Buddy Montgomery

[fasstrack]

While on the topic of pianists and having been on a Chris Anderson listening spree, another pianist I've come to admire is Buddy Montgomery. As with Chris I was able to spend a little time and sit in with him-in '91 at the Parker Meridian Hotel, so I was able to check him out up close. He was overshadowed in fame by Wes-but to me Wes never sounded so good, or so HAPPY, as w/Buddy and Monk. They had a magical wavelength. Buddy's ears were phenomenal, and he neither took a backseat to Wes or many other pianists in originality. He voiced chords, wrote, used blues materials, and interpreted bebop in personal ways. You can hear Buddy and Wes trading on Straight No Chaser on the recently issued Echoes of Indiana Avenue-2 exciting, creative minds at work. I've heard his trio work too, and it is strong-he can hold your attention on even a long ballad. When he played vibes w/The Mastersounds or Montgomery Brothers there were comparisons-not totally warranted-w/ the George Shearing Quintet. True, sometimes when the mel

[fasstrack]

Pt. 2 (and administrators: clearly I goofed. Please move this to Artists)... When Wes doubled the melody an octave down they got something of that sound, but I heard them as less controlled, funkier, harder swinging. I never felt they were cashing in either. They may have gotten record company pressure, given the instrumentation. (No knock on the great Shearing or his groups, BTW). Finally, I found Buddy personable, warm, and funny when we met.

[BillF]

Yes, I really enjoy Buddy's work on piano and vibes on these albums:

Re the Shearing connection, this is another favorite:

[fasstrack]

There was also an outtake of Buddy (on vibes) trading w/Wes on Stella. Great stuff. Don't recall the reissue that one turned up on.

[Dan Gould]

His Sharp Nine release is very nice.

[jlhoots]

Buddy Montgomery, Bunky Green, Mel Rhyne all lived in Milwaukee back in the day when I lived there.

It was fun to be able to see them in local joints.

[JSngry]

Can I get a link to the original article, please?

[fasstrack]

Which would you prefer, sir, Jones, Park, or Jimmy Dean? In case that was a serious query this thread is awaiting transport to live with its biological parent, Artists.

[JSngry]

Cuff!

[Michael Weiss]

Joel, I bet you never heard this:

Earlier discussion here

[fasstrack]

Michael: Actually I did. One side piano, the other vibes. It may have been when you played it at KCR. Either that or Burt Eckoff has it. I was hoping you'd respond b/c I remember that same show you playing a long trio cut of Buddy playing IIRC Maybe September. If not it was another ballad. Is this obtainable anywhere? This guy was under-recorded.

[Michael Weiss]

Yes Maybe September. Private tape - reel to reel.

[johnlitweiler]

A Miles Davis Sextet w/Coltrane and Buddy Montgomery played at the Sutherland in Chicago in 1959 or '60. Wish I could have heard them.

[fasstrack]

Private tape. Aargh!!

[fasstrack]

Funny how this thread was never moved. Well, I guess since we all wrote our answers it does now qualify as 'jazz in print'!

Edited August 23, 2012 by fasstrack