Wes Montgomery’s ‘California Dreaming’ Gets Reissue

Wes Montgomery’s 1967 record California Dreaming is among the latest entries in Verve’s Acoustic Sounds Series.

The American jazz guitarist’s final release for Verve in his lifetime was among his last works ever, followed only by a trio of albums for A&M released in 1968.

Here, Montgomery transitioned away from proper jazz fare towards pop tunes from what the original liner notes deemed “the uptight, outasight, everything’s-gonna-be-alright-‘60s.” The album opens with the title track, a Top 5 hit for The Mamas and The Papas. It also includes instrumentals of pop hits by Bobby Hebb (“Sunny”) and Sol Lake (“More, More, Amor,” “Green Peppers,” “Winds of Barcelona”). The record closes with a rendition of “South of the Border.”

Recorded at Rudy Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, in September 1966, California Dreaming pairs Montgomery’s signature guitar style with lush, string-laden orchestrations. He is accompanied by a large, illustrious ensemble featuring Ray Beckenstein and Stan Webb on saxophone, Grady Tate on drums, Richard Davis on bass, and Herbie Hancock on piano.

California Dreaming reached No. 1 on the Billboard jazz album chart and No. 4 on the R&B album chart. The album was followed by 1967’s A Day in the Life, which also topped the Billboard Jazz album chart. That record featured Montgomery’s biggest Hot 100 hit, “Windy,” a cover of a song recorded that year by the Association.

Last year, Montgomery’s 1965 album Bumpin’ was reissued as part of Verve’s Acoustic Sounds Series. The record was a career milestone for Montgomery: his first album to reach the Billboard charts, as well as the first to be nominated for Grammys.

Verve Acoustic Sounds Series titles are mastered from the original analog tapes by Matthew Lutthans, pressed on 180-gram vinyl at Quality Record Pressings (QRP) and packaged in high-quality tip-on gatefold jackets.

Shop the Verve Acoustic Sounds Series now.