California Dreaming (Verve Acoustic Sounds Series) [LP]

Wes Montgomery - California Dreaming (Verve Acoustic Sounds Series) [LP]

The last album Wes Montgomery released for Verve in his lifetime, and among his last works ever, was 1967’s California Dreaming. Like many of his Verve recordings, the album found Montgomery pivoting away from proper jazz and more toward pop fare from what the original liner notes deemed. “the uptight, outasight, everything’s-gonna-be-alright ‘60s.” The album pairs Montgomery’s signature octave-driven guitar style with lush, string-laden orchestrations and a large, varied ensemble featuring Ray Beckenstein and Stan Webb on saxophone, and Herbie Hancock on piano. Key tracks include the title tune, a Top 5 hit for The Mamas and The Papas, along with then-current pop instrumentals by Bobby Hebb (“Sunny”) and Sol Lake (“More, More, Amor,” “Green Peppers,” “Winds of Barcelona”). Verve Acoustic Sounds Series is mastered from the original analog tapes by Matthew Lutthans, pressed on 180g vinyl at QRP and packaged in a high-quality tip-on gatefold jacket.