Monday, May 25, 2009

Buddy Montgomery (1930-2009)

Charles “Buddy” Montgomery – the youngest brother of guitar genius Wes Montgomery, and the last surviving member of the Montgomery Brothers jazz trio – passed away on May 14. He was 79 years old.

The Los Angeles Times reported this news last night. The New York Times obituary, published last Thursday, is here.

Buddy Montgomery was a pianist and vibraphonist whose recording career spanned from the 1950s to the current decade.

Click here to hear “1,000 Rainbows” (which Montgomery composed) from his 1997 album “Here Again.”
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9 comments:

  1. AnonymousMay 25, 2009 at 4:28 AM

    We are losing a long line of Jazz Greats, attended a so called Jazz Festival this weekend, not one single true Jazz artist performed.

    I missed the days of JVC Jazz Festival, when I could see any performer from Dexter Gordon, Miles Davis to Kenny G, and George Howard. Now days a group like Hiroshima is consider a headliner!

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  2. lincolnperryMay 25, 2009 at 5:49 AM

    Didn't realize Wes had a brother, but I agree with Anon 4:28, we are losing many great Jazz artist, and they aren't being replaced!

    With exception of maybe a Esperenza Spalding, and Wynton Marsalis!

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  3. KellybelleMay 25, 2009 at 7:09 AM

    This is OT--I hate for people to have to die in order to partake of your blogworthy knowledge, humor, and insights. I might start killing old blues men and pre-known rappers just to read your posts ;-).

    ooh my word verification was "dedly"

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  4. Dollar BillMay 25, 2009 at 10:09 AM

    Brother "Monk" Montgomery is a new fav of mine and still trying to hunt down his LP featuring him doing some Electric Bass guitar damage

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  5. that dudeMay 25, 2009 at 11:00 AM

    Whoa, I never knew Wes had a brother, but what a banging track!

    And yeah, this can't just be an obit page. You can still pace yourself and do more than that.

    There may be no more architects of jazz left by the end of the decade.

    Heck, I just started playing classic funk again and my boy said "this sound will never exist again"...and I realized, funk is as dead as big band.

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  6. AnonymousMay 25, 2009 at 12:41 PM

    Thanks for that Vox. It does sound really cool, man. In fact, I think I'm gonna add it to the playlist that I'm putting together for my dad's jazz-themed surprise 70th birthday in August. This comes in real handy.

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  7. Undercover Black ManMay 25, 2009 at 5:53 PM

    Glad y'all enjoyed that track. I had no idea that Buddy had remained active through the '90s and into the 2000s.

    Kellybelle: Your sweetness is my weakness. I'm getting myself together, though. Cooking for myself... no more fast food or donuts. And I'm fairly confident that Saturday May 23 was the date of my last cigarette.

    Something about blogging made me crave Mickey D's and Dunhill reds.

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  8. Undercover Black ManMay 25, 2009 at 5:54 PM

    that dude: You know who's at least trying to keep the music of the Meters, Funkadelic, Curtis Mayfield and Sly alive on the concert stage? Those hippie-ass jam bands. And it's not the same.

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  9. Gatas NegrasJune 11, 2009 at 4:22 PM

    DAMN!! I didn't hear about this! I got a buncha Wes M. CDs and I got the one, or is it two, he recorded with his brothers. I'm gonna hav'ta pull that joint out tha archives!

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