordings capture artists in their mid to late career stages, this collection differs in that it is actually a precursor to Montgomery's well-documented decade of regular recording. His nine tracks were performed in three different formations between 1957 and 1958. Executive producer Michael Cuscuna suspects they were recorded to help Montgomery land a recording deal.
"The story behind these recordings explains why some details about the sources are vague," wrote Jason Shadrick. “ These tracks caught the attention of producer Michael Cuscuna when they were listed on eBay . He made arrangements to acquire the tapes and contacted the Montgomery community of heirs. In 2010, Cuscuna began working with George Klabin and Zev Feldman to research details to determine the origin of these recordings. After doing their research, they came to the conclusion that this music was recorded in three different sessions - one in the studio and two on live dates - that came before Montgomery's 1959 debut album on the Riverside label. Montgomery was joined by his brothers, bassist Monk and pianist Buddy , pianist / organist Mel Rhyne , drummer Sonny Johnson, and other Indiana residents. "
The album begins with a studio recording of Shorty Rogers ' "Diablo's Dance," with an unknown bassist, pianist Melvin Rhyne and drummer Paul Parker. Rhyne returns to the piano again on “Nica's Dream”, otherwise he plays his main instrument, the organ in “ Round Midnight ” and “ Darn That Dream ”. 'Round Midnight', the classic Monk ballad, is another studio recording; the rest of the album contains jazz standards that may have been recorded during late night jam sessions somewhere in one or more clubs in downtown Indianapolis. The date and location details have been lost. Montgomery is working with his brothers - bassist Monk Montgomery and pianist Buddy Montgomery - initially on a trio version of "Straight No Chaser". The album closes with a few numbers that may have been recorded at the Hub Bub in Indianapolis. Montgomery and the pianist Earl VanRiper exchange ideas on " Take the 'A' Train ". This is followed by interpretations of Erroll Garner's successful tracks “ Misty ” and “ Body And Soul ”, with subtle support from drummer Sonny Johnson and bassist Mingo Jones. The performance ends with the slow blues jam "After Hours Blues". "Montgomery sounds like a different man on this track as he sheds his jazz guitar skin and plays barroom blues."
Editor's note
The album has extensive liner notes , including essays by Montgomery's brothers, Pat Martino , David Baker and jazz historian Dan Morgenstern , Michael Cuscuna and Bill Milkowski .
Track list
Wes Montgomery - Echoes of Indiana Avenue (Resonance Records - HCD-2011)
- Diablo's Dance (Shorty Rogers) 4:15
- 'Round Midnight (Thelonious Monk) 7:33
- Straight No Chaser (Monk) 7:37
- Nica's Dream (Horace Silver) 4:58
- Darn That Dream (Delange, Van Heusen) 5:51
- Take the A Train ( Billy Strayhorn ) 6:21
- Misty ( Erroll Garner ) 4:32
- Body and Soul (Heyman, Green) 4:29
- After Hours Blues (improvisation) 6:36
reception
Dan Bilawsky wrote in All About Jazz : “The remaining tracks were all recorded live, although the date and location details for the trash can of history have been lost. Montgomery is working with his brothers - bassist Monk Montgomery and pianist Buddy Montgomery - on a trio recording of 'Straight No Chaser'. The album closes with a few numbers that may have been recorded at the Hub Bub in Indianapolis. Montgomery and the pianist Earl VanRiper enjoy exchanging ideas on 'Take The A Train'. They offer pleasant walks through 'Misty' and 'Body and Soul', with subtle assistance from drummer Sonny Johnson and bassist Mingo Jones. The most amazing performance is the slow blues jam that ends the album ('After Hours Blues'). Montgomery sounds like a different man on this number as he sheds his jazz guitar skin and plays a barroom blues mana.
