Wes Montgomery TV Special

[Michael Hagerty]

Tripped over another gem on Ovation last night...this time, a half-hour on Wes Montgomery, featuring George Benson and other jazz greats and some footage of Wes' 1960s TV appearances (including one with a giant blow-up of the "Day In The Life" album cover hanging behind him).

Get the VCRs ready...Ovation will repeat the show three times on July 18.

---Michael Hagerty

 

[DAN BOLTON]

If only my cable system offered OVATION...


Dan, wondering if there's a DVD or something...

 

[Brasil_Nut]

Pardon my ignorance (I have an excuse: I'm a flight attendant...my head's in the clouds!) What is OVATION? I imagine I could look it up on the Internet, but just thought I'd ask. Sounds like a music station? Jazz? A specific program on a public access station? Do tell!!

Jon

...ready and willing to give a Standing Ovation to any A&M artist appearing on OVATION, online...

 

[Captain Bacardi]

Tripped over another gem on Ovation last night...this time, a half-hour on Wes Montgomery, featuring George Benson and other jazz greats and some footage of Wes' 1960s TV appearances (including one with a giant blow-up of the "Day In The Life" album cover hanging behind him).

That particular performance was from The Hollywood Palace, where they had an all-A&M night (Herb & TJB, Sergio, Wes, Boyce & Hart, Liza, BMB, Burt Bacharach). I've seen this show a few times. It's definitely worth watching, because his story was a bit different from the normal musician life. He started late and worked very hard. What gets me was how he did the whole thumb thing on the guitar. He made it look easy.


Capt. Bacardi

 

[Captain Bacardi]

Pardon my ignorance (I have an excuse: I'm a flight attendant...my head's in the clouds!) What is OVATION?

It's sort of like what Bravo used to be like. Basically an arts station. Here in Austin, it's on one of our digital stations. We also have another arts station called Trio, which features everything from classical and jazz performances to blues and rock.


Capt. Bacardi

 

[jimac51]

Next showing of the Ovation Montgomery show is Friday,July 18 at 8AM,3PM and 7PM-all times EST. Mac

 

[DAN BOLTON]

Tripped over another gem on Ovation last night...this time, a half-hour on Wes Montgomery, featuring George Benson and other jazz greats and some footage of Wes' 1960s TV appearances (including one with a giant blow-up of the "Day In The Life" album cover hanging behind him).

That particular performance was from The Hollywood Palace, where they had an all-A&M night (Herb & TJB, Sergio, Wes, Boyce & Hart, Liza, BMB, Burt Bacharach). I've seen this show a few times. It's definitely worth watching, because his story was a bit different from the normal musician life. He started late and worked very hard. What gets me was how he did the whole thumb thing on the guitar. He made it look easy.


Capt. Bacardi

Yes, his life story is very unusual...he started late, and unfortunately, he died waaaaaay too early...he was only 43...he was a devoted family man, and tried as hard to accomodate his family as he did his fans. My junior high band director, who hated Herb Alpert, thought Wes was the seventh wonder of the world...he said so in front of us, after Wes died...

Dan, who only has Wes' GREATEST HITS album...

 

[jimac51]

I found Wes during his Verve "Goin' Out of My Head" pop success days,followed naturally to his A&M albums(a serendipitous time since my favorite label had one of my favorite jazz players) and was saddened by news of his death in the spring of 1968 at the same time he was featured in a DownBeat cover story. Going backwards in his career and filling in gaps,I've found tons of treasures. Highly recommended:THE INCREDIBLE JAZZ GUITAR OF"(OJC-36),especially "Four On Six". A five star album upon its original release by Riverside,1960,it is a template for Wes' style. Just for fun:JIMMY(SMITH) & WES:THE DYNAMIC DUO. John Coltrane died a few months earlier than Wes,and the passing of both would have a profound impact years later in my love of jazz. Mac

 

[Captain Bacardi]

Highly recommended:THE INCREDIBLE JAZZ GUITAR OF"(OJC-36),especially "Four On Six". A five star album upon its original release by Riverside,1960,it is a template for Wes' style.

Yes!!! That's my favorite Wes album, to be sure. "Airegin" and "Polka Dots and Moonbeams" (my favorite ballad) are also treaures IMHO.


Capt. Bacardi