The Montgomery Brothers

Friend and Monk Montgomery, with their even more celebrated sibling Wes, rivaled the Heath family members as jazz’s most prolific family members act. Pianist/vibraphonist Friend (1930-2009), bassist Monk (1921-1982), and guitarist Wes (1923-1968) performed collectively in two well-known along with other lesser-known organizations. Monk was the 1st jazz musician to specialize on and record using the electrical bass, which he started playing in the first ’50s on tour with Lionel Hampton’s big music group. Friend was a soulful, underrated pianist and vibist, effective in bebop, hard bop, blues, or soul-jazz circumstances. The three brothers worked well together within the Montgomery-Johnson Quintet with Alonzo Johnson and Robert Johnson within the middle-’50s, and because the Mastersounds from 1957 to 1960 as well as the Montgomery Brothers in 1960 and 1961. Monk came back to acoustic bass, but returned to electrical in the middle-’60s using Cal Tjader. He resolved in NEVADA in 1970, and used Crimson Norvo until 1972. He worked well like a disc jockey and began the NEVADA Jazz Culture, while also going to South Africa because the leader of the African-American jazz group within the middle-’70s. Friend Montgomery performed piano in an organization with Glide Hampton through the early ’50s, after that caused Roy Johnson within a quartet in 1954, before the formation from the Montgomery-Johnson Quintet. Following the various other groupings along with his brothers disbanded, he divided his period on both equipment until 1969, after that decided piano full-time. Montgomery continued to be in Milwaukee, WI, using region soul-jazz and bebop rings and doing single dates. He transferred to Oakland, CA in the first ’80s, playing within the Bay Region and touring with vocalist Marlena Shaw. He arranged the very first Oakland jazz celebration in 1987, getting such serves as Kenny Burrell, Ron Carter, Junior Make, and Hampton to Oakland. He also started documenting for Landmark within the ’80s, after that was tabbed being a contributor to Concord’s esteemed single piano series in 1992. His was the 15th quantity in the series. Buddy Montgomery documented a few periods as a head in to the 2000s, and both brothers could be noticed on Compact disc reissues offering the Mastersounds and Montgomery Brothers.