Verve Jazz Masters 14: Wes Montgomery

Wes Montgomery’s tenure at Verve lasted from 1964 to the guitarist’s death in 1968, the period in his career that jazz purists love to hate. Producer Creed Taylor paired Montgomery with a series of arrangers who supplied his music with lush orchestration as the guitarist worked his way through a repertoire of pop hits, schmaltzy standards, Brazilian tributes, and a handful of brilliant originals. Verve brought Montgomery his greatest commercial successes, but it would be a mistake to view these songs as hollow sell-outs. Even if these recordings don’t adhere to the doctrines of the hard-bop contingent, they maintain an entirely different kind of beauty, one predicated on atmosphere and tone more than hard-blowing virtuosity. Seduction is the imperative term when addressing “Goin’ Out of My Head,” “My One and Only Love” and “The Shadow of Your Smile.” Even when Montgomery took on the roadhouse schlock of “Tequila” he turned it into an exercise in gentle persuasion. The twin towers in this set are undoubtedly “Bumpin’” and “Bumpin’ on Sunset.” Purely, simply, and very deeply, these are elegant ghetto anthems of the highest order.