But, again and again, Bags Meets Wes returns to the fundamental joys of a blues. Even on "Delilah," a tune by contemporary balladeer Victor Young from the 1949 DeMille film "Samson and Delilah," catches a nice groove.
Unfortunately, Jackson and Montgomery never worked together again.
"Bags" returned to his on-again, off-again association with the MJQ — taking breaks from 1974-1981 and then from 1993 through his passing in ’99. Wes, meanwhile, embarked on a new phase of his career, issuing a series of chart-topping pop-jazz cover tunes (including "Goin’ Out of My Head" and "Windy") and touring incessantly.
Many believe that demanding schedule contributed to his early demise. In June 1968, at just 45, Montgomery died of a sudden heart attack.
This reissue includes four bonus tracks, additional takes on "Stablemates," "Stairway to the Stars," "Jingles" and "Delilah."
Article comments