Thumbs Up for Wes Montgomery

March 6, 2008. Posted by Joshua Jackson.

Add new comment | Filed under: 1950s, algorithms, billy bauer, Birthdays, dead languages, electric instrument, guitarist billy, happy birthday, Listening Post, Masters, monk, nerds, plectrum, speakers, superhero, thumb, two minutes, Video, wes montgomery

Happy birthday today to Wes Montgomery. Any guitarist worth his or her salt has at least ONE album from Wes Montgomery, the master non-plectrist. No, I didn't invent that word, plectrist. It's actually derived from plectrum, which is what guitar nerds and speakers of dead languages call a pick. [Incidentally, another great guitarist, Billy Bauer, made a record in the 1950s called Plectrist. But I'm getting even more off topic here.]
Wes Montgomery, however, was a non-plectrist. He didn't use an external tool to pick the strings. He used his thumb. That's what makes Wes Montgomery's sound so identifiable - warm, casual, and about as 'natural' as an amplified electric instrument can sound without using algorithms or superhero powers.
Check out this video of Wes playing Thelonious Monk's "Round Midnight." About two minutes in, you'll see the closeup on his hand. Not plectacular, but spectacular. - Josh

PS - Anyone have a favorite Wes Montgomery album, song, or solo?

© 2008 WBGO

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Jason Lindner and Now Vs. Now - Hear the Studio Session

March 4, 2008. Posted by Joshua Jackson.

Add new comment | Filed under: Interviews, jason lindner, Jazz Alive, josh jackson, lagniappe, Live Music, new songs, now vs now, npr, Remix, studio session, Studio Sessions, Video, wbgo

FYI - The WBGO studio session with Jason Lindner's Now Vs. Now has been posted. Five completely new songs. And for a little lagniappe, you can download two of them, and dig the video from the session. Check it out now. Versus now...
-Josh
PS See the band live at The Jazz Gallery, Friday and Saturday, 3/14 and 3/15.

© 2008 WBGO

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WBGO Studio Session - Grand Pianoramax

March 4, 2008. Posted by Joshua Jackson.

Add new comment | Filed under: breakbeat, international piano competition, intriguing combination, jazz, Jazz Alive, jb, leo, Listening Post, Live Music, maceo parker, meta, montreux, new cd, pianist, poetry, Remix, Studio Sessions, three tunes, Video

Yesterday, we had Grand Pianoramax in our studio. Grand Pianoramax is the meta name for Leo Tardin, a Swiss-born pianist who won the Montreux International Piano Competition in 1999. Leo has discovered an intriguing combination of jazz, breakbeat, and poetry. Grand Pianoramax just finished a tour with the original JB horn, Maceo Parker,who also has a cool new record.
Here's some video of the WBGO session. It's called "Showdown," from the new CD, The Biggest Piano in Town.
This is actually the first take. The second take is the real keeper. You'll be able to hear that when we post the audio of the full session. All three tunes. In the meantime, enjoy this:

© 2008 WBGO

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