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Who was the best jazz guitarist ever?


Since all music is "subjective", I lay no claim to any objective truth to anything I write on this subject.

Johnny Smith was the first to make me aware of the guitar as a jazz instrument. Before him I considered it to be a country and western or blues instrument. "Moonlight in Vermont" is his most famous album, it contains some of the most beautiful versions of standards I've ever heard.

Kenny Burrell who was often featured with Jimmy Smith on organ was the next jazz guitarist I became aware of. While his work with Jimmy Smith was tops, "Midnight Blue" on Blue Note, is my favorite album.

Wes Montgomery came to my attention twice, that's because according to some; he was better and more inclusively "jazz", before he became famous. The "Wes Montgomery Trio" recorded in 1959 is one example of a recording made before he became famous. His "Round Midnight" had a deep soulful intensity that's hard to match; but jazz guitarist's also have bills to pay.

Grant Green is the best jazz guitarist ever, his prodigious output makes that statement. There are some who claim, that out of all of the versions of "Round Midnight", his is the best.

There are many guitarist's I like who may or may not fit the description of "jazz guitarist". I'll leave the strict definition of that to others. Al Di Meola, John McLaughlin, and Paco De Lucia are guitarists I like a lot whatever category they fit in.

Since I prefer the broad definition of "jazz" as opposed to the strict definition, if you think your favorite guitarist fits the description; so do I. Who are your favorite guitarists?
orpheus10
foster_9
1,638 posts
 
While Pat Methaney is well represented in my collection, I don't think of him as a "guitarist", just as I don't think of "Charlie Mingus" as a bassist; their music so overshadows the instruments they play, that the music is all enveloping, and I forget who is playing what; 05-03-11: Orpheus10

Orpheus10, I must say that is very insightful.
orpheus10 OP
8,668 posts
 


Foster_9, I consider that quite a compliment, especially since it came from a "true aficionado" of the music which is so much a part of our lives.
alexatpos
1,219 posts
 
My favorite is Burrell,like very much Grant Green and P.de Lucia,saw Paco sextet live last year,would recommend to anyone for listening.But,think no one mentioned some other great jazz players,like Tiney Grimes or Les Paul,than Herb Ellis or Tal Farlow,or young Russel Malone.What about Charlie Byrd or Gabor Szabo? Fusion is not my thing,but Hiram Bullock or Terje Rypdal are good too.What abot Eric Gale,he played on so many studio sessions,Abercrombie is good,Mike Stern,Ralph Towner or Bill Frisell too.In fact,more I like or search for the obscure ones,like for exmp.Ray Crawford that played with J.Smith,or Melvin Sparks,or Paul Weeden that played with S.Stitt,or Eddie Wright who played with Freddie Roach,and so on...List is long,the famous ones will not be forgoten soon,but the less fortunate could,and thats a pity
martykl
3,578 posts
 
Iso,

Your post motivated me to wade thru the pile and pull out Red Neck Jazz Explosion, the live CD with the Red Neck Jazz Band (Gatton and Buddy Emmons on steel guitar).

Zounds! What a fantastic record.

Marty
paanders
43 posts
 
I'm too hard on jazz guitar, in general.

I've always heard jazz guitar as a second-string jazz instrument (so to speak) after the major brass (cornet, trumpet) and winds (alto and tenor sax), and of course piano, bass, and drums.

In other words, to my ears, no jazz guitarist has had the impact on the artform equal to that of Armstrong, Ellington, Parker, Miles, Bill Evans, Billie Holiday, and the other obvious world-historical Great Ones.

To my ears, the question has always been should a guitarist play like a:
--single-note horn-player (ie, mimic Charlie Parker);
--embrace a rhythmic role (in the Freddie Green tradition with Count Basie);
--play in a pianistic style (which is how I hear classical guitar-derived stylists, or the electric styles of Joe Pass);
--play in a blues-laced style
--mix all of the above
--or find a new voice for the sonic potentials of the electric guitar, following the revolutionary example of Jimi Hendrix (here I'm thinking of Sonny Sharrock, Bill Frisell, but also Pat Metheny, and J Scofield).

That said, the guitarists who wow me regularly (on particular albums) are probably
Jim Hall
Egberto Gismonti
Pat Metheny
Kenny Burrell
Brandon Ross
Wes Montgomery
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