As a jazz guitarist myself, I can think of dozens easily. Wes, Pat Martino, Mark Elf, and Dan Adler are all about the same for me. I could list many more after those, but those are probably my top 4 (at least for today).
Should have mentioned him above. He was the first real electric guitarist, in terms of using the instrument widely and publicly, and he was the guitarist for Benny Goodman's band so you know he could cut it. I used to have a great double LP of him with Goodman's band - don't know where it is these days. But you could hear him lay the groundwork for a lot of guitarists to follow. Believe it or not, though he only played jazz, and in the '30s and '40s, he is in the Rock n Roll HOF as an "early influence." Check him out.
and Tal Farlow definitely. This isn't really possible for me to do. I like too many. Jimmy Raney is another one I can't believe I left off (especially the albums toward the end of his career). Jimmy Bruno also. There are too many. Mike Stern.
heard of is Eddie Lang. He often played with violinist Joe Venuti, much like Django played with Stephan Grapelli.
Great call. Lang and Venuti played with the Paul Whitman Band. Only quibble is that Django and Grappelli were like Lang and Venuti who predated the Hot Club. Nice to see someone mention Eddie Lang.
Saw Grappelli in Montreal years and years ago. He was great in his own right.
Russel Malone
Barney Kessel
Joe Pass
Abercombie
Toni Rizzi (studied with him)
not necessarily in that order but since I saw Malone at the Vangaurd and spoke to him a couple of years back i'll go with him
Stephane Wrembel plays that style (he did some of the music for the Midnight in Paris soundtrack), and has a sunday residency at Barbes in Park Slope. He's very good.
seen/heard in any genre. I saw him at Radio City touring on the album he did with Al DiMeola and Paco DeLucia and he blew those 2 very good players off the stage.
John is such a GREAT musician. Though his playing can be fierce and even terrifying, he has also recorded some of the most stunningly beautiful moments in recorded guitar history. Shakti, My Goals Beyond, and even the early Extrapolations/When Fortune Smiles recordings are, well, if you haven't heard them, you're not living.
seen/heard in any genre. I saw him at Radio City touring on the album he did with Al DiMeola and Paco DeLucia and he blew those 2 very good players off the stage.
and Tal Farlow definitely. This isn't really possible for me to do. I like too many. Jimmy Raney is another one I can't believe I left off (especially the albums toward the end of his career). Jimmy Bruno also. There are too many. Mike Stern.
John is such a GREAT musician. Though his playing can be fierce and even terrifying, he has also recorded some of the most stunningly beautiful moments in recorded guitar history. Shakti, My Goals Beyond, and even the early Extrapolations/When Fortune Smiles recordings are, well, if you haven't heard them, you're not living.
In comment 14477578 Section331 said:
Quote:
seen/heard in any genre. I saw him at Radio City touring on the album he did with Al DiMeola and Paco DeLucia and he blew those 2 very good players off the stage.
Yeah. So great. I have been lucky enough to see JM live multiple times. It's all great, but one that I come back to very often is Que Alegria from the early 1990s. Just incredible.
Stanley Clarke plays bass.
Kenny Burrell for sure. Wes obviously. Jim Hall. Pat Metheny. Larry Carlton. George Benson before he went pop.
No jazz guitar list is complete without Tal Farlow....
Elek Bacsik. Django Reinhardt's cousin.
Tal Farlow - Misty - ( New Window )
Nuages - Elek Bacsik - ( New Window )
Del is right. He is a bassist not a guitarist. Are you thinking of Stanley Jordan like someone else mentioned above?
wow - yes of course. A favorite. Also - John Scofield.
Most people don't refer to electric bassists as guitarists. It's a different instrument.
That said, as a bass player I appreciate the shout-out. You definitely could say that "School Days" had guitar-like bass playing on it.
Definitely should have mentioned Django. He was another original influence on many other guitarists, and his music holds up very well today.
Other absolute favs: Barney Kessel, Joe Pass, Pat Metheny, John McLaughlin
Link - ( New Window )
Ed Bickert. Find him on YouTube and check him out.
His playing was smooth, cool straight-ahead jazz.
RIP
Taste - ( New Window )
Saw Grappelli in Montreal years and years ago. He was great in his own right.
Ed Bickert. Find him on YouTube and check him out.
At the Garden Party is my favorite Ed Bickert album.
Barney Kessel
Joe Pass
Abercombie
Toni Rizzi (studied with him)
not necessarily in that order but since I saw Malone at the Vangaurd and spoke to him a couple of years back i'll go with him
In comment 14477432 Jay in Toronto said:
His playing was smooth, cool straight-ahead jazz.
RIP Taste - ( New Window )
Link - ( New Window )
In comment 14477578 Section331 said:
Bingo re Jim Hall. Gone, but missed.
In comment 14477578 Section331 said:
Quote:
seen/heard in any genre. I saw him at Radio City touring on the album he did with Al DiMeola and Paco DeLucia and he blew those 2 very good players off the stage.
Yeah. So great. I have been lucky enough to see JM live multiple times. It's all great, but one that I come back to very often is Que Alegria from the early 1990s. Just incredible.
The best guitarist that I remember seeing in person was probably Roger Mcguinn opening for Bob Dylan in Jerusalem.