Listen: Is It In (Mono) / Eddie Harris
Is

In the early 70′s, a lot of these credible jazz players leaned disco or dance-y, I assume looking for more mainstream exposure. After all, Deodato had hit big on Top 40 with ‘Also Sprach Zarathustra’ while with CTI, actually getting to #2 on BILLBOARD. It was an audio oasis on the AM dial at the time.

So guys like Wes Montgomery, Grover Washington, Jr. and Eddie Harris either made attempts at singles, or their respective labels would edit down longer album tracks in hopes of some pop airplay.

I was working for DISCOUNT RECORDS in Syracuse at the time. All the label’s sales guys would donate their boxes of promo 7″ allocations my way, given that no one else at any of their accounts wanted them. The store managers and clerks were generally album whores. It was a God-send for me.

‘Is It In’ became a big hit, well in our store that is. We had a sturdy Garrard stacking turntable behind the counter, and I played it ad nauseam, resulting in some LP sales. At home, even Corinne found the lyrics amusing in a sort of risque way and ended up tolerating it, an anomaly for her when it came to anything jazz.

Listen: June In January / Wes Montgomery & His Brothers WesMontgomeryJune.mp3

Having recorded initially with his siblings as The Montgomery Brothers, Wes Montgomery released his first few Fantasy singles continuing to include the boys. This is one.

I’ve many times thrown on a handful of his 7′s, or an album. They make for a good mood feel. I’d actually forgotten about finding ‘June In January’ in such perfect condition until doing some filing earlier this evening, so when deciding to share it, did some Wes Montgomery research.

Basically, he learned his craft by listening to and learning the recordings of idol, guitarist Charlie Christian and was known for his ability to play Christian solos note for note. As a result, he got hired by Lionel Hampton for this very reason.

According to Jazz guitar educator Wolf Marshall, Montgomery often approached solos in a three-tiered manner: He would begin a repeating progression with single note lines, derived from scales or modes; after a fitting number of sequences, he would play octaves for a few more sequences, finally culminating with block chords. He did not know scales or modes, let alone musical theory and used mostly superimposed triads and arpeggios as the main source for his soloing ideas and sounds.

Don’t ask me what the hell he’s talking about – I just like when Wes sounds like he’s showing off, even though he’s completely not.

Listen: Wavy Gravy (Part 1) / Kenny Burrell KennyBurrellWavy1.mp3

Listen: Wavy Gravy (Part 2) / Kenny Burrell KennyBurrellWavy2.mp3

When I was a kid, we went to see Chet Atkins play the State Fair. I couldn’t believe I was being dragged to this horribly unhip show, why weren’t some British Invasion bands booked instead?

April ’69, Humble Pie played that very stage on their first US tour: Steve Marriott and Peter Frampton. Seemed like an eternity, but it was only three or four years later that those former members of The Small Faces and The Herd stood where I had suffered through Chet Atkins.

Now in hindsight, I wish I’d have paid more attention. And to be honest, it did leave a lasting impression. I can still hear his clean, electric hollow body technique. It’s what connected me to jazz guitarists.

I never bought the albums, not ever. But I sure did look at them in the shops. The Blue Note sleeves in particular were pretty stunning. Once the 70′s and my college radio years began, suddenly all those jazz albums became accessible: Wes Montgomery and Kenny Burrell.

Give me a clean, fast jazz player any day of the week. The horns and brass, I can’t take it, but guitarists, never get tired of them.