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It's a family affair when Wes, Buddy, and Monk Montgomery team up on this gem of cool and soulful bop.

source: All Music Guide

This CD rereleases material originally on two LPs: The Montgomery Brothers (1960) and The Montgomery Brothers in Canada (1961).

From the opening notes — with Wes's guitar nailing his trademark parallel octaves on "D-Natural Blues," played in energizing stop-time — you know you're in for a very cool disc. And the album is aptly titled: the groove is definitely the thing, especially in great stretches like Buddy's collaboration on piano behind Wes's solo, allowing the guitar to repeat a single riff through the entire final chorus of his extended solo.

Wes is the jazz giant of the family, justifiably renowned for his unique voice on guitar, which he played pick-less, depending on his calloused fingers for the warm oomph he gets. But sibling rivalry doesn't seem to have prevented all three from pulling together through the thirteen tracks here. In particular, Monk's bass lead in the standard, "On Green Dolphin Street," while Buddy comps gently on vibes, showcases the solid interplay among the brothers.

This kind of give-and-take is one of the hallmarks of great jazz — and it's extra fun to hear it here, knowing that it's brothers playing well together.

Considered in this review: Wes Montgomery, Groove Brothers (Milestone, 1998).

first published May 26, 2004