Your Favorite Jazz Guitarists...

[Jazz Bug]

Joe Pass and Charlie Christian top my list.

[Squaredancecalling Steve]

Charlie Christian
Django Reinhardt
Bill Frisell
Tal Farlow
Kenny Burrell
Derek Bailey
John Scofield
John Abercrombie
Ralph Towner
Grant Green
Herb Ellis
Hank Garland
Sandy Bull


rising guitar stars
Marc Ribot
Nils Cline
Noel Akchote

[Tom K]

Here's my list, in alphabetical order:

Philip Catherine
Marc Ducret
Bill Frisell
Freddie Green
Jim Hall
John McLaughlin
John Scofield

[Tom Storer]

Off the top of my head and in no special order: Charlie Christian, Django, Wes Montgomery, Jim Hall, Pat Martino, Pat Metheny, John Scofield, Joe Pass. I'm sure I've forgotten a few. Among younger players, or shall we say non-iconic since they're not all that young, I like, for instance, Russell Malone, Adam Rogers, Peter Leitch, Howard Alden.

I'm definitely more of a traditionalist when it comes to the guitar than to other instruments. Marc Ribot, Derek Bailey, Noel Akchoté, Sonny Sharrock et al.--I just don't enjoy it very much. I'm much more likely to enjoy a non-traditional approach or style in other instruments than the guitar, although I'm not sure why.

[Jazz Bug]

I just picked up Kenny Burrell's "midnight blue". Good stuff, I'm happy with this one.

[moneyp]

I agree with Square D's first twelve and would add Joe Pass.

Edit: Oh, Jesus. And Jim Hall, of course.

[Squaredancecalling Steve]

I should have mentioned Wes Montgomery, too, as Tom did. Before he went all sugary he could really play. 'Smokin' At The Half Note' with Wynton Kelly is an indispensible jazz guitar record.

[KROB]

C.Christian
Wes
P.M
Grant Green
Jim Hall
K.Burrell
J.Pass
J.Scofield
J.Ambercrombie
M.Stern
honorable mention
K.Eubanks
Mimi Fox
Mark Whitfield

[BlueMiles]

I think I see jazz guitar as having various periods. There were early pioneers, but most view Chrlie Christian is the guy who really brought jazz guitar to the forefront. Then you had guys like Herb Ellis and Barney Kessel who seemed to follow him pretty closely.

Then there's (IMO) the definitive straightahead guitar period or style--the leading figures being Kenny Burrell, Jim Hall, Wes Mongomery, and Grant Green. Hall and especially Burrell are extremely well represented in my collection. Of course, they are both still active after about 50 or so years in the business!

Another period would be that of jazz-rock. For me, John McLaughlin has always been the standout figure here.

Almost coming out of this period are several musicians who remain at the top on the guitar--Abercrombie, Metheny, Scofield, and Frisell.

It's not quite as hard as picking pianists, but there have been an awful lot of great and distinctive guitarists.

[John L]

Charlie Christian
Charlie Christian
Charlie Christian
Charlie Christian
Charlie Christian
Charlie Christian
Charlie Christian


Kenny Burrell, Wes Montgomery, Tiny Grimes, Grant Green, and Oscar Moore too.


And, of course, Charlie Christian.

[Pete C]

My top 4:

Django
Charlie Christian
Wes Montgomery
John McLaughlin

plus:

Barney Kessel (Check out his solos on "The President Plays with the Oscar Peterson Trio")
Joe Pass
John Collins (he was rarely featured as a soloist, except with Dameron, but he had such a gorgeous sound)
Jim Hall (but mostly as a foil to Giuffre, Rollins, Desmond & Evans--I don't love his own work)

Among "younger" artists I like Shepik, and Frisell really depends on the project.

[frankiepop]

steve gnitka
derek bailey
Hans Tammen
raymond boni
Hugh Dickey
Joe Morris
Dom Minasi




jazz died

[Pete C]

Originally Posted by Squaredancecalling Steve

I should have mentioned Wes Montgomery, too, as Tom did. Before he went all sugary he could really play. 'Smokin' At The Half Note' with Wynton Kelly is an indispensible jazz guitar record.

That was recorded after he started going "all sugary." He was doing "commercial" sides for Creed Taylor at Verve at the same time as that, and then of course at A&M.

[Squaredancecalling Steve]

John -- What's a good Tiny Grimes disc to start with? I keep coming across references to him as a seminal figure in rock&roll, but I don't think I have anything with him, even as a sideman.

[mjb]

Most of those listed are my faves too.

