A CD for Wes Fans Here Too

A CD for Wes Fans Here Too

Enrico Bracco(g) Giovanni Ceccarelli(p) Mauro Battisti(b) Gianni Di Renzo(dr)
                                  Paola Senigallia at V 38 Studio, Rome, on Jan. 2001 
                                                                                 
          Going Wes (E. Bracco)
          Four On Six (W. Montgomery)
          Leila (W. Montgomery)
          Bud's Beaux Arts (B. Montgomery)
          The Thumb (W. Montgomery)
          Monk's Shop (W. Montgomery)
          Polka Dots And Moonbeams (J. Van Heusen)
          S. O. S. (W. Montgomery)
          So Do It! (W. Montgomery)

When it comes to the Italian label “Philology,” we are well aware that they released Wes Montgomery’s studio live CD, “Wes Montgomery Live In Europe,” from his 1965 European tour, recorded at the NDR studio in Hamburg, Germany. Last year, “Philology” released another Wes-themed CD, “Going Wes” by the Enrico Bracco Quartet.

Italian lead guitarist Enrico, who admires Wes, composed the title track “Going Wes,” delivering a lyrical and neat performance. This title track is played in a medium tempo with single tones throughout, using picking technique. However, when playing Wes’s songs, which are likely performed using thumb picking, the result lacks the same drive. The reason is clear: the octave technique is not crisp enough, resulting in a cloudy and lackluster sound. The hallmark block chord technique that epitomizes Wes’s three-stage play is almost absent, indicating its difficulty and underuse.

An interesting aspect is the Latin arrangement of Buddy’s “Bud’s Bossa.” Ironically, the standout performance on this CD is “Polka Dots and Moonbeams,” which is not related to Wes and is played with picking. Wes also performed this song on the album “Incredible,” and it is one of my personal favorites. The next track, “S.O.S.,” is also played simply without using octaves, making it more listenable.

Although my review has been quite harsh, I look forward to Enrico’s future as a player. I rated it three stars, but for his effort in tackling Wes’s material, I give it three and a half stars. I do not particularly recommend it to my peers, but for those who are interested, you can purchase it at stores that handle import CDs. European releases tend to sell out quickly, go out of print, and are rarely reissued, making them quite troublesome.