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Let us know if there are any you think we’ve missed. One half of the hugely popular New Age duo, Tuck & Patti, William “Tuck” Andress was the son of a jazz bandleader and played with the R&B group The Gap Band in the late 70s. ... Billy's Best - Billy Eckstine 79. This live album (consisting of seven duos with bassist Don Thompson, and a further five songs rendered in a trio format) was recorded in Toronto in 1978 and highlights Bickert’s facility as an improviser as well as his astuteness when it came to playing chords and voicing harmonies. Nevertheless, rock inspired jazz guitarists like Larry Coryell, while John McLaughlin created a fusion style that was a sensation. We start this list with an album by one of the true greats of jazz guitar, namely Jim Hall, whose melodic yet inventive soloing has inspired a whole generation of jazz guitarists. Every jazz guitarist who followed has been inspired and influenced by Montgomery, who died at just 45 years old, in 1968. Killer cut: ‘Big Red’s Boogie Woogie’, After beginning his solo career at ECM in the early 80s, this peerless Maryland-born guitar maestro recorded for Nonesuch in the 90s. The music is propelled with an irresistible sense of swing and joie de vivre as the two central protagonists urge each other on to giddy heights of virtuosity. Killer cut: ‘Manhã De Carnaval’, A Belgian fretboard master who was born in London, Catherine was dubbed “Young Django” by Charles Mingus, with whom he recorded in 1977. Killer cut: ‘Caribbean Fire Dance’, His first recording for Creed Taylor’s CTI imprint after a short stint at Columbia found Benson’s guitar placed in a more radio-friendly, mainstream setting on this all-instrumental 1968 album which mainly featured orchestrated pop covers (including songs associated with The Monkees, Aretha Franklin and Glenn Miller). Killer cut: ‘Alone’, Originally form Arizona, Howard Roberts (1929-1992) made his mark as a musician on the West Coast jazz scene of the 50s and, in the following decade, became a member of The Wrecking Crew, the famous aggregation of California-based session players that played on a slew of big US pop hits. It’s full of popular jazz standards, and the two artists are backed by an incredible crew of musicians: Oscar Peterson (piano), Ray Brown (bass), Herb Ellis (guitar), and Buddy Rich (drums).” —Charles I may seem biased, since I play guitar, but honestly, it is simply a great collection of songs. Despite being recorded over half a century ago, Reinhardt’s playing still sounds full of life and energy. The latter featured alongside Peterson on Nothing But The Blues, an all-star quintet session from 1957 that found Ellis in the studio with Stan Getz, bassist Ray Brown and drummer Stan Levey. Thanks Maine Jazzer, both incredible albums! The guitar is slightly smaller, but it makes it easier and more comfortable to hold compared to the majority of jazz guitars. He also recorded 34 solo albums, of which A, a quintet session recorded in 1955, is arguably the best. They are timeless recordings, sounding as fresh and inventive today as they did the day they were made. Click on any of the album covers to read reviews and hear audio samples on Amazon. 02. of 06. Released in 1957, this was the follow-up album to the previous year’s Tal, and it reunited the guitarist with Eddie Costa and Vinnie Burke under the supervision of producer Norman Granz. Jan, Love both of those albums, but we couldn’t have a whole list of Metheny albums! These stay closer to the jazzier side of things, versus the more R&B leanings of other smooth jazz collections. Freddie Freeloader - Jon Hendricks 80. Killer cut: ‘Jaco’, Released in 1957, this was the first in a series of four albums under the Poll Winners banner that the Oklahoma guitarist made together with fellow West Coast jazz luminaries, bassist Ray Brown and drummer Shelly Manne, in the 50s. Part bop, part fusion – with a hint of rock – Extrapolation is testament to the innovative spirit of the late 60’s / early 70’s. Their fusion-esque style was defined by the slick interchange of acoustic and electric instrumentation, which also helped to create a lush and dense harmonic platform for improv. Photo: Metaweb / GNU Free Documentation License. This was his third and final offering for Blue Note, presenting the guitarist in a trio setting and taking on some of jazz’s most famous tunes. It may stem from the fact that, back in the big band era, the guitar was seen as part of the rhythm section: an instrument that accompanied and filled out the sound rather than one that took centre-stage as a lead. Read reviews and listen to sample tracks from Standards at Amazon.com, Read reviews and listen to sample tracks from Standards at Amazon.co.uk. Killer cut: ‘Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise’, This “six-string poet” (to quote keyboardist David Benoit’s description of her) was another supremely talented guitarist who died too soon. I then combined them