Wes Montgomery – Movin’ Wes Verve Jazz Vinyl LP
updated 11/03/2026
Verve Records 1964 V6-8610
Album description:
Released in 1965 on Verve Records, Movin’ Wes is a fascinating
chapter in the discography of jazz guitar legend Wes Montgomery.
Combining Montgomery’s unmistakable guitar sound with the
sophisticated orchestral arrangements of Johnny Pate, this album
brings together swinging jazz, soulful melodies, Broadway
standards and Brazilian influences in a polished, accessible setting.
Recorded at A&R Studios in New York City in November 1964, the album
features an expanded ensemble of outstanding jazz musicians.
Montgomery’s warm, thumb-picked guitar remains at the centre of the music,
surrounded by brass, woodwinds, piano, bass, drums and
Latin-flavoured percussion.
The result is a rich blend of hard bop, soul jazz and orchestral jazz,
reflecting the musical direction that Montgomery explored during his years
with Verve. Producer Creed Taylor was instrumental in presenting jazz artists
to a broader audience, while arranger and conductor Johnny Pate gave t
his session its distinctive big-band colour and rhythmic momentum.
The programme moves effortlessly between familiar standards and original
compositions. Duke Ellington’s Caravan becomes a lively showcase for
Montgomery’s rhythmic precision, while People, from the Broadway musical
Funny Girl, receives a sophisticated instrumental treatment. Matchmaker,
from Fiddler on the Roof, demonstrates how Broadway material could be
transformed into swinging jazz.
The two-part title track, Movin’ Wes, highlights Montgomery’s own
compositional voice, while Moca Flor introduces a Brazilian flavour.
The album also includes Senza Fine, Theodora, In and Out, Born to
Be Blue and Montgomery’s celebrated composition West Coast Blues.
For collectors of vintage jazz vinyl, soul-jazz enthusiasts and admirers
of Wes Montgomery, Movin’ Wes offers an excellent example of the
meeting point between small-group jazz improvisation and carefully
arranged orchestral sound. The original Verve LP, catalog number V6-8610,
is a particularly interesting addition to a collection devoted to 1960s jazz,
guitar masters and the evolution of sophisticated, groove-oriented instrumental music.
Line-up and musicians:
Wes Montgomery Guitar, leader
Bobby Scott Piano
Bob Cranshaw Double bass
Grady Tate Drums
Willie Bobo Percussion
Ernie Royal Trumpet
Clark Terry Trumpet
Snooky Young Trumpet
Jimmy Cleveland Trombone
Urbie Green Trombone
Quentin Jackson Trombone
Chauncey Welsch Trombone
Jerome Richardson Woodwinds, saxophones and flute
Don Butterfield Tuba, credited alternative
Harvey Phillips Tuba, credited alternative
Arrangements and conducting: Johnny Pate
Producer: Creed Taylor
Recording studio: A&R Studios, New York City
Recording dates: November 11 and 16, 1964,
Engineer Phil Ramone
Engineering For Verve Val Valentin
Re-recording Engineer Rudy Van Gelder
tracklist:
A1 Caravan
Written By – Mills-Ellington-Tizol
Written-By – Ellington*, Mills*, Tizol*
2:35
A2 People
Written By – Styne-Merrill
Written-By – Merrill*, Styne*
4:15
A3 Movin' Wes (Part I)
Written-By – Wes Montgomery
3:15
A4 Moca Flor
Written By – Luiz Freire-Durval Ferreira
Written-By – Durval Ferreira, Luiz Freire*
3:10
A5 Matchmaker
Written By – Sheldon Harnick-Jerry Bock
Written-By – Jerry Bock, Sheldon Harnick
2:50
A6 Movin' Wes (Part II)
Written-By – Wes Montgomery
2:37
B1 Senza Fine
Written-By – Gino Paoli
3:20
B2 Theodora
Written-By – Billy Taylor
3:55
B3 In And Out
Written-By – Wes Montgomery
2:55
B4 Born To Be Blue
Written-By – Mel Torme*, Robert Wells (2)
3:37
B5 West Coast Blues
Written-By – Wes Montgomery
3:12