Portrait of Wes
Encyclopedia
Portrait of Wes is an album by American
jazz
guitarist Wes Montgomery
, released in 1963.
which is the last official album of Montgomery under his Riverside contract. Ironically, Montgomery worked with Melvin Rhyne
for his first recordings for Riverside and with this performance, he again worked with Rhyne, but this time for his last recordings for soon to be bankrupt Riverside.
It has been reissued by Original Jazz Classics
with additional alternate takes.
said of Portrait of Wes: "The brilliant guitarist is in fine form on these appealing tunes with the highlights including "Freddie the Freeloader," "Blues Riff" and "Moanin.'"
Side 2:
Production notes:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
guitarist Wes Montgomery
Wes Montgomery
John Leslie "Wes" Montgomery was an American jazz guitarist. He is widely considered one of the major jazz guitarists, emerging after such seminal figures as Django Reinhardt and Charlie Christian and influencing countless others, including Pat Martino, George Benson, Russell Malone, Emily...
, released in 1963.
History
Portrait of Wes is one of the two issues of Wes Montgomery's last cut for Riverside Records. His performances in October and November 1963 are issued as two albums by Riverside. The other album is released as Guitar on the GoGuitar on the Go
Guitar on the Go is an album by American jazz guitarist Wes Montgomery, released in 1963. It included tracks recorded in October and November 1963 as well as two from early 1959 sessions...
which is the last official album of Montgomery under his Riverside contract. Ironically, Montgomery worked with Melvin Rhyne
Melvin Rhyne
Melvin Rhyne , is a jazz organist best known for his work with Wes Montgomery.-Early Years:Melvin Rhyne was born in Indianapolis in 1936 and started playing the piano shortly thereafter...
for his first recordings for Riverside and with this performance, he again worked with Rhyne, but this time for his last recordings for soon to be bankrupt Riverside.
It has been reissued by Original Jazz Classics
Original Jazz Classics
Original Jazz Classics was started in 1983 as an imprint of Fantasy Records. Under this name facsimiles of original editions of jazz LPs have been reissued on CD and formerly on LP and cassette also. The LPs were originally released on Riverside, Prestige and other labels that had been purchased...
with additional alternate takes.
Reception
Allmusic jazz critic Scott YanowScott Yanow
Scott Yanow is an American jazz commentator, known for many contributions to the Allmusic website, for writing ten books on jazz and for reviewing jazz recordings for over 30 years.-Biography:...
said of Portrait of Wes: "The brilliant guitarist is in fine form on these appealing tunes with the highlights including "Freddie the Freeloader," "Blues Riff" and "Moanin.'"
Original Issue by Riverside
Side 1:- "Freddie The Freeloader" - 5:14
- "Lolita" - 6:32
- "Movin' Along" - 6:16
Side 2:
- "Dangerous" (Montgomery) – 7:03
- "Yesterday's Child" (Charles DeForest) – 4:14
- "Moanin'" (Bobby TimmonsBobby TimmonsRobert Henry "Bobby" Timmons was an African American jazz pianist and composer.He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and is best known for his role as sideman in Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers and the composition of "Moanin'", "Dat Dere", and "This Here", each of which are typical of his...
) – 5:48
Reissue By Original Jazz Classics
- "Freddie FreeloaderFreddie Freeloader"Freddie Freeloader" is a composition by Miles Davis and is the second track on his album Kind of Blue. The piece takes the form of a twelve-bar blues in B-flat, but the chord over the final two bars of each chorus is an A-flat7, not the traditional B-flat7 followed by either F7 for a turnaround or...
" (Miles DavisMiles DavisMiles Dewey Davis III was an American jazz musician, trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. Widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music, including bebop, cool jazz,...
) – 5:16 - "Lolita" (Barry HarrisBarry HarrisBarry Doyle Harris is an American bebop jazz pianist and educator.-Biography:Harris left Detroit for New York City in 1960...
) – 6:36 - "Blues Riff" (Wes Montgomery) – 6:18
- "Blues Riff" [Alternate take] (Montgomery) – 8:14
- "Dangerous" (Montgomery) – 7:03
- "Yesterday's Child" (Charles DeForest) – 4:14
- "Moanin'" (Bobby TimmonsBobby TimmonsRobert Henry "Bobby" Timmons was an African American jazz pianist and composer.He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and is best known for his role as sideman in Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers and the composition of "Moanin'", "Dat Dere", and "This Here", each of which are typical of his...
) – 5:48 - "Moanin'" [Alternate take] (Timmons) – 4:35
Personnel
- Wes MontgomeryWes MontgomeryJohn Leslie "Wes" Montgomery was an American jazz guitarist. He is widely considered one of the major jazz guitarists, emerging after such seminal figures as Django Reinhardt and Charlie Christian and influencing countless others, including Pat Martino, George Benson, Russell Malone, Emily...
– guitar - Melvin RhyneMelvin RhyneMelvin Rhyne , is a jazz organist best known for his work with Wes Montgomery.-Early Years:Melvin Rhyne was born in Indianapolis in 1936 and started playing the piano shortly thereafter...
– organ - George Brown – drums
Production notes:
- Orrin KeepnewsOrrin KeepnewsOrrin Keepnews is an American writer and jazz record producer. In June 2010, he received a lifetime achievement award from the National Endowment for the Arts.- Career :...
– producer - Ray Fowler – engineer
- Sam Alexander - Album Design
- Carl Grassini - Cover Painting