Down Here on the Ground

Down Here on the Ground
Studio album by Wes Montgomery
Released	1968
Recorded	December 20, 21, 1967 January 22, 26, 1968 at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey
Genre	Pop
Length	31:11
Label	A&M
Producer	Creed Taylor
Wes Montgomery chronology
A Day in the Life (1967) Down Here on the Ground (1968) Road Song (1968)

Down Here on the Ground is the nineteenth album by guitarist Wes Montgomery, released in 1968. It reached number one on the Billboard Jazz album chart and number 4 on the R&B chart. It also reached number 38 on the Billboard 200.

The title song "Down Here on the Ground" is Montgomery's version of the theme song from the movie Cool Hand Luke by Lalo Schifrin.^[1]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[2]
The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide	[3]

In his Allmusic review, music critic Michael G. Nastos wrote "The arrangements of Don Sebesky are for the most part pretty, unobtrusive, and pleasant but lack groove and soul in the main… In many real and important ways, this is the beginning of the end for Montgomery as a jazz artist, and the inception of bachelor pad lounge/mood music that only lasted for a brief time. This recording, with no extra material, alternate takes, or bonus tracks, cannot compare to Charlie Parker with strings. It does fall in that category of recordings where the musicians chose to produce, rather than create their personal brand of jazz, and is at the very least an historical footnote."^[2]

Track listing

1. "Wind Song" (Herb Alpert, Nick Ceroli, Neil Larsen, John Pisano, Paul Francis Webster) – 2:22
2. "Georgia on My Mind" (Hoagy Carmichael, Stuart Gorrell) – 2:46
3. "The Other Man's Grass Is Always Greener" (Tony Hatch, Jackie Trent) – 2:36
4. "Down Here on the Ground" (Lalo Schifrin, Gale Garnett) – 3:42
5. "Up and at It" (Wes Montgomery) – 4:15
6. "Goin' on to Detroit" (Montgomery) – 3:38
7. "I Say a Little Prayer for You" (Burt Bacharach, Hal David) – 3:18
8. "When I Look in Your Eyes" (Leslie Bricusse) – 3:11
9. "Know It All (Quem Diz Que Sabe)" (João Donato, Paulo Valle) – 2:59
10. "The Fox" (Lalo Schifrin) – 2:56

Personnel

• Wes Montgomery – guitar
• Herbie Hancock – piano
• Ron Carter – bass
• Grady Tate – drums
• Ray Barretto – percussion
• Hubert Laws – flute, oboe
• George Marge – flute, oboe
• Romeo Penque – flute, oboe
• Bobby Rosengarden – percussion
• Mike Mainieri – vibraphone
• Gene Orloff – violin
• Raoul Poliakin – violin
• George Ricci – cello
• Emanuel Vardi – viola

Production notes:

• Creed Taylor – producer
• Don Sebesky – arranger, conductor
• Rudy Van Gelder – engineer
• Kevin Reeves – mastering
• John Synder – remastering
• Pete Turner – cover photo, photography
• Isabelle Wong – design
• Sam Antupit – design
• Hollis King – art direction
• Andy Kman – production coordinator
• Harry Weinger – reissue supervisor

Chart positions

Year	Chart	Position
1968	Billboard Jazz Albums	1
	Billboard R&B Albums	4
	The Billboard 200	38

References

1. Woodard, Josef (July–August 2005). "Wes Montgomery: The Softer Side of Genius'". JazzTimes.
2. Nastos, Michael G. "Down Here on the Ground > Review". Allmusic. Retrieved December 18, 2010.
3. Swenson, J. (Editor) (1985). The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide. USA: Random House/Rolling Stone. p. 147. ISBN 0-394-72643-X.