625 Alive: The Wes Montgomery BBC Performance Transcribed

HiBought the book in August 2011 by Amazone.com and within a view weeks it was here in the Netherlands.Wow ! what a book, nice paper, good short intro's before every song, nice reading.And my favorite songs in TABS, Yesterdays, Jingles, Roundmidnight, Twisted Blues, Full House and West Cost Blues.Great Tabs, I would recommendate this book to every Wes Montgomery Guitar player.I make progress in playing Wes Montgomery music style. This book helps a lot.Via email I have "spoke" the Author, Tim Fitzgerald, nice man, very helpfull.RegardsRinus(Europe, the Netherlands

In all my years of using transcription books to expand my vocabulary, I've never encountered anything like Tim Fitzgerald's 625 Alive. Being able to 'check your work' against the video of the concert truly gives any player virtually unprecedented access to the inner workings and technical characteristics of its subject, the brilliant Wes Montgomery.Add in the interview with the legendary Harold Mabern (the pianist for the concert in question), and the experience becomes so immersive, that you almost feel like you were there. It also doesn't hurt that it's a gorgeous book: Lots of fantastic pictures! Couldn't rate it more highly!

Tim told me told me about his book when I first met him, and I felt an obligation to buy it as a fellow jazz guitarist. When I find out about the specific transcriptions that musicians I deeply respect have under their fingers, I like to make those solos a part of my experience as well. The most difficult part of transcribing Wes is figuring out where all the fingerings are (I've found this only becomes intuitive after studying his style for a long time), and that is why this book is a great place to start. Specifically, figuring out the drop 2 voicings that Wes so iconically used to improvise lines with is the most elusive and challenging aspects of aspect of trying to play like him, and this is something Tim has worked out very well and presented in the clearest way possible. If this sort of material is new to you, then working through these solos is the easiest way to amass more of Wes' vocabulary after the book as you'll see how he recycles the same shapes/chords/parallel motion all over the the neck in ways that always stays fresh. It's all written out - the work has been done for you (why try to walk on water when the ferry costs only a nickel?). And the interview with Harold Mabern is very interesting too.

Wes Montgomery is on the Mount Rushmore of every jazz guitarist. He had it all. Great sound, tremendous drive and swing, super melodic phrases and dynamite technique. Tim Fitzgerald has done an outstanding job of bringing the holy grail of jazz guitar videos to life. I remember back to when there was only rumors of there being this live video of Wes. It was thrilling to finally see it. Tim's work on recreating even Wes' exact fingerings must have been a real labor of love. I am some what of a jazz book junkie as I'm sure many of you are. This book rates right up at the top of the list of my book collection. His accuracy in re- creating Wes' solos is second to none. Having visited Chicago this past spring I was able to catch Tim live at a jazz club. He is not only a fine author but a real nice guitarist who has absorbed the "Wes" spirit. If working thru these transcriptions can help get some of that spirit into our playing than that is reason enough to pick up this wonderful book. Keep up the great work Tim and I look forward to looking him up again on my next trip to Chi Town.

I'm a fan of great transcription books for the guitar. I met Tim at a party in Chicago and this book is written by a great fan and mind of Jazz Guitar. The live transcriptions are great because you can see into the methodology of the live concert experience. This book is really well written. There is a great opening section breakdown to each of the pieces. I really like way he transcribes the pieces also. Too many books try to get the transcriptions down to the 128th note. This book is all about transcribing the feel. The other great thing is you can find these videos on YouTube and see the performance. I highly recommend this book if you want a great analysis/transcription of a really excellent live performance.

This is a Great Book. I think it is the BEST transcription book on Wes Montgomery. What makes this book so good is that most of the songs are on the England performances on “Live in 65” DVD by Jaz Icon (available on Amazon) so you can watch a lot of what Wes Montgomery is playing by watching the DVD.I’m glad to see that the book is available on Amazon so it is easier to find making it available to a wider group of people. You MUST GET THIS BOOK.Buddy

As a jazz piano/organ player, I found the book to be a great insight into the style of Wes Montgomery. Not only is this an extremely accurate transcription, it provides insight into the stylistic choices that Wes makes. Every tune comes with an introduction in which Tim Fitzgerald showcases some of the more interesting ideas in comping and soloing.I'd recommend watching the recording(that the book transcribes) several times before delving into the book. As the introduction states: "Studying the notes and fingerings is simply a means to internalize the intangibles - the phrasing, the feel, the groove, the narrative - in short, everything that can never be notated." On my third or fourth listen I followed along with the book and had several "ah, that's how he did that" moments.The transcriptions themselves are dead-on! It can be a tedious process to transcribe an entire solo. For me, guitar chord voicings are especially hard to hear, so having this is extremely useful.I'd recommend this for almost any guitarist as well as any musician looking to understand more about Wes Montgomery. Fantastic book!