Yesterday, I found two fantastic videos of guitarist Wes Montgomery on YouTube, one in Hamburg, Germany, in 1964 and the other in Belgium in 1965 (from the Jazz Icons DVD). In both cases, dig Montgomery's right thumb. Long and bent at the joint, it operated like a piece of sturdy machinery, picking away at the strings and swinging as his sensitive left hand chose the most beautiful chord voicings.
Here's an exciting five-song rehearsal captured on tape featuring Montgomery with a powerhouse reed-driven section and rhythm section: Hans Koller (as), Johnny Griffin and Ronnie Scott (ts), Ronnie Ross (bs), Martial Solal (p), Michel Gaudry (b) and Ronnie Stephenson (d)...
And here's Montgomery in Belgium in 1965 playing John Coltrane's Impressions...
