PlayJazzGuitar.com Forum

[Mike]

I was just wondering what you all think are the best albums by the best jazz guitarists. For example, I think the best Wes Montgomery album is The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery, basically because it best explemplifies Wes's style of playing, but mainly because its is an amazing record. So, what do you think is the best album for guitarists such as Joe Pass, Jim Hall, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Pat Metheny, John Scofield, and others would be? Which albums of each of the guiarists do you think are not only the best, but do the best job of describing what the guitarist's style is and displays just how amazing the guitarist may be?

[martino]

Here's a few of my picks:

Grant Green: Idle Moments
Pat Martino: Live at Yoshi's
George Benson: It's Uptown
Tal Farlow: The Swinging Guitar of Tal Farlow

[jazzy]

Hi, interesting topic

I have so many favourite jazz guitar albums, but some of them are:

Wes Montgomery, (almost everything)
Joe Pass, "for django"
Pat Martino, "el hombre"
George Benson "weekend in L.A."
Hank Garland "jazz winds from a new direction"
Lots of Charlie Christian and Django Reinhardt.
+ one of my definitive favourites; Staffan William-Olsson, a swedish guitarist who lives in Norway. Check him out folks, he`s incredible.

[Jazz789]

This is a little off topic, but I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions on who to listen to if I'm just beginning jazz guitar. I usually play rock and alternative... I really like things with neat rhythms... this may be vague - but any suggestions on where to start would be appreciated. I'm looking for anything really jazzy or bluesy - but perhaps with a bit of rock influence. Thanks for your help!

[Mike]

A few that rank up there with the best:

Kenny Burrell "Midnight Blue" & "Guitar Forms"
Jim Hall "Concierto" with Paul Desmond, Chet Baker and Steve Gadd.
Herb Ellis "Nothing but the blues"
Barney Kessel "Swinging Party", Pollwinners stuff
Grant Green "The Latin Bit"
George Benson "Cookbook"

For Jazz789 Midnight Blue by Kenny Burrell is great Jazz (with ample and generous helpings of Blues) - not much rock though

[John Hall]

Hi!

This is my absolute favourits:

Kurt Rosenwinkel - Next Step
John Scofield - Meant to Be
John Coltrane - A Love Supreme
Kenny Burrel - Midninght Blue
Mark Turner - In This World

Check them out truly great music!

Bless J

[Mark]

Seems most of us love Kenny Burrell's Midnight Blue, but what about his live All Night Long? Whew. And Wes' Bumpin', and anything by Django or Charlie Christian. And what about Herb Ellis and Joe Pass's Jazz at Concord, and Joe's Summer Nights? Jim Hall's Concierto, and even better his Undercurrent with Bill Evans. And I just remembered Tuck Andress' Reckless Precision.

Geez there are some amazing people around.

[dan]

Virtually anything by Joe Pass, Barney Kessel, and Kenny Burrell is great.

[barbarino]

I'd have to go with...

1. Smokin' at the half note - Wes Montgomery
2. Blue Matter - John Scofield
3. Midnight Blue - Kenny Burrell
4. Soulero - Kenny Burrell
5. It's Uptown - George Benson
6. Virtuoso - Joe Pass

Garrin

[barbarino]

"Too Swing or Not to Swing" - Barney Kessel....and anything by Tuck Andress of Tuck & Patti. You want to hear some amazing chord melody playing? Tuck is the man. Checkout the song, "Body & Soul" on Tuck & Patti's "As time goes by" CD.

[matpartino]

All the albums you said and much more as

Peter Bernstein - Sign of life
Pat Metheny - Beyond the Missouri sky
Martin Taylor - Years apart
Bill Frisell/Holland/Jones

[Steve]

Most of these have stood the test of time for me--some for as long as 35 years or more!

Wes Montgomery - Movin' Wes
Kenny Burrell - Blues the Common Ground
Charlie Byrd at the Village Vanguard
Geroge Benson Giblet Gravy
Larry Coryell Cedars of Avalon

[kebeam]

My favorites are of course, anything from Wess Montgomery, but there is also:

Earl Klugh, Pat Matheny, George Benson, Lee Rettinhouer(excuse the spelling), and Larry Carlton. But to hear some really stand alone guitarists listen to Gabor Zsabo with his incredible open string chords. And last but not least is Kenny Burrell with all the many beautiful chord progressions that make you want to memorize exactly how he did it, along with his many solo performances, where no note is out of place.

[once played]

In addiotion to the names mentioned above (Wes Montgomery, Benson, etc.) try
Birelli Lagrane (great player)
Mike Stern John Mc Laughlin (the jazz stuff)

[dag10015]

Whatever Kenny Burrell CD has "All Blues". Robben Ford with the Yellowjackets and his CD "Talk to your daughter" Pat Metheny's "American Garage"