People Worth Listening To- Wes Montgomery

Wes Montgomery was an Indianapolis born jazz guitarist who is considered one of the most influential guitarists of all time.  He influenced not only jazz music, but other forms of popular music as well.  His playing style included a lot of single note lines and octave figures. He played with his thumb instead of a pick, giving his playing a mellow and expressive sound.

I fell in love with his music and his playing when I purchased his 1960 album “The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery”, which he recorded with pianist Tommy Flanagan, drummer Albert Heath and bassist Percy Heath.

 

People Worth Listening To- The Protomen

The Protomen are an American indie rock band based in Nashville, Tennessee.  I’ve posted about them before.  Their music is loosely based on the “Mega Man” video game series.  However, their 2005 album “The Protomen” (Now entitled Act I) as well as their 2009 followup “Act II: The Father of Death” tell a darker version of events that differs greatly from the existing “official” story line.

I became a fan of this band when I was first introduced to their second album “Act II” by a cousin of mine.  To me it seemed to be highly influenced by the sounds of the 1980s, but still was something completely fresh and new sounding.  From this jumping point I also fell in love with their debut album “The Protomen” (Act I).

The band maintains a certain mystique surrounding their identities.  Little is known about the members other than their creative stage names that are generally pop culture references.  Their live performances are quite theatrical and they like to play cover versions of 70s and 80s songs that go along with the themes present in their own music.

People Worth Listening To- Tom Waits

Tom Waits is certainly among the most unique of singer-songwriters.  His voice is one of the most distinctive and recognizable voices I’ve heard.  While not technically “good” by any means, I’d say his voice carries his music very well.  He may not be a great vocalist, but he’s an amazing singer of songs.  His voice flows with raw emotion.

In his music he incorporates rock, blues, jazz, experimental, vaudeville along with various other traditional styles and even some pretty experimental techniques.  The result is music that sounds like nothing else, which is an art in itself.  That can’t carry the music by itself, it’s also got to be enjoyable to listen to.  And although Waits can be an acquired taste, I assure you that it’s a taste worth acquiring.