sheldonm Posted May 15, 2009 Report Share Posted May 15, 2009 ....has passed away . Got a call from a friend in CA this morning that he had passed. Last of the Montgomery brothers and a fine pianist! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ValerieB Posted May 15, 2009 Report Share Posted May 15, 2009 oh, i am so, so, so sad about this! he was such a sweetheart. i knew he had been struggling for quite awhile. what a loss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardbopjazz Posted May 15, 2009 Report Share Posted May 15, 2009 Damn. RIP Buddy. I guess we all have to go one day. I'll be spinning so Montgomery Brothers tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeBop Posted May 15, 2009 Report Share Posted May 15, 2009 I opened this thread cautiously...and...damn. Buddy, rest in peace. Buddy was always nice to me, even when I embarassed us both - sadly more him than me. Nice cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheldonm Posted May 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 15, 2009 We've lost a handful of the Indy guys in the past few years....Freddie, both Hampton Sisters (Slide's sisters), Jimmy Coe, Pookie Johnson, Dave Young and now Buddy. Ran into him from time to time when he was back in town...sad! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeBop Posted May 15, 2009 Report Share Posted May 15, 2009 Just checking the latest posts here, too damn many people dying in the past day or few. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghost of miles Posted May 15, 2009 Report Share Posted May 15, 2009 Yeah, just heard about this from David Baker a couple of hours ago. Very sad news, even if not entirely unexpected. Almost all of the Indiana Avenue guys from the 1940s/50s are gone now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fasstrack Posted May 15, 2009 Report Share Posted May 15, 2009 ....has passed away . Got a call from a friend in CA this morning that he had passed. Last of the Montgomery brothers and a fine pianist!Sad, sad, sad. Was he in Oakland? I was just listening to him with Wes and Monk yesterday. Well, at least I got to play with him a few times in '91 when he played the Parker Meridian for a while. I can verify what the other guy said, he was very nice. What a great family. Well, they did their thing and won't be forgotten. Bye, Buddy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ValerieB Posted May 15, 2009 Report Share Posted May 15, 2009 ....has passed away . Got a call from a friend in CA this morning that he had passed. Last of the Montgomery brothers and a fine pianist!Sad, sad, sad. Was he in Oakland? I was just listening to him with Wes and Monk yesterday. Well, at least I got to play with him a few times in '91 when he played the Parker Meridian for a while. I can verify what the other guy said, he was very nice. What a great family. Well, they did their thing and won't be forgotten. Bye, Buddy. i'm SO grateful i got to enjoy all three brothers over the years!! i think Buddy was around the Simi Valley area with family. not sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheldonm Posted May 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 15, 2009 ....has passed away . Got a call from a friend in CA this morning that he had passed. Last of the Montgomery brothers and a fine pianist!Sad, sad, sad. Was he in Oakland? I was just listening to him with Wes and Monk yesterday. Well, at least I got to play with him a few times in '91 when he played the Parker Meridian for a while. I can verify what the other guy said, he was very nice. What a great family. Well, they did their thing and won't be forgotten. Bye, Buddy. i'm SO grateful i got to enjoy all three brothers over the years!! i think Buddy was around the Simi Valley area with family. not sure. ...the last address I had for him was Palmdale, CA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheldonm Posted May 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 15, 2009 ...several years ago he played piano at the Indy Jazz Fest and then did a gig the next night with all the great Indy guys and played vibes. Some of those in attendance were...Freddie Hubbard, Mel Rhyne, Jimmy Coe, Pookie Johnson, Slide, Billy Wooten, Phil Ranelin, James Spaulding and Pharez Whitted....too many to remember. I had a chance to photograph the show and hang out with everyone afterwards. James Spaulding and Freddie talking about their lean days hanging out with each other...playing all the time because they didn't have money for food...stuff like that. Spent an hour talking with vibist Billy Wooten...still an interesting guy to talk with. Still many of the guys above still with us....! I have tentative plans to photograph Spaulding next month in nyc...looking forward to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fasstrack Posted May 16, 2009 Report Share Posted May 16, 2009 ....has passed away . Got a call from a friend in CA this morning that he had passed. Last of the Montgomery brothers and a fine pianist!Sad, sad, sad. Was he in Oakland? I was just listening to him with Wes and Monk yesterday. Well, at least I got to play with him a few times in '91 when he played the Parker Meridian for a while. I can verify what the other guy said, he was very nice. What a great family. Well, they did their thing and won't be forgotten. Bye, Buddy. i'm SO grateful i got to enjoy all three brothers over the years!! i think Buddy was around the Simi Valley area with family. not sure. We played a duet on Autumn Leaves---like a mambo, I think. I was following him. My hand got tired playing bass and I was about to drop tempo and Buddy jumped right in with his left hand for the rest of the tune. Right then he gave me a look like 'Yeah, I dig what's happening'. The first time I went there I got a buzz on the amp somehow and I was drug. I drove