orig. John Leslie Montgomery
born March 6, 1923/25, Indianapolis, Ind., U.S.
died June 15, 1968, Indianapolis
U.S. jazz guitarist.
He began playing guitar in his teens, and his principal early inspiration was the late-swing guitarist Charlie Christian . Montgomery was a member of Lionel Hampton 's band (1948–50) before forming a small group with his brothers. His finest recordings are small-group efforts made after 1959, although he achieved commercial success using accompanying orchestras in the 1960s. His unconventional technique, using his thumb rather than a plectrum, made possible his frequent use of octaves and chords in solos. He was probably the most influential guitar improviser in modern jazz.