A Day in the Life (Wes Montgomery album)

A Day in the Life
A Day in the Life
Studio album by Wes Montgomery
Released	September 1967
Recorded	June 6 & 26, 1967
Studio	Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey
Genre	Jazz
Length	34:21
Label	A&M/CTI
Producer	Creed Taylor
Wes Montgomery chronology

A Day in the Life is an album by the jazz guitarist Wes Montgomery, released in 1967. It reached number one on the Billboard Jazz album chart and number 2 on the R&B chart. It also reached number 13 on the Billboard 200. The single "Windy" became his biggest Hot 100 hit, peaking at number forty-four.

After recording for Riverside and Verve, Montgomery signed with A&M. His renditions of pop hits were played regularly on Top 40 radio.^[2]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[2]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings	^[4]
The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide	^[3]

In his AllMusic review of the album, Scott Yanow wrote:

In most cases the guitarist did little more than play the melody, using his distinctive octaves, and it was enough to make him saleable. Of his three A&M recordings, A Day in the Life (the first one) was by far the best and, although the jazz content is almost nil, the results are pleasing as background music.^[2]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"A Day in the Life"	John Lennon, Paul McCartney	5:45
2.	"Watch What Happens"	Jacques Demy, Norman Gimbel, Michel Legrand	2:43
3.	"When a Man Loves a Woman"	Calvin Lewis, Andrew Wright	2:52
4.	"California Nights"	Marvin Hamlisch, Howard Liebling	2:29
5.	"Angel"	Wes Montgomery	2:46
6.	"Eleanor Rigby"	Lennon, McCartney	3:04
7.	"Willow Weep for Me"	Ann Ronell	4:31
8.	"Windy"	Ruthann Friedman	2:20
9.	"Trust in Me"	Milton Ager, Jean Schwartz, Ned Wever	4:25
10.	"The Joker"	Leslie Bricusse, Anthony Newley	3:26

Personnel

Wes Montgomery – guitar
Herbie Hancock – piano
Ron Carter – bass
Grady Tate – drums
Ray Barretto – percussion
Jack Jennings – percussion
Joe Wohletz – percussion
Ray Alonge – French horn
Phil Bodner – woodwind
Julius Brand – violin
Peter Buonconsigilio – violin
Mac Ceppos – violin
Lewis Eley – violin
Harry Glickman – violin
Harry Katzman – violin
Leo Krucczek – violin
Sylvan Shulman – violin
Gene Orloff – violin
Tosha Samaroff – violin
Jack Zayde – violin
Harry Urbont – violin
Harold Coletta – viola
Emanuel Vardi – viola
George Marge – flute
Joe Soldo – flute
Romeo Penque – flute
Margaret Ross – harp
Alan Shulman – cello
Charles McCracken – cello
Stanley Webb – flute, woodwind

Production notes:

Creed Taylor – producer
Don Sebesky – arranger, conductor
Rudy Van Gelder – engineer
Pete Turner - photography

Chart positions

Year	Chart	Position
1967	Billboard Jazz Albums	1
	Billboard R&B Albums	2
	The Billboard 200	13

References

^ "Billboard". September 16, 1967.
^ ^a ^b ^c Yanow, Scott. "A Day in the Life > Review". AllMusic. Retrieved December 17, 2010.
^ Swenson, J., ed. (1985). The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide. USA: Random House/Rolling Stone. p. 147. ISBN 0-394-72643-X.
^ Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 1028. ISBN 978-0-141-03401-0.

[1] "Billboard". September 16, 1967.

[AM-2] Yanow, Scott. "A Day in the Life > Review". AllMusic. Retrieved December 17, 2010.

[RSJRG-3] Swenson, J., ed. (1985). The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide. USA: Random House/Rolling Stone. p. 147. ISBN 0-394-72643-X.

[Penguin-4] Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 1028. ISBN 978-0-141-03401-0.

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