Favorite Classic Jazz Guitarist

I really dig a jazz gutarist with a nice tone. I was thinking about all the jazz guitarists that I frequently listen to and wondered who others may like.

I excluded Charlie Christian from the list because he's basically the father of them all (as far as pure electric jazz guitar goes). I know there are many blues players that would actually come closer to claiming this title but for purity sake I put Christian at the head. Yes, Django would probably share this status, somewhat, therefore I've excluded him as well.

I have also chosen to limit this poll to the the classic jazz years from the 50's through the 60's. I came up with 10 guitarists and I'm sure I've left some off. Please mention them if you don't see them so we can check 'em out.

My personal favorite is Grant Green. I enjoy the way he voices melodies in one-noters (usually a horn players method). Quite a bluesy guy at that! Second to him comes Burrell, then Raney, Pass & Montgomery.

 

Guitar isn't my favorite jazz instrument, so I don't have as much exposure as I'd like to. But I really love Wes Montgomery. His work on "Full House" blows me away every time.

 

Yes, 'Full House' kicks major butt! If you like that one try 'Smokin' At The Half Note' on Verve for more of the same. Features the same awesome rhythm section of Wynton Kelly, Jimmy Cobb and Paul Chambers. Great combo!

 

mmmm hmmmm!

As a matter of fact, I would like more of the same!! Thx for the recommend...

 

Don't forget Steve's DCC of Wes Montgomery "FULL HOUSE" or "SO MUCH GUITAR", only I wish Steve could have done Barney Kessel's "SOME LIKE IT HOT" on Contemporary. Somewhere back in another thread he told us that it had gotten shelved by DCC.

 

I voted for Grant Green, but this is really a very hard choice. I like/love so many of these guys. I probably have more GG albums in my collection than any other jazz guitarist, but part of that's due to my being a Blue Note junkie. I also dig his period/style of music more and his settings are so varied with the standard trio, organ trio, larger groups, etc.

Btw, coincidentally, I'm listening to Smokin' at the Half Note right this very minute!

Ray

 

Btw, coincidentally, I'm listening to Smokin' at the Half Note right this very minute!

Ray [/B][/QUOTE]

Me. I'm listening to "FULL HOUSE". BTW, "Smokin" CD or vinyl?

 

I am listening to Kenny Burrell 'Blues/The Common Ground'. But listened to 'Smokin' At The Half Note' 2 days ago if that counts....

 

Hi MA,

He was just starting out in the late 60's but I'm very fond of John Mclaughlin. I think he had an official release in the 60's, does that qualify for your timeframe?

-Jeffrey

 

I voted for Kenny Burrell because I figured that Wes would get enough votes anyway.

Should George Benson be on the list? I am not sure.

 

Ron, it's the CD version, but actually it's the Verve 2-fer "Impressions," which contains the complete Half-Note sessions.

But that was an hour ago - now I'm listening to the new Brad Mehldau "Largo"

Ray

 

I actually have "Half-Note" on vinyl, but it's pretty thrashed. CD sounds better!

 

I was having a hard time deciding between, Pass, Kessel, Hall, and Ellis, and I see that Charlie Byrd didn't make the cut (but neihter did Geoge Barnes or Howard Roberts). I don't have much exposure to Grant Green, but I suspect I will soon...

I like 'em all, but voted for Jim Hall since he I have more records with him on it than any other of the guitarists listed.

For classical guitar, my two favorites are Julian Bream and Eliot Fisk.

 

No Django Rheinhart? I voted for Wes.

 

Certainly! That is, since we are talking 60's output. Check out his Prestige stuff with McDuff and particularly try the early Columbia's. A great starter is 'The George Benson Cookbook'. Features Blue Mitchell, John Hammond, Bennie Green and Lonnie Smith! "It's Uptown ain't too shabby either.

 

I though of McLaughlin in particular when I started this poll. I really wanted to stay wih the bop, hard bop, funk players. You don't know how close I came to adding him...but that would have opened up to a lot more great guitarist from the early days of fusion.

 

Hi,

I see your point.... he really is on the edge of what you are polling. Just thought I would ask.

Thanks,
Jeffrey

 

I was just looking over the statistics for this poll.

There are too many accomplished guitarists with no votes. I'm thinking primarily of Herb Ellis and Joe Pass, but Tal Farlow Jimmy Raney have almost as much name recognition. Is it me, or do others who concentrate their jazz listening in the cool and bop arenas see a movement away from the kinds of guitarists that played well with the big names of the period from the forties to the late sixties?

While there's only one vote for George Benson, I'm wondering if any of those who were in the overwhelming majority who voted for Wes Montgomery that might have voted for Benson if Montgomery's name wasn't among the choices?

I'm also very curious why there are so many votes for Montgomery, but very little in the way of stated reasons for choosing him over any of the others.

If the poll had been "What's your favorite Jazz guitar album?" I wonder if one of Montgomery's would have headed the list...

 

I think that Wes might simply be the most well known guitarist on the list. People vote for what/who they know.

I've got recordings by all ten, but I've also got a couple thousand jazz LPs/CDs. I think Raney and Farlow are particularly "obscure" these days.

Ray

 

They all put out GREAT stuff! My favs:





...and winner for coolest Jazz Guitar album cover...

 

I'll add votes for Gene Bertoncini and Joe Beck, but Charlie Christian and Django are my favorite 'classic' (whatever that means) jazz guitarists. Gene and Joe are more 'contemporary', in my book (whatever that means).

 

Hey ATR, I confess that I don't know everything, but how much of a clod do I reveal myself to be by admitting that I've never even heard of Gene Bertonicini.

I've heard several tracks on internet radio of Joe Beck but I don't have that album (see posted image). I have to say that after I read about him at AMG, I was wondering if what I had heard were merely the few good tracks on the album and that this guy was the Kenny G of the guitar or what.

As for Charlie Christian, he was the ONLY guitarist mentioned in the first book on the history of jazz I ever read - and he's the only guitarist to get much attention in Keernfeld's legendary Blackwell Guide.

 

Hey Steve, have you ever heard that Concord CD, Legends, from which one of the Johnny Smith photos came?