Clifford Brown's "Sandu" is performed on Wes Montgomery's 1960 album Movin' Along for Riverside Records as a medium-tempo blues in F at around 190 beats per minute. This track features an unusual pairing of soloists, with Montgomery taking three choruses on electric guitar followed by bassist Sam Jones contributing three choruses of his own. Montgomery's solo demonstrates his deep blues feeling, an essential element of his playing that grounded even his most sophisticated harmonic explorations. His use of the 12-bar blues form is masterful, building intensity through his characteristic progression from single-note lines to octave passages. The decision to pair the guitar solo directly with a bass solo creates an interesting textural contrast, moving from the guitar's mid-range warmth to the bass's earthy depth. Sam Jones, one of the most respected bassists of the hard bop era, delivers a melodically inventive solo that proves the bass could be a compelling lead voice in this setting. The tune itself, a simple but memorable blues head by the legendary trumpeter Clifford Brown, provides a sturdy framework for this intimate duo-like exchange. This performance highlights the more stripped-down side of Montgomery's artistry.
