Miles Davis's "Tune Up" receives a spirited treatment on Wes Montgomery's 1960 album Movin' Along for Riverside Records. The tune's 16-bar form, built on a descending sequence of ii-V-I progressions through three keys, provides an ideal vehicle for extended improvisation at the brisk tempo of around 253 beats per minute. Montgomery opens with a remarkable seven-chorus solo that begins with single-note lines and progressively builds through his famous octave technique to climactic block-chord passages. This architectural approach to soloing, moving from simple to complex textures, was one of Montgomery's most influential innovations and is displayed here with exceptional clarity. James Clay follows on flute for four choruses, bringing a different timbral quality to the uptempo setting. Pianist Victor Feldman rounds out the solo section with three articulate choruses. The 16-bar form keeps the harmonic rhythm moving quickly, demanding that the soloists think on their feet through constantly shifting tonal centers. Montgomery's extended solo on this track is a prime example of why he is widely regarded as the greatest jazz guitarist of all time, combining technical mastery with an unerring sense of musical logic and emotional communication.
