Listen To:


Selected MP3s of guitar instrumentals, jazz, big band, and classic easy listening from the original vinyl.

Welcome to Guitars & All That Jazz

Welcome to Guitars & All That Jazz

Guitars & All That Jazz was a radio station that webcast via Live365 for 11 years, ending in June 2011. The playlist consisted of guitar instrumentals, jazz, big band, early rock 'n' roll, lounge music and classic easy listening.

I hope to share some of this music with you via this blog. Most of it will be taken from the original vinyl (LPs and 45s) , cassettes and the occasional commercially unavailable CD.

Here's hoping you'll find something to enjoy. Please note files are available only for a limited time.

I urge you to purchase the digital version of the albums featured, either on CD or via download, wherever possible.

Listen to the Music
There are now two music streams. Click the appropriate player to the right.
1. Guitars & All That Jazz: Five hours of the best in jazz, guitars and other instrumental gems. New songs are added weekly.
2. Tiki Shores: Music to sweep you away to a tropical isle, a South American dance floor or a bossa nova on the beach at Rio. About 4.5 hours of classic exotica music, Latin rhythms and bossa nova.
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Wednesday, November 27, 2013

The Mastersounds - Swinging with the Mastersounds


Two of guitarist Wes Montgomery's brothers, Buddy (vibes) and Monk (bass), formed the easy listening bop aggregation The Mastersounds in 1957 with pianist Richie Crabtree and drummer Benny Barth.

The quartet was popular only for a relatively short time, recording 10 albums in four years, for World Pacific, Pacific Jazz and Fantasy, before breaking up in 1961. Today they are remembered primarily for their link to Wes Montgomery.

The Mastersounds were overshadowed by the similarly formatted and vastly more successful Modern Jazz Quartet. As well, the music of the Mastersounds really seemed more suitable for background listening than something to be savored and remembered.

Swinging with the Mastersounds (Fantasy, 1961) was one of the last studio recordings by the group. It was mainly a collection of standards in the quartet's usual laid back style. To promote the LP Fantasy issued a 45 single with severely truncated versions of two of the tracks -- Golden Earrings and I Could Write a Book.


On the LP Golden Earrings ran for almost 10 minutes. Below you can listen to the short version that radio DJs received.

Golden Earrings



Swinging with the Mastersounds has received at least two CD releases -- as a standalone album and combined with another Fantasy LP, A Date with the Mastersounds, on a two-on-one disc titled simply The Mastersounds.


Both CD releases are out of print, although copies of the one pictured above can be purchased cheaply through Amazon. Swinging with the Mastersounds is not available as a download.

Here's the Gershwin tune Somebody Loves Me, from the 1959 World Pacific LP The Mastersounds in Concert.


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