Leila is an instrumental jazz guitar tune written by Wes Montgomery. It appears on the album In the Beginning, released on May 12, 2015, as part of a collection of Montgomery’s early work, with the track running about 2 minutes and 58 seconds. The piece showcases Montgomery’s signature melodic lines and fluid chordal playing that helped define his sound in jazz guitar. The tune is widely used in education and has a Real Book melody-chords version, making it a popular study piece for guitarists and students. Wes Montgomery, from Indianapolis, Indiana, was a major figure in 1960s jazz guitar, and John Scofield once called him the main man back then in the era. Leila remains a favorite for its memorable melody and guitar craftsmanship.
