Wes Montogomery Birthday Week Tribute at the Iridium Jazz Club, March 2-7

The Iridium Jazz Club is pleased to announce a very special birthday tribute to legendary jazz guitarist Wes Montgomery March 2-7.

Had he lived John Leslie 'Wes' Montgomery would have turned 79 on March 6th. In his all to brief career the self-taught Wes Montgomery revolutionized the jazz guitar taking the instrument to another level and introducing important stylistic innovations that have influenced not only guitarists, but music itself. By the early '60s, the Indianapolis born Wes Montgomery (1923-1968) had become the most successful jazz guitarist since Charlie Christian. Achieving a very distinctive, somewhat muted sound by playing with his thumb. Montgomery was a dazzling technician, capable of very fleet solos wherein entire octaves took the place of single notes. He achieved great commercial success during his last few years, only to die prematurely of a heart attack in 1968 at the height of his fame.

Paying tribute to the Wes Montgomery legacy is none other then Hammond B3 legend Jimmy Smith, who along with Wes Montgomery, recorded two brilliant sides for the Verve label, Jimmy & Wes: The Dynamic Duo and Further Adventures of Jimmy and Wes.

Accompanying Jimmy this week will be three very special guitar wizards.

MELVIN SPARKS (3/2-3/3) who is a master of the soul-jazz guitar style. He has recorded a number of albums for the Prestige label and is a veteran jazz man having played in the groups of Jack McDuff, Houston Person, Hank Crawford, and Sonny Stitt.

RODNEY JONES (3/4- 3/5) has built an impressive resume working with virtually everyone from Lena Horne to Madonna to Maceo Parker and Arthur Blythe as well as musical director for the Rosie O'Donnell show. His hard bop chops affirm that he is one of the most significant guitar innovators to emerge in decades.

LARRY CORYELL, (3/6-3/7) Among the most gifted soloists to emerge since the 1960s, guitarist Larry Coryell brilliantly improvises and adeptly synthesizes styles, from classical to jazz, blues, country, and rock As one of the pioneers of jazz-rock