Milt Jackson Bags Meets Wes! CD

Digitally remastered using 20-bit K2 Super Coding System technology.

One of the classic hard-bop collaborations, BAGS MEETS WES! presents guitarist Wes Montgomery and vibraphonist Milt "Bags" Jackson in an excellent 1961 session. Montgomery's warm, rootsy tone and blues-derived style provided a perfect complement to Jackson's intellectual, traditional bop approach, and the two achieve natural, sometimes scintillating dialogues on this date.

Backed by a hard-to-beat band--pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Sam Jones, and drummer Philly Joe Jones--Bags and Wes play largely in a blues mode here, with plenty of stretching out over the 12-bar progressions. Jackson's "S.K.J." kicks off the set, and proves one of the highlights, as does Montgomery's "Jingles," an up-tempo, minor-key groove-laden song on which the co-leaders unfurl vibrantly melodic lines during their solos.

Milt Jackson was 38 when, in December 1961, he co-led this superb hard-bop date with the distinctive guitarist Wes Montgomery. A jazzman who was as opinionated as he was gifted, Jackson wouldn't hesitate to tell you exactly what he thought of a musician -- so when he praised Montgomery, you knew his praise was genuine. Not surprisingly, the boppers prove to be quite compatible on Bags Meets Wes, which finds them co-leading an all star-quintet that also includes pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Sam Jones, and drummer Philly Joe Jones (who shouldn't be confused with swing drummer Jo Jones). Although Jackson and Montgomery

Digitally remastered by Steve Hoffman.

Recorded at Plaza Sound Studios, New York, New York on December 18 & 19, 1961. Originally released on Riverside (9407). Includes liner notes by Joe Goldberg.

Personnel: Milt Jackson (vibraphone); Wes Montgomery (guitar); Wynton Kelly (piano); Sam Jones (bass instrument); Philly Joe Jones (drums, drum).

Audio Remasterer: Joe Tarantino.

Recording information: Plaza Sound Studios, New York, NY (12/18/1961-12/19/1961).

Personnel: Milt Jackson (vibraphone); Wes Montgomery (guitar); Wynton Kelly (piano); Sam Jones (bass); Philly Joe Jones (drums).

Q (5/00, p.126) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...Knuckle-chewing stuff, from start to finish."
Q (5/00, p.126) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...Knuckle-chewing stuff, from start to finish."