"D-Natural Blues" is a slow blues in D major from Wes Montgomery's 1960 album The Incredible Jazz Guitar, demonstrating the guitarist's mastery of the blues at a relaxed tempo of 92 beats per minute. Tommy Flanagan opens the solo section with two elegant piano choruses before Montgomery enters for five choruses that represent some of the most compelling blues guitar playing ever recorded. Montgomery's approach to the 12-bar blues form is both deeply rooted in tradition and entirely original, his thick, warm tone and rhythmic ingenuity creating a solo that builds from understated opening statements to powerful climactic passages featuring his trademark octave technique. Bassist Percy Heath contributes a single chorus of bass improvisation, his melodic approach to the instrument adding a conversational dimension. The key of D major, unusual for a jazz blues, gives the piece a distinctive tonal quality that differs from the more commonly heard blues in F, B-flat, or C. Montgomery's original composition serves as a showcase for his ability to tell a musical story at slower tempos, demonstrating that his genius extended well beyond the pyrotechnic up-tempo performances that initially drew attention. The track captures the warm, intimate sound of the Riverside recording, preserving every nuance of Montgomery's unparalleled guitar tone.
