Montgomery, Wes

Montgomery, Wes

 orig. John Leslie Montgomery

(born March 6, 1923/25, Indianapolis, Ind., U.S.—died June 15, 1968, Indianapolis) U.S. jazz guitarist. He began playing guitar in his teens, and his principal early inspiration was the late-swing guitarist Charlie Christian. Montgomery was a member of Lionel Hampton's band (1948–50) before forming a small group with his brothers. His finest recordings are small-group efforts made after 1959, although he achieved commercial success using accompanying orchestras in the 1960s. His unconventional technique, using his thumb rather than a plectrum, made possible his frequent use of octaves and chords in solos. He was probably the most influential guitar improviser in modern jazz.