The sound quality of the recordings may disappoint some, and Montgomery himself sometimes sounds unusually thin, but those problems turn out to be an extremely low cost if you want to hear more music from one of the greatest guitarists ever on earth. "
Jason Shadrick said in Premium Guitar that the recordings on Echoes of Indiana Avenue showed an artist still developing a musical voice while taking the jazz world by storm. It is the first full album of Montgomery's unreleased music in 25 years and illuminates an era of his career that has not yet been represented.
Shadrick continues: “Montgomery stays rather linear on these tracks and doesn't rely on his typical octaves for his improvisations. Even on the live tracks, he keeps the arrangements tight and doesn't stretch out the way he did on his landmark live album Smokin 'at the Half Note . The Horace Silver composition 'Nica's Dream' includes the Rhyne / Parker rhythm section with an unknown bassist. Once the band switches to swing during the bridge , Montgomery points out the chord style he would develop more in later years. With 'Misty' and 'Body and Soul' Montgomery digs deep and solidifies his place as one of the great jazz ballad players with perfectly placed double phrases and warm tones. "
According to the author, the heart of the album is the last track "After Hours Blues", on which Montgomery plays straight, urban blues on a solid body guitar. His slightly overdriven tone and his wild double stops show one side of his influences that had not yet been recorded. Between his delta-style curves, you can hear the clink of glasses and people in the crowd cheering him on. "From funky to delicate", this album shows all facets of the Montgomery game, summarizes Shadrick. "It is definitely one of the best jazz treasures of the last few decades and a must for every Montgomery fan."
In his review in JazzTimes, Mike Joyce was reminded of the history of the album's genesis of the TV series History Detectives on PBS. Therefore, he first addressed “kudos” to a respected group of jazz fans who had extensively researched this find. Regarding the musical achievements of the band, the author says: “[...] Wes is very at home and occasionally works with family and friends in a series of relaxed little combo constellations that apparently recorded shortly before his 1958 Pacific Jazz debut were. Besides the stimulating, animated opener “Diablo's Dance” and the coda , a funky, improvised burner called “After Hours Blues”, jazz and pop standards are combined. Not surprisingly, Thelonious Monk is well represented. 'Round Midnight' and ' Straight, No Chaser ' come first, followed by Horace Silver's 'Nica's Dream'. ”Throughout the mix of studio and live recordings, Montgomery's emerging talent for combining soulful melodic embellishments with thumb-driven octaves is evident and chords. “No question about it, even at this early stage in his career, Montgomery's art was as solid as Indiana limestone,” says the author's Faiz.
Thom Jurek gave the album four (out of five) stars in Allmusic and praised: “Echoes of Indiana Avenue is perhaps the most significant release of previously unreleased material by a great jazz artist since The Thelonious Monk Quartet with John Coltrane : In Carnegie Hall , released in 2005. That is no exaggeration. ”The music of this band around the guitarist reveals“ even at this early stage how good the improvisational language of Montgomery was. Its awesome prelude is gradually being replaced by a shimmering movement towards early soul jazz , but its ability to use the tonal subtleties and harmonic possibilities of the instrument gives its harmonic architecture a completely different dimension. "The hard swing in "Take the 'A' Train" shows the already eye-catching and innovative voicings developed on the bass strings by Montgomery. Apart from these examples, there was no weak or moderately difficult moment during the entire recording. At this early stage as the band leader, Montgomery was in command, pushing intensely away from the Charlie Christian isms that dominated his game with Lionel Hampton . The sound quality can be a little rough in places, but it doesn't matter if the material is that good.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c Dan Bilawsky: Wes Montgomery: Echoes of Indiana Avenue. All About Jazz, March 11, 2012, accessed March 18, 2019 .
- ↑ a b Jason Shadrick: Album Review: Wes Montgomery - "Echoes of Indiana Avenue". Prenmium Guitar, February 10, 2012, accessed March 18, 2019 .
- ↑ Mike Joyce: Wes Montgomery: Echoes of Indiana Avenue. JazzTimes, May 10, 2012, accessed March 18, 2019 .
- ↑ Review of Thom Jurek's Echoes of Indiana Avenue album at Allmusic . Retrieved March 21, 2019.