Nine New Wes Montgomery Tracks Unearthed on 'Echoes of Indiana Avenue'

Next week, Resonance Records will release Echoes of Indiana Avenue, the first full album of previously unreleased music by jazz great Wes Montgomery in more than 25 years. The release date, March 6, would have been Montgomery's 88th birthday.

• The tapes represent the earliest known recordings of Montgomery as a band leader, pre-dating his 1959 debut on Riverside Records. The nine songs were recorded in 1957 and 1958 at nightclubs in his hometown of Indianapolis, Indiana (including four tracks recorded at The Hub Bub), and in the studio.
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• The physical version of the release comes in a 24-page deluxe digipak showcasing rare family photos and photos by jazz photographer Duncan Scheidt. Jazz journalists Dan Morgenstern and Bill Milkowski contribute essays, as do guitarist Pat Martino and Indiana-based jazz educator Dr. David N. Baker.

The album features some swingers ("Diablo's Dance," "Nica's Dream"), ballads ("Misty," "Darn That Dream" and "Body and Soul") and Chicago blues ("After Hours Blues"). Here's the full track listing:

01. Diablo's Dance
02. Round Midnight
03. Straight No Chaser
04. Nica's Dream
05. Darn That Dream
06. Take the A Train
07. Misty
08. Body and Soul
09. After Hours Blues (Improvisation)

Montgomery died in 1968 at age 45.

For more about the album, visit resonancerecords.org.