Buddy Montgomery, a jazz pianist and vibraphonist best known for his work with the guitarist Wes Montgomery, his older brother, died May 14 at his home in Palmdale, Calif. He was 79.

The cause was a heart attack, said his granddaughter Mykah Montgomery.

Montgomery and another brother, the bassist Monk Montgomery, were members of Wes Montgomery’s quartet on and off during the 1960s. They first worked with him when he was critically acclaimed but little known outside the jazz world and toured with him again after he made a series of lushly orchestrated albums that cracked the pop charts, although they did not play on those records.

Both Buddy and Monk Montgomery had considerable success before then as members of the Mastersounds, a West Coast quartet that specialized in a quiet, gently swinging brand of modern jazz; Buddy played vibraphone with the group. It made several well-received albums for the Pacific Jazz Label between 1957 and 1961.

After Wes Montgomery’s death in 1968, Buddy became active as a jazz educator and advocate.

Buddy Montgomery was born Charles Montgomery on Jan. 30, 1930, in Indianapolis. He began his musical career there before touring as a pianist with the blues singer Big Joe Turner. In 1955, after serving in the Army, he teamed with his brothers and two other Indianapolis musicians to form the Montgomery Johnson Quintet.

Over the years, Montgomery recorded several albums as a leader.

Montgomery’s first marriage, to Lois Ann Smith, ended in divorce. He is survived by his wife, Ann; a sister, Ervena Floyd; two children, David and Charla Montgomery; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.