Wes Montgomery / Illustration by Shotaro Ishinomori
Magazine Name: FM Recopal
Issue: 100th Issue Special Edition
Publisher: Shogakukan
Date: May 1-14, 1978
The live comic is titled “The Jazz Guitarist Who Threw Away His Pick / Wes Montgomery” by Shotaro Ishinomori.
Manga artist Shotaro Ishinomori passed away in January 1998, but countless people have cherished his works. Even someone like me, who isn’t very knowledgeable about manga, knows his famous series “Kamen Rider.” This incredibly popular show from the 1970s captivated children nationwide, especially those who are now in their 30s to 40s.
Back in 1978, when Japan’s music media wasn’t as abundant as it is today, LP records and cassette tapes were mainstream, and niche music programs were mainly found on FM radio. I often enjoyed recording high-quality broadcasts from NHK and FM Osaka onto TDK cassettes. To keep track of programs, I purchased a magazine called “FM Recopal,” published by Shogakukan. For their 100th issue special edition, Shotaro Ishinomori contributed a piece.
To my amazement, it was a live comic titled “The Jazz Guitarist Who Threw Away His Pick / Wes Montgomery.” This 16-page manga illustrated Montgomery’s rise to fame. Although the story, written by another person and illustrated by Ishinomori, contained some inaccuracies, it remains a rare and fascinating work. I discovered this gem in a small used bookstore and had to share this big find.