The Origin of “Four on Six”
The Wes Montgomery Guitar Folio
Annotated And Transcribed by Steve Khan
1995 / Gopam Enterprises, Inc.
Wes Montgomery’s signature piece, “Four on Six,” first appeared on the Riverside classic album The Incredible Jazz Guitar. The simple melody, reminiscent of a basic 4-beat bass line, leaves a strong impression and became a familiar part of his repertoire. The elements that can make a piece memorable are often not overly complex but simple and impactful. This simplicity is sometimes the most challenging to achieve, yet it’s a testament to Wes’s spontaneous talent rather than meticulous planning.
The title “Four on Six” is derived from the idea of playing six strings with the four fingers of the left hand, hence “Four fingers on Six strings” was abbreviated to “Four on Six.”
Although detailed explanations of the origin are scarce, the revised edition of Steve Khan’s The Wes Montgomery Guitar Folio includes this title with a parenthetical explanation. During a recording of BBC Jazz 625 (unreleased second stage), the host incorrectly attributed the title to the drummer playing in 3/4 time (apologies for reviving an old misunderstanding). Additionally, Oliver Nelson, who was connected with Wes at Verve, composed a piece titled “Six and Four” during his alto saxophone period. This title comes from the piece’s time signature, transitioning from 6/4 in the verses to 4/4 in the chorus.
Reference: Straight Ahead by Oliver Nelson with Eric Dolphy, Prestige New Jazz NJ 8255.