A career highlight for the guitarist, recorded at Rudy Van Gelder’s studio during September 1966, this Creed Taylor produced album was an artistic and commercial smash, reaching #1 on the US Billboard Jazz chart.

Like most of Montgomery's Verve LPs, "California Dreaming" features the tight orchestrations by Don Sebesky. Sebesky used a large group of 19 players to produce an immense sound. However, unlike the subdued and string accented "Bumpin", "California Dreaming" is a brassy, bouncy affair, with definite emphasis on bounce !

The album features many fine soloists, including Herbie Hancock on piano, Bucky Pizzarelli on acoustic guitar, Ray Baretto on congas, and the steady backbeat of Grady Tate on drums. California Dreaming is an album whose time has arrived. In the '60s, jazz purists did not exactly appreciate jazz musicians who embraced pop music, but how times have changed ! "California Dreaming" is a treat for music lovers.