The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery

{{Album ratings

| rev2 = AllMusic

| rev2Score = {{Rating|5|5}}{{cite web |first=Michael G. |last= Nastos |title= The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery > Review |url= {{AllMusic|class=album|id= r144218 |pure_url=yes}} |publisher=AllMusic |access-date= December 18, 2010}}

| rev1 = All About Jazz

| rev1Score = {{rating|5|5}}{{cite web |first=Chris|last= May |title= The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery > Review |date= 25 October 2008 |url= http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=30924|publisher=All About Jazz |access-date= December 18, 2010}}

| rev3 = The Penguin Guide to Jazz

| rev3Score = {{rating|4|4}}{{cite book|last = Cook|first = Richard|author-link = Richard Cook (journalist)|author2 = Brian Morton|author-link2 = Brian Morton (Scottish writer)|title = The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings|orig-year = 1992|edition = 8th|series = The Penguin Guide to Jazz|year = 2006|publisher = Penguin|location = New York|isbn = 0-14-102327-9|page = [https://archive.org/details/penguinguidetoja00cook_1/page/933 933]|chapter = Wes Montgomery|chapter-url-access = registration|chapter-url = https://archive.org/details/penguinguidetoja00cook_1/page/933}}

}}

The album is considered by many fans and critics to be the pinnacle of Montgomery's recorded studio work. The Penguin Guide to Jazz selected it as part of its suggested "Core Collection".

AllMusic critic Michael G. Nastos praised the album, writing: "Setting him apart from the rest, this recording established Montgomery as the most formidable modern guitarist of the era, and eventually its most influential...Montgomery is clearly talented beyond convention, consistently brilliant, and indeed incredible in the company of his sidemen, and this recording—an essential addition to every jazz guitarist fan's collection—put him on the map."

Of the CD reissue, critic Chris May of All About Jazz wrote: "The Incredible Jazz Guitar burst onto the US scene in 1960 like a benign hurricane, and it still sounds like a gale almost 50 years later... Montgomery—empathetically accompanied by pianist Tommy Flanagan, bassist Percy Heath (then riding high with the Modern Jazz Quartet), and drummer Albert Heath—makes the guitar sound like it never had before. It has sounded similar since, of course, thanks to the legion of Montgomery-influenced players, but rarely so close to perfection.... The Incredible Jazz Guitar endures, and will continue to do so."

1. "Airegin" (Sonny Rollins) – 4:26
2. "D-Natural Blues" (Wes Montgomery) – 5:23
3. "Polka Dots and Moonbeams" (Jimmy Van Heusen, Johnny Burke) – 4:44
4. "Four on Six" (Montgomery) – 6:15
5. "West Coast Blues" (Montgomery) – 7:26
6. "In Your Own Sweet Way" (Dave Brubeck) – 4:53
7. "Mr. Walker" (Montgomery) – 4:33
8. "Gone With the Wind" (Allie Wrubel, Herb Magidson) – 6:24

• Tracks 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6 recorded at Reeves Sound Studios, NYC, January 26, 1960
• Tracks 3, 7, and 8 recorded at Reeves Sound Studios, NYC, January 28, 1960
• For CD reissues, track 7 is often listed as ""Mr. Walker (Renie)". "Renie" is an unrelated 12-bar blues composition by Wes Montgomery that was originally released on the 1960 Montgomeryland LP by the Montgomery Brothers.

Riverside RLP 12-320, RLP 1169; Fantasy OJC 036, OJCCD 036-2

Musicians

• Wes Montgomery – electric guitar
• Tommy Flanagan – piano
• Percy Heath – bass
• Albert Heath – drums

Production

• Orrin Keepnews – producer, liner notes
• Jack Higgins – engineer (recording)

• Paul Bacon-Ken Braren-Harris Lewine – design
• Lawrence N. Shustak – photography

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{{Montgomery Brothers}}

{{Tommy Flanagan}}

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Category:Wes Montgomery albums

Category:1960 albums

Category:Albums produced by Orrin Keepnews

Category:Riverside Records albums

Category:Grammy Hall of Fame Award recipients

Category:Original Jazz Classics albums

Category:United States National Recording Registry albums