I'd add:

David Occhipinti - you can hear some stuff at his website that is rather easy to find.

Jeff Parker

[jaka]

I'm glad Squaredancecalling Steve listed Noël Akchoté, but I knew I could trust him on his tastes (+ he pointed one of my favorite record ever:
). Smokin', that's the least I can say.

Like Tom K, sure Marc Ducret would be among my immediate first answers along with Frisell, Ribot, Bailey and Towner.

Anyone into Brad Shepik?
I love his playing in his own projects, as member of Pachora or with Dave Douglas' Tiny Bell Trio.

[grove47]

I'd like to give a little shout out to Lenny Breau, an innovator who is perennially underrated.

The Velvet Touch, baby

[Pete C]

Originally Posted by jaka

Anyone into Brad Shepik?
I love his playing in his own projects, as member of Pachora or with Dave Douglas' Tiny Bell Trio.

I mentioned him above. Don't forget his work with Paul Motian (when he was still Brad Shoeppach--I guess he didn't like being called "shoe pack" or whatever).

[jaka]

Originally Posted by Pete C

I mentioned him above. Don't forget his work with Paul Motian (when he was still Brad Shoeppach--I guess he didn't like being called "shoe pack" or whatever).

Sorry Pete, I hadn't noticed.
But who reads further than Django, Christian, Montgomery & McLaughlin.
I am not aware of him having played with Paul Motian. Any specific rec?

[Peterdubya]

Wes, Pat Martino, PAt Metheny, Kenny Burrell, most of the aforementioned...

Chet Atkins
Lenny Breau
Jimmy Bryant
Adam Rogers
Martin Taylor
Rodney Jones

[Noj]

I replaced my copy of this with the two cd Verve job called Impressions that has all the material on the single cd and a bunch more.

[Jesse]

Very fond memories:

Pat Martino (pre-trauma; Footprints is stellar)

Joe Pass

John McLaughlin
(My Goals Beyond & Extrapolation, the latter an essential)

Sonny Sharrock

Charlie Christian

I really dug Tiny Grimes' work on the Chas Parker dates on Savoy.

I seldom purchase guitarists as leaders. A few worthy of repeated listening:

Joe Morris

Hans Reichel (I count Death Of The Rare Bird Ymir & Bonobo Beach as essentials).

I have heard hours of Steve Gnitka live, who can suprise the hell out of me with his odd pairing of nearly egoless shadings & "comping" & subversive quoting of every guitar idiom imaginable.

For all of his chops, sensitivity, obvious intelligence, blah blah, I never return after an initial listen to Bill Frisell. Excepting a gorgeous solo recital of Jarrett's Byablue, on Paul Motian's Misterioso. Frisell sounds great with this quintet, including Jim Pepper, his peer in the expressive voicings on Misterioso.

I am a guilty pleasure fan of Helmet guitarist Paige Hamilton. Big time.

Don't censure my non-idiomatic pleasures.

[Pete C]

Originally Posted by jaka

I am not aware of him having played with Paul Motian. Any specific rec?

Shepik & Kurt Rosenwinkel were the original guitarists in Paul Motian's Electric Bebop Band. The two albums, both good, are Electric Bebop Band & Flight of the Bluejay. I haven't heard them in a while, so I can't remember which to recommend over the other, and I do prefer the trio with Frissell & Lovano.

[sonic1]

Originally Posted by frankiepop

Dom Minasi

Hell yeah! Dom Minasi came to Tucson too!

Fucking incredible player.

Kevin O'Neil is no slouch.

[bernard lyons]

I agree with (the underheard) Kevin O'Neill..also Ben Monder. Check out Phil Gibbs (on a few of Paul Dunmalls CDs)...Elliot Sharp

[Joey X]

A friend just sent me a copy of Joe Pass w/ the Metropole Orch. It's terrific, but then Joe Pass was the best when he was alive. My favorite jazz recording is "Oscar Peterson et Joe Pass a la Salle Playel." I think those chase choruses the guys do on "Honeysuckle Rose" are great. No two played better no how, no way, no time. (My opinion.)
Joey X

[Steve Reynolds]

John Russell

more free improv - need to hear more of him

and of course the *great* Burkhard Stangl - although not jazz at all

[JazzAt52ndStreet]

Calvin Keys
Wes Montogmery
Django
Grant Green
Pat Martino

[exotic-scales.com]

In no particular order:

Frank Gambale
Allan Holdsworth
Al DiMeola
Larry Carlton
Pat Metheny

Joe
http://www.exotic-scales.com

[WOW]

Has anyone beside me heard of Johnny Smith???