West coast vibist Bobby Montez has been credited with creating some of the most swinging Latin Jazz sounds in the 1950's and 1960's. Bobby's sound mixed together Latin rhythms in a way very similar to what the late great Cal Tjader was doing at the time.
The Bobby Montez Quintet created a cool and hip sound and had many followers. Their performances in and around Los Angeles were many times sold-out and included stops at L.A.'s most prestigious Jazz clubs.
Montez surrounded himself with top-talent from the Los Angeles area; Mike Gutierrez on Timbales; Luis Miranda on Congas; pianist Carlos Avelar, who also sat in on vibes when Montez switched to the bass or piano; and Jimmy Baiz on bass. In later years, the Bobby Montez unit featured the sound of Ruben Provencio on bass.
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