into one meta-list. No list of the best jazz guitar albums would be complete without Django Reinhardt. The Stan Getz and João Gilberto collaboration Getz/Gilberto, was a groundbreaking album, as was the earlier Jazz Samba, a Getz collaboration with Charlie Byrd. Over time the body style underwent slight changes and a cutaway was eventually added. Miles Davis: "Bitches Brew" (1970) Released a year after "In a Silent Way," Miles Davis brought back the electric piano and guitar for "Bitches Brew," which quickly gained recognition as one of the top jazz albums of all time. Recorded after stints with both Miles Davis and Jaco Pastorius, Standards (and Other Songs) finds Mike Stern in a mood that is more ‘jazz’ than ‘fusion’. The albums included in this list cover a wide range of styles; from laid-back jazz-funk to uplifting gypsy jazz. Mastodon Discography And Best Albums: An Introduction To One Of The Most Innovative Metal Bands Of The Millennium! 1997’s Grammy-nominated Tiger Walk is a searing collection of gutsy tunes that packed a visceral punch but also, especially on a reconfiguration of Ann Peebles’ 70s R&B ballad ‘I Can’t Stand The Rain’, revealed a soulful tenderness Defined by delicate filigrees of sound, it offers a stunning portrait of Breau’s singular artistry. I asked all forum members to post their favorite jazz albums and the result is this list. For the better part of a century, the sound of jazz has been inseparable from the sound of the saxophone. The tracks were recorded several years earlier and feature tenor saxophonist Stan Getz, though it’s Smith’s mellow yet supple guitar that shines the brightest. While America has spawned the majority of the best jazz guitar albums, other countries have seen important artists make valuable contributions, among them the Hungarian Gabor Szabo, Englishmen such as Allan Holdsworth, Phillip Catherine and Martin Taylor, Italian guitarist Antonio Forcione and France’s Biréli Lagrène. Raney and his cohorts really know how to swing, with the guitarist’s fluid solos clearly demonstrating that he is at the absolute apex of his powers. ‘All For You’: The Story Behind Janet Jackson’s Hit, The 50 Best Jazz Saxophonists Of All Time, ‘Fancy’: Behind Bobbie Gentry’s Women’s Lib Statement, Best Blue Note Album Covers: 20 Groundbreaking Artworks. Killer cut: ‘Devil Take The Hindmost’, In 1994, these two guitar greats – born three years apart – collaborated on an 11-track jazz album playing in a quartet configuration with bassist Steve Swallow and drummer Bill Stewart. Read reviews and listen to sample tracks from Standards (and Other Songs) at Amazon.com, Read reviews and listen to sample tracks from Standards (and Other Songs) at Amazon.co.uk. Killer cut: ‘Cinema Paradiso (Love Theme)’, After a ten-year period of silence, Brazilian bossa nova legend Gilberto returned to the fray with this ten-track beauty in 2000. The influence of South American rhythms on jazz in the early 60s helped to broaden the appeal of the genre. Or if you're a seasoned jazz guitarist looking to expand your horizons. Perhaps more than any other album he recorded, it encapsulates the aching lyricism of Bonfá’s distinctive nylon-stringed sound and style. The clarity of Farlow’s fleet-fingered playing, especially on the self-penned ‘Meteor’ and a propulsive take on bebop icon Charlie Parker’s ‘Yardbird Suite’, is breathtaking. Jim If you have any comments and / or suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments below. The best jazz guitar albums are up there with any other jazz classics that you can think of. Based on votes and over 100 comments, we summed this one up … Music), Guitar One, Teaching Music, Music Alive!, and In Tune Monthly. It brought together some of the Belgian maestro’s influential late 30s sides with a quintet that featured French violin wizard Stéphane Grappelli. Featuring solo arrangements of twelve jazz standards, this is a must-have album for anyone wishing to explore solo jazz guitar. Killer cut: ‘It’s Funny’, From Greensboro, North Carolina, Talmadge Holt Farlow established himself as one of jazz’s premier guitarists in the 50s. There was also Howard Roberts, Herb Ellis, Kenny Burrell and Barney Kessel, all of whom combined bop and single-note picking, with Burrell, in particular, merging blues with jazz. The Gibson Super 400 is one of the best-known and most influential jazz guitars. have included. Check out our list of 10 albums to get you started on your jazz journey and introduce yourself to some of jazz's great artists. Jim Hall’s deceptively understated playing is complemented by a top class ensemble: Chet Baker in particular plays some unforgettable solos. The end result was a cornucopia of virtuosic guitar playing in a variety of styles. His fretboard dexterity violin wizard Stéphane Grappelli, feel free to leave them in the late 60s his unparalleled to. Tunes which serve to highlight his unparalleled approach to the electric guitar: list. 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