him back to Jersey where he was staying (no, the hotel didn't spring for a room) and I was complaining, apologizing about the glitch. He said 'you're as bad as my brother' (meaning Wes). That about broke me up. A great guy with great ears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez Posted May 16, 2009 Report Share Posted May 16, 2009 oh god, RIP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez Posted May 16, 2009 Report Share Posted May 16, 2009 Pacific Jazz owner Richard Bock ended up putting out a tape of the group’s Seattle performances, wait what of the lps is this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevebop Posted May 16, 2009 Report Share Posted May 16, 2009 http://wfiu.org/nightlights/buddy-montgomer-rip/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyril Posted May 16, 2009 Report Share Posted May 16, 2009 RIP Buddy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidewinder Posted May 16, 2009 Report Share Posted May 16, 2009 Sad news - RIP . Always liked Buddy's PJ work. Just happen to have come across one of his recent CDs in the rack a few days ago. On sale, should have bought it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Friedman Posted May 16, 2009 Report Share Posted May 16, 2009 What a drag! Buddy was a fine piano player (and vibes player) who was not recorded as much as he deserved. I particularly like these 3 CDs by Buddy as leader. Here Again - Sharp 9 A Love Affair In Paris - Space Time Live At Maybeck - Concord Jazz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hot Ptah Posted May 17, 2009 Report Share Posted May 17, 2009 Buddy Montgomery was also a nearly one man jazz scene in Milwaukee from 1969 until about 1981. He played all the time at the nicest rooms in the big hotels. You knew that there was one excellent jazz concert available in Milwaukee, always. Often he was the only major jazz artist playing in town for long periods of time. He founded the Milwaukee Jazz Alliance, which provided performing opportunities for musicians and did a great deal of work with young musicians. His volunteer work for jazz and for young musicians in Milwaukee was remarkable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted May 18, 2009 Report Share Posted May 18, 2009 Blog entry about a Buddy Montgomery LP I've always enjoyed. RIP Buddy. Hope the family reunion's a groovy one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GA Russell Posted May 27, 2009 Report Share Posted May 27, 2009 When I was a freshman in college, I got a Fantasy LP called Wes' Best, which was a compilation of two Montgomery Brothers albums. It still remains one of my favorite albums. Here's his LA Times obit: http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-...0,7402325.story Jazz musician Charles 'Buddy' Montgomery dies at 79 David Royal / Associated Press Charles Montgomery began as a pianist but switched to the vibraphone after seeing Lionel Hampton. The pianist and vibraphonist was one of the Montgomery Brothers. His siblings included well-known guitarist Wes and electric bassist Monk. By Jon Thurber 11:55 PM PDT, May 24, 2009 Charles "Buddy" Montgomery, the pianist and vibraphonist who was one of the jazz-playing Montgomery brothers that included the legendary guitarist Wes Montgomery, has died. He was 79. Montgomery died May 14 of heart failure at his home in Palmdale, according to his family. Buddy was the youngest of the three brothers who made their names in music. In addition to Wes and Buddy, Monk Montgomery was one of the first significant electric bassists in jazz. Buddy, Wes and Monk played together in the Montgomery-Johnson Quintet and as part of the Montgomery Brothers. Buddy and Monk were also in a group called the Mastersounds. Montgomery was born in Indianapolis on Jan. 30, 1930. His musical family also included a brother, Thomas, who played the drums but died of pneumonia at 19, and a sister, Ervena, who played piano. Buddy started out on piano and by 18 was touring with blues singer Big Joe Turner. He later played with trombonist and arranger Slide Hampton. After a stint in the Army during the Korean War, Buddy led the Montgomery-Johnson Quintet from 1955 to 1957 with his brothers Wes on guitar and Monk on bass. Alonzo "Pookie" Johnson played alto saxophone and Sonny Johnson was on drums. By 1956, Buddy had switched to the vibraphone, an instrument he became interested in as a teenager after seeing Lionel Hampton. In 1957, Buddy and Monk formed the Mastersounds, with Benny Barth on drums and Richie Crabtree on piano. Richard Bock, the owner of Pacific Jazz Records, released several albums of their work, and the group found steady gigs in San Francisco. On Buddy's suggestion, one of their albums, "The King and I: A Modern Jazz Interpretation by the Mastersounds," featured music from the hit Broadway show. Two of their other albums were thematic excursions through Broadway productions, "Kismet: An Interpretation by the Mastersounds" and "Flower Drum Song: A Modern Jazz Interpretation by the Mastersounds." In 1959, the group recorded its only live album at what was then Pasadena Junior College before disbanding late in the year. Through much of the '60s, the three Montgomery brothers played together and recorded albums including "Groove Brothers" and "Groove Yard" as the Montgomery Brothers. After Wes Montgomery's death from a heart attack in 1968, Buddy moved to Milwaukee and worked the hotel circuit there for much of the next decade. In the early 1980s, he lived in the Bay Area recording for Landmark and Riverside. Monk died in 1982. Montgomery was active in jazz education, organizing the Milwaukee Jazz Alliance and later the Oakland Jazz Alliance, which brought jazz into the public schools in each city... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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