A SOUTH-OF-THE-BORDER SHOT OF WES (Salt Mandatory, Lime Wedge Optional)

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'TEQUILA'
by Wes Montgomery
1966
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I've never understood those so-called "purists" who raise a ruckus with shouts of "SELL OUT!" and "INAUTHENTIC!" as soon as a musician sails into previously uncharted waters.
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They called out the dogs when Richard Carpenter closed out GOODBYE TO LOVE with a loud fuzz guitar solo. (He was later credited with having invented the "power ballad" formula with that blasphemy!) They were ready to crucify Bob Dylan when he started singing about Jesus with SLOW TRAIN COMING. (Never mind that it happened to be the freshest, most exciting and heartfelt music he'd created in years!)
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When WES MONTGOMERY allowed his innovative Jazz guitar style to explore modern Pop pieces, his fans began to abandon ship in droves. And when he went so far as to... (dare I even say it?) ...add a dollop of strings on the TEQUILA set, they were ready to torpedo his boat themselves. He had "sold out" they said. Sold out to what? I'll tell you: MORE great music! 
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In the informative booklet notes that accompany the TEQUILA compact disc, Montgomery's fellow Jazz guitarist, Steve Khan, writes, "Like most Jazz fans, I prefer albums on which the tracks are timed at six minutes or more; anything less than that usually means limited space for improvising. But perhaps looking at the art of recording only in this manner causes one to miss works of extraordinary beauty and grace. TEQUILA is just such a recording." 
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Khan later (courageously?) confesses that MIDNIGHT MOOD is "one of the most beautiful pieces Montgomery ever recorded." Here's a person mature enough to realize that great music is great music, at six minutes... or less; with or without strings. It just so happens that my favorite track here is possibly LITTLE CHILD (DADDY DEAR), the shortest at just two and a half minutes, WITH strings (which only enhances the moving, melancholic melody). 
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TEQUILA has a slightly Latinized feel to it, thanks to the title track, the inclusion of Antonio Carlos Jobim's classic, INSENSATEZ (HOW INSENSITIVE), and especially the conga playing of Ray Barretto on half of the tracks. But make no mistake about it, this is genuine Jazz -- there's Grady Tate on drums and the legendary Ron Carter on the stand-up bass (love that rhythmic "thumping" on WIVES AND LOVERS, which stays with me for hours!) This is wonderful stuff, and the sparingly used Claus Ogerman strings do not detract from the mood, but rather highlight it. As if all that wasn't enough, TEQUILA sports one of the coolest Jazz album covers ever conceived (right up there with Pat Metheny's AMERICAN GARAGE). 
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WES MONTGOMERY was one of the most influential guitarists in the world of Jazz. By all accounts, he was a very classy and humble man. He certainly had good taste and knew good music. His musicianship elevated everything he played, transforming even minor Pop hits into compelling masterpieces. So smooth he was, but never sleepy! And this set is no exception. So what if this isn't Wes Montgomery poured straight from the bottle? Some folks like to add orange juice to their liquor and call it a Tequila Sunrise. Others prefer a mixture of lime juice and salt. They call that a Margarita.
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On TEQUILA, Wes didn't pour his guitar straight from the bottle, but stirred in some congas and some strings. It doesn't matter because, in short, if it says "WES MONTGOMERY" on the label, you can be sure that it's a damn fine drink. Uhm... no... that's not quite right. What I meant to say is: If it says "Wes Montgomery" on the COVER, you can be sure that it's damn fine music. Yeah, that's it... damn fine MUSIC!

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~ Stephen T. McCarthy
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