Looking for Jazz emsembles with a guitar flair

Indofunka,

Something is really wrong with the system you assembled if you can't listen to your music. Its the signature of OTL- they get the balance completely wrong. I've had the same problems and know many who sold their OTL's. Notice how many OTL's appear on Audiogon? Its a mistake many of us make, we are seduced by the "airy" sound which is actually brightness. Dumo the OTL and start to enjoy your music.

Grover Washington, Jr. has a great guitarist on soom of his ablums like "Reed Seed" and "Live at the Bayou" - his name is Richard Steacker.

Analog111, Shindo is not OTL.
I do enjoy the music regardless of types of system/technology. My focus is on content. Good content (creative, inventive, element of surprise, fluid, not mechanical, not me-too strategy) bind with good recording is extremely hard to find, thus my Nguyen Le's recommendation.
Take your OTL discussion to the right forum. I don't have technology religion, so I am curious what others have to say about your comment: "OTL dumping".

I've had a few of the current, popular OTL amps, and yeah, I agree with analog111. There is something missing with OTL amps. Call it soul. You shouldn't have to pick and choose the music you listen to based upon what amp you have. Something is seriously wrong with your system if you have to do that.

If you want to try something just a bit off the beaten path, filled with inventive rhythms, soaring melodies and unusual instrumentation its well worth listening to Ali Farka Touré, the truly phenomenal African guitarist from Mali who passed away last year. People tend to peg him as a blues player but that is more etymological then anything - meaning that he is singled out to make the case that blues came from Mali. OK, some but not all Anyhow if you can draw a straight line between jazz and blues... LOL

I have three of his CDs: Savane, his last. In The Heart Of The Moon which is perhaps the most ethereal. And Talking Timbuktu, his amazing collaboration with Ry Cooder. (Wow that man has taste)

Back in the mainstream, Ray Brown did a fine album called Some Of My Best Friends Are... Guitarists. Nice lineup including Pass, Burrell and John Pizzarelli