Wes Montgomery entered the scene after the reign of guitarists Django Reinhardt and Charlie Christian. His unique style influenced guitarists in the generations to follow including George Benson, Pat Martino, and many others. Wes was not very knowledgeable of music theory, yet his distinct techniques such as using his thumb instead of a pick, octave sequences, and superimposing triads all contributed to his instantly recognizable sound. Let’s look at a collection of Wes Montgomery licks that aim to capture his sound!
#1 Lick
This lick can be played over the IV chord (Bb7) of an F blues.
The first measure of this lick quotes Wes from his solo in "Billie's Bounce". At :30 seconds into the song, you will hear this lick. Click here to listen to this link on YouTube.
The second measure uses the F blues scale.
#2 Lick
This lick starts off with a descending Amin7 arpeggio, and then continues in A Dorian.
This lick can be played over an Amin7 chord.
#3 “No Blues” Lick
This lick is transcribed from Wes’s solo in No Blues.
The pick up starts with a C minor triad, where in relation to the F7 these notes are the 5th, 7th, and 9th. In other words, minor V triads sound cool over dominant chords.
In measure 2, Wes plays an F7#5 arpeggio.
Wes Montgomery is one of the most legendary players of all time. He left a lasting impression on the jazz world and it is a joy for me to study his licks. Wes Montgomery licks are fun to transcribe and trust me, they will be well worth doing so.