Solo Guitar Question

bkdavidson · #1 05-30-2010, 09:54 PM

For all of you that do solo guitar gigs, who would you recommend listening to? I always figured the standard people to listen to were people like Joe Pass, Bucky Pizzarelli, and Martin Taylor. However, I'm not really into the 7-string thing, and Jazzyteach's recent thread about tapping on two guitars uncovered a lot of non-love for Joe Pass and Martin Taylor. Nothing malicious, but just some. . . dissention among the ranks. Is there anyone else you guys would recommend?

jseaberry · #2 05-30-2010, 10:12 PM

Gene Bertoncini, Ron Affif, Ron Eschete, Ken Hatfield, Craig Wagner, Mimi Fox, Jimmy Bruno, Jack Wilkins, John Stowell, Jimmy Wyble, Michele Ramo, Earl Klugh as a start.

mr. beaumont · #3 05-31-2010, 10:06 AM

bill evans, hank jones, oscar peterson, chick corea, keith jarrett...

jseaberry gave you some good ideas for guitarists, especially gene bertoncini--classy player. I'll add in Jim Hall's "dedications and inspirations" album as another must hear for a completely different take on the solo setting...

artcore · #4 05-31-2010, 10:38 AM

Gene Bertoncini has a instructional dvd..does anybody have it and what is
your opinion of it?...I did think about ordering a copy...

jseaberry · #5 05-31-2010, 11:27 AM

I have it and it is beautiful to see him play, but odd, as he is not really good at explaining what he does in words, though he does do a lot of clinics. It's like he is so humble and unassuming that it is hard for him to be comfortable talking. If you can pick up visually and audibly what he is doing, it is a masterpiece; however, there is no printed music for slow learners like me (I like to have printed music along with videos to ruminate over later), and the editing is really poor. The chapters are not well divided,and there's a lot of odd jump-cuts. All in all, it is well worth it depending on how quickly you p[ick up things. For me, I've had to look at it 100 times, but I'm admittedly slow.

ronjazz · #6 05-31-2010, 02:26 PM

can't beat the Brazilians, either. Rafael Rabello, Baden Powell, Joao Gilberto, superb soloists, lots of space, colors, tone for days, groove, etc. Earl Klugh has two nice solo recordings. If you're going to be gigging as a solo guitarist, it's nice to have some other influences besides the boppers. Tommy Emmanuel, Guy Van Duser, Paco de Lucia, Van Eps are all saying something from different directions.

ronjazz · #7 05-31-2010, 09:47 PM

tedgreene.com is quite a soursce for his arrangements and techniques.

derek · #8 06-01-2010, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jseaberry

I have it and it is beautiful to see him play, but odd, as he is not really good at explaining what he does in words, though he does do a lot of clinics. It's like he is so humble and unassuming that it is hard for him to be comfortable talking. If you can pick up visually and audibly what he is doing, it is a masterpiece; however, there is no printed music for slow learners like me (I like to have printed music along with videos to ruminate over later), and the editing is really poor. The chapters are not well divided,and there's a lot of odd jump-cuts. All in all, it is well worth it depending on how quickly you p[ick up things. For me, I've had to look at it 100 times, but I'm admittedly slow.

I agree. Gene is a very humble guy, and wonderful player, but if you are looking for instruction of any kind from this dvd, it is not money well spent. However, if you would like a master class sort of performance, and hear a unique voice on guitar in an intimate setting, it is wonderful for that. Same is true of the Joe Beck solo vid. I get a bit more from the Joe vid than Gene though.

As a visual learner, I have most of what is out there on vid for jazz guitar, more recent stuff anyway. Here are the vids I recommend if you want to get solo stuff going.

Joe Pass - Solo Guitar
Joe Diorio - Solo Guitar Concepts
Tuck Andress - Fingerstyle Mastery
Steve Herberman's Lenny Breau lesson on Mikes's Master Classes is really good also. Thanks again James.

Then there are the books.

Jody Fisher- The Total Jazz Guitarist
Howard Morgan - Through Chord Melody and Beyond w/cd
Barry Galbraith arragements I & II
Robert Yelin arrangements
The afore mentioned Ted Greene.

I listen to all of them, as they all have interesting things to say on the instrument. Who you are drawn to style-wise, is of course an individual thing. Good luck

bkdavidson · #9 06-01-2010, 01:59 PM

Thanks for all the replies. I checked out some Gene Bertoncini on youtube. He is definitely a "classy" player. Looks like I've got a lot of other players to look into, as well as some books and videos.

Mr. B, you put a wink after all those pianists, but would it be worth trying to learn some solo piano? Or is it ultimately not idiomatic enough to guitar? I know in classical land a lot of piano music is borrowed; there's even arrangements of Chopin nocturnes. However, a lot of it does not translate well at all.

mr. beaumont · #10 06-01-2010, 02:22 PM

I've done a lot of "trying." some of it just isn't going to happen.

