Willow Weep for Me (album)

Willow Weep for Me
Studio album by Wes Montgomery
Released	1969
Recorded	1965
Genre	Jazz
Label	Verve
Producer	Esmond Edwards
Wes Montgomery chronology
Road Song (1968) Willow Weep for Me (1969)

Willow Weep for Me is a posthumous jazz album recorded by guitarist Wes Montgomery and released in 1969. It reached number 12 on the Billboard Jazz album chart in 1969. At the Grammy Awards of 1970 Willow Weep for Me won the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group.

History

After Montgomery's death, Verve Records used recordings from the sessions that produced Smokin' at the Half Note and hired arranger Claus Ogerman to write string and brass arrangements for "Willow Weep for Me", "Portrait of Jennie," "Oh! You Crazy Moon," and "Misty." Subsequent reissues erased the new backing arrangements.^[1]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]

Writing for Allmusic, music critic Richard Grinell called the original release "... prime, mature Wes Montgomery stretching out in full, with unbelievable confidence in his ear and technique at all times, experimenting now and then with mild electronic effects devices. The sound is oddly dim and shallow on the LP, which is surprising since the Smokln' album sounded so good."^[1]

At the Grammy Awards of 1970 Willow Weep for Me won the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group.

Track listing

1. "Willow Weep for Me" (Ann Ronell) – 7:44
2. "Portrait of Jenny" (Burdge, Robinson) – 5:06
3. "Misty" (Johnny Burke, Erroll Garner) – 2:48
4. "Oh, You Crazy Moon" (Burke, Jimmy Van Heusen) – 5:26
5. "The Surrey with the Fringe on Top" (Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II) – 5:29
6. "Four on Six" (Wes Montgomery) – 9:33
7. "Impressions" (John Coltrane) – 6:45
8. "Blues on Purpose"

Personnel

• Wes Montgomery – guitar
• Wynton Kelly – piano
• Paul Chambers – bass
• Jimmy Cobb – drums
• Claus Ogerman – arranger, conductor

Chart positions

References