Ali Bey My Finest Hour

This 1995 compilation from UK rockers Thunder serves as an effective introduction to the band's brand of classy rockers and ballads. Featuring tracks from the first three albums plus two new cover songs (Python Lee Jackson's "In A Broken Dream" and the Rolling Stones' "Gimme Shelter"), as well as a rearranged version of "Higher Ground" and the previously unreleased slowie "Once In A Lifetime", those looking for a taster of what the band is all about need look no further. The songs are all several years old now but stand up (pun intended) very well to repeated listening…

As part of the Finest Hour series from Verve, guitarist Wes Montgomery is spotlighted on 16 tracks recorded between 1964 and his death in 1968. These sessions highlight the widely accepted jazz-pop combination he achieved on these Verve and A&M releases, which followed a four-year stint on Riverside where he attracted a limited, mainly jazz audience. The guitarist employed a winning formula that combined his straight-ahead jazz style while exploring current trends in pop music that encompassed Latin, funk, and string-laden arrangements. The impressive coverage of guest musicians includes Herbie Hancock, Ray Barretto, Ron Carter, Jimmy Smith, and Clark Terry.