The thing I really like is just stealing some voicings of chords, or at least the essence--a la my mccoy tyner post a few months ago.

And I love sid jacobs' bill evans for guitar book. I never bothered to learn a whole arrangement, but I stole tons of ideas from it.

Lately, though, even though i listen to more piano players, my arrangements have become decidely more "guitaristic," with a lot more open strings and harmonics...my guess is that as of late, I've been playing archtops more than my tele (don't tell anyone at the tdpri) and i think i just flat out like the way those techniques sound on a guitar with acoustic properties...

Gambrosius1984 · #11 06-01-2010, 03:47 PM

I usually take a page from a few guitar players when I play solo jazz gigs. First, I like to play some tunes with the Tal Farlow approach. He has that very loose time, almost free, with his ability to interject basslines, chromatic chords, and licks, whilst holding on to the melody.
YouTube - "Misty" performed by Tal Farlow

Then I like to play some pretty straight chord melodies. I have always favored Charlie Byrds playing when it comes to tasty, elegant chord melodies. YouTube - Charlie Byrd solo

Also, I like to play some Barney Kessel style. He usually plays a straight forward CM, usually with some cool reharmonizations here and there, and always has cool themes and his inventions interjected in the spaces of the melody. YouTube - Barney Kessel (guitar) The shadow of your smile

Other guitarist I like to keep in mind when I am playing are:
Johnny Smith- usually pretty straight forward solo stuff, but very cool chord choices
Kenny Burrell- I like his call and response style solo stuff ala "Soul Lament" YouTube - Kenny Burrell - "Soul Lament"
George Van Eps- What can I say other than awesome. Though a 7 stringer, he has influenced every kind of of solo guitarist.
Joe Pass- Of course

artcore · #12 06-01-2010, 04:14 PM

Ok...but what if you were being sent to devils Island for the rest of your
life and you could only take one solo guitar cd with you..Think about it,
which one would you take?...Right now, Im thinking Ted greene's....I might
change my mind if I think about it a little more....

BigDaddyLoveHandles · #13 06-01-2010, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by artcore

Ok...but what if you were being sent to devils Island for the rest of your
life and you could only take one solo guitar cd with you..Think about it,
which one would you take?...Right now, Im thinking Ted greene's....I might
change my mind if I think about it a little more....

Something by Charo. It's going to be lonely on that island!

bkdavidson · #14 06-01-2010, 08:09 PM

I saw Charo on the Jerry Lewis telethon a couple years ago do a pretty good version of Recuerdos de la Alhambra! Well, pretty good for someone who used to be on The Love Boat.

derek · #15 06-02-2010, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by artcore

Ok...but what if you were being sent to devils Island for the rest of your
life and you could only take one solo guitar cd with you..Think about it,
which one would you take?...Right now, Im thinking Ted greene's....I might
change my mind if I think about it a little more....

Lenny Breau Cabin Fever.

brad4d8 · #16 06-04-2010, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jseaberry

however, there is no printed music for slow learners like me (I like to have printed music along with videos to ruminate over later)

I agree that music would have been nice with this. I also agree that there is a lot to gain in it, but not easy to use. My suggestion is watch the whole thing and if you like a particular area, stop and replay it until you have it pretty much in your head.
Brad

gravitas · #17 06-05-2010, 08:01 AM

Well, if you don't dig seven strings then you miss out on a lot of important solo players. No Lenny Breau. No George Van Eps. No Charlie Hunter.

Still, check these guys out:

Ted Greene: YouTube - Ted Greene playing Autumn Leaves and more pt 1
Paul Meyers: YouTube - Who Cares - Paul Meyers
Tommy Emmanuel: YouTube - Tommy Emmanuel - Somewhere Over the Rainbow
Sylvain Luc: YouTube - Live ! Concert solo of Sylvain Luc 1/2 (nardis)

TommyD · #18 06-05-2010, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by artcore

Ok...but what if you were being sent to devils Island for the rest of your
life and you could only take one solo guitar cd with you..Think about it,
which one would you take?...Right now, Im thinking Ted greene's....I might
change my mind if I think about it a little more....

I'd take a CD on how to build a boat!
tommy/

derek · #19 06-05-2010, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AleikhBaba

since this is on solo guitar, I figure this might be a good place to put this.

The attached .pdf is of a fairly recent solo guitar arrangement that I did for the Beatles tune "She's Leaving Home". When I play it, I usually play it pretty freely, more rubato. If you cats take a look at it, you'll observe that the harmony is very heavily based off the melody, and I haven't really done anything too far out.

I was hoping to get some input on how this looks as a solo guitar arrangment, and what more I can do with it. There are some obvious points of interest (for e.g. where a measure simply stretches out tied to a previous note group).

Also feel free to use it to come up with your own interpretation if it so tickles your fancy

I am at the airport on my phone, so I will check it out tonite. Thanks in advance.

Reg · #20 06-06-2010, 08:45 AM

I read through it... cool, I don't really know the tune, so I had trouble bringing out the melody. Time seems a little weird... why go into 6/8 and 3/8, just put in 3/4 bar, but I might be totally off base, it seem hard to hear Beatles with compound time changes... Freely to me means rubato and fermatas. I'm a jazz player so harmonically it's a little straight and I dig more separate moving parts... but very nice solo...Best Reg

TommyD · #21 06-08-2010, 08:41 AM

I saw a good description on a Joe Pass record liner. Whoever wrote it said that Joe started out (the tune) in that "ruminating" way he has. "Ruminating" in the sense of searching, mulling over, chewing on. It's a perfect way to think about playing "out of rhythm", and it has helped me over the years when I approach a tune in similar fashion.
tommy/

Billnc · #22 05-22-2011, 09:49 PM

YouTube - ‪Billy Strayhorn Sid Jacobs, Lush Life‬&rlm;

Found Sid today, on a search because the length of the gigs I'm doing require a lot of solo work. I play with a pick, but out of all the guys I found he really knocks me out. If it makes sense he's doing me a whole lot better than me! Really artistically this is what I'm after.

ronjazz · #23 05-23-2011, 07:22 PM

Well, that is beautiful, what Sid is doing. I have played hundreds, maybe thousands of solo gigs, and I have found that elaborate arrangements of ballads are only good for a real listening audience. if you're in a restaurant situation, you'll want to keep a more rhythmic approach, as well as some simpler, more familiar tunes in your list. For all of the work it takes to do Lush Life, you can learn 5 or 6 other tunes that more "civilians" will recognize and appreciate (not that reaching for the high art that Sid has is to be ignored), including pop tunes from the Beatles to Elvis, and some nice toetappers like Ain't Misbehavin' or some Jobim. The idea of playing in guitar keys is smart in terms of arranging. Most tunes in Bb translate better to the guitar in A, for instance. Also, I have been playing a bit with a "looper", which allows you to accompany yourself, or build little orchestrations over 4 or 8 bar patterns, etc. Even just playing a rhythm pattern across muted strings can be a great accompaniment effect.

Billnc · #24 05-23-2011, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ronjazz

Well, that is beautiful, what Sid is doing. I have played hundreds, maybe thousands of solo gigs, and I have found that elaborate arrangements of ballads are only good for a real listening audience. if you're in a restaurant situation, you'll want to keep a more rhythmic approach, as well as some simpler, more familiar tunes in your list. For all of the work it takes to do Lush Life, you can learn 5 or 6 other tunes that more "civilians" will recognize and appreciate (not that reaching for the high art that Sid has is to be ignored), including pop tunes from the Beatles to Elvis, and some nice toetappers like Ain't Misbehavin' or some Jobim. The idea of playing in guitar keys is smart in terms of arranging. Most tunes in Bb translate better to the guitar in A, for instance. Also, I have been playing a bit with a "looper", which allows you to accompany yourself, or build little orchestrations over 4 or 8 bar patterns, etc. Even just playing a rhythm pattern across muted strings can be a great accompaniment effect.

Yeah, Bossas always work and it's because of the rhythms, The faster tunes all have a singer, though I'm working up a couple. Thanks for the suggestions, a part of this is pleasing the audience and agree with learning the 5 or 6 tunes to one tough one. Sid was a little light on actual improvisation I think at least from what I saw, but man...

SteveCarter · #25 05-26-2011, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jseaberry

I have it and it is beautiful to see him play, but odd, as he is not really good at explaining what he does in words, though he does do a lot of clinics. It's like he is so humble and unassuming that it is hard for him to be comfortable talking. If you can pick up visually and audibly what he is doing, it is a masterpiece; however, there is no printed music for slow learners like me (I like to have printed music along with videos to ruminate over later), and the editing is really poor. The chapters are not well divided,and there's a lot of odd jump-cuts. All in all, it is well worth it depending on how quickly you p[ick up things. For me, I've had to look at it 100 times, but I'm admittedly slow.

I agree. Gene Bertoncini did a private "master class" at a guitar department faculty meeting while I was teaching there, many years ago. He's a wonderful player, but did not offer much by way of explanation. I did his best to answer questions, but it was his playing, not his speaking, that was most instructive.

Steve

jseaberry · #26 05-26-2011, 10:44 AM

Whew!!! Thank you, Steve!! I hate to sound like I'm being disrespectful to such a master, but he really is an awkward teacher if you want "how" or "why" but unbelievable at "this is what I do". I have followed Steve Carter's posted lessons and journal for years on a nearly daily basis, and I love how clear and understandable his lessons are. Different than Gene; not better or worse, just different.

RememberClifford1 · #27 05-30-2011, 08:05 PM

Joe Pass... BUT ... I know he was mentioned before and that the starter of this thread already