Although his career was short, Paul Chambers was one of the most influential and prolific bass players of the 20th Century. His knack for improvisation and his mastery of timing and intonation made him one of the most in-demand session musicians of his time. In his career, which spanned from the mid-1950s and throughout the 1960s, Chambers played with some of the biggest name in Jazz music including Dexter Gordon, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Wes Montgomery, Red Garland, Cannonball Adderley and many others.

This episode of Jazz Insights focuses one of the most innovative jazz guitarists of the last 50 years, Wes Montgomery. In order to get an idea of where Montgomery drew his inspiration, part 1 begins by focusing on two of his biggest influences, Charlie Christian and Django Reinhardt. Part 1 also features Montgomery’s beginnings playing sporadically in night clubs while still working a modest factory gig.

Dr. Gordon Vernick delves into a more modern jazz musician’s work by request from his listenership, Dave Douglas. Douglas is a composer, trumpet player, and band leader who came out of the New York City Knitting Factory scene of the 1980′s. Douglas’ jazz travels have led him to play with some of the Jazz world’s greatest, but most notably fellow Knitting Factory alum John Zorn. Douglas has drawn acclaim for incorporating klezmer, classical and Eastern European styles into Jazz music.