PlayJazzGuitar.com Forum

[fiulin]

Hello.
I'm a classic guitarist and I'm new to this forum.

Can you suggest me some nice jazz music to play on classic guitar?

Tks.

[ES175]

Ulf Wakenius is great!

[Guest]

[fiulin]

Thank you very much for your answer: I'll check out everything and will let you know!

Thanks a lot!

[Jazz]

You´re welcome, and please, let me know.
Regards,
Daniel

[Guest]

[marcoturco]

[Jazz]

[Guest]

Hi,
I played flamenco and all kinds of folk (bulgarian, greek etc...) on a classical before i got into jazz. Now I mostly use electric but still really enjoy sitting down with a nylon string even when playing swing type standarts. In the end its the content and the spirit that makes it jazz and really the instrument is just a medium. I think its great to use the classical for jazz, it lends a lovely color.
Lenny Breau did some excellent stuff with it, all kinds of great Brazilian Bossa Nova stuff is also nylon business, some of the modern flamenco players such as Tomatito have done it.(check out the Michel Camilo and Tomatito album if you can, great jazz-flamenco-latin jazz fusion)
Good luck on your music,,,
Jacek from Toronto

[Jazz]

I would suggest anything by Ralph Towner. He has a real intereting and "classical" approach to jazz. And he is never too obvious. I also like his unpolished but expressional sound and musical ideas. A lot of guitarist pick up the nylon string and just apply their electric style. I myslef find the nylon to be a totaly different instrument in a lot of ways. And when I play it the musical ideas differ very much from my sound on the electric.

To all you classical guitarist out there. Congratulations! You have a unike advantage in your skills even when it comes to jazz. Use it instead of loosing it in those long hours of building up the jazz chops.

Good Luck/
Hank

[Guest]

Hi,

John McLaughlin may be of interest for someone looking for jazz on a nylon string guitar. He's used all sorts of guitars over the years but he's recorded albums where he plays a nylon string exclusively. Live at Royal Festival Hall is one such example and there are others.

[zoki]

charlie byrd is great and he plays classical guitar

[Bert Fever]

If you're interested, I've recorded some tracks using nylon string guitars. Feel free to have a listen...

http://beam.to/leetobin

[Hugh]

I'm also a classical guitarist, learning Jazz standards. I suggest you get "The Real Book", sixth edition. There are many great songs in this book which can be adapted to the classic guitar.

Try these:

Autumn Leaves
Misty
Satin Doll
Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man of Mine (try transposing it to D)
Don't Get Around Much Anymore

The book will give you the melody and the chords. You are going to have to integrate the melody with harmony and rhythm in your own arrangement. Its very satisfying to be able to do this. It is helpful to be able to play two or three octave arpeggios or interesting chord fills to flesh-out the song.

[alfonso]

Fiulin,
One of the greatest guitarist ever who turned classical to jazz and everthing in between was the great Charlie Byrd. Some people regarded his music as elevator music, but that's just a one sided opinion, he had also recorded with the "Great Guitars" for concord records. They were, Herb Ellis, Barney Kessel and Charlie. He was a pioneer in the Bossa Nova years with Sax man, Stan Getz, I can't think of anyone who did more when it comes to turning classical into jazz or combining the two. Check him out! His books are everywhere, his music is not easy, listen to a recording. Charlie passed away, I think in 99, but his brother Joe Byrd, master Bass player, has a site and more info.