Wes Montgomery - California Dreaming - 180g Vinyl LP

2024

Released in 1967, California Dreaming was Wes Montgomery's last album for Verve (other than an exciting collaboration with Jimmy Smith). It’s an extraordinary orchestral date featuring arrangements by Don Sebesky that showcases soloists such as pianist Herbie Hancock and percussionist Ray Barretto. The songs (which include "Sunny" and the title tune "California Dreaming") are in this case mostly pop material of the era, from which the great performer extracts magic sounds. The album reached No. 1 on the Billboard jazz album chart and No. 4 on the R&B chart, and was one of the last great works by Montgomery, whose later guitar style influenced jazz fusion and smooth jazz. At the peak of his popularity, the guitarist unexpectedly died of a heart attack on June 15, 1968, at the age of 45.

Tracklist:

SIDE 1:

    CALIFORNIA DREAMING 3:08*
    SUN DOWN 6:03*
    OH YOU CRAZY MOON 3:40
    MORE, MORE, AMOR 2:50
    WITHOUT YOU 3:05

SIDE 2:

    WINDS OF BARCELONA 3:07
    SUNNY 4:03*
    GREEN PEPPERS 2:55
    MR. WALKER 3:35*
    SOUTH OF THE BORDER 3:12

Personnel:

Guitar: Wes Montgomery, Al Casamenti, Bucky Pizzarelli.

Piano: Herbie Hancock*.

Trombone: Wayne Andre, John Messner, Bill Watrous.

Trumpet: Mel Davis, Bernie Glow, James Nottingham.

Alto Sax, Flute, Piccolo: Ray Beckenstein. Alto & Baritone Sax, English Horn, Clarinet: Stan Webb.

Bassoon, Clarinet, Tenor Sax: Walter Kane.

French Horn: James Buffington.

Vibes, Castanets, Scratcher: Jack Jennings.

Tuba: Don Butterfield.

Bass: Richard Davis.

Percussion: Ray Barretto, Grady Tate.

*Herbie Hancock appears through the courtesy of Blue Note Records

Produced by:

Creed Taylor

Arranged and conducted by:

Don Sebesky  

Director of Engineering:

Val Valentin

Recorded Sept. 14, 15, 16, 1966 at Van Gelder Studios, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Engineer: Rudy Van Gelder

Cover Design: Acy R. Lehman

Cover Photo: Ken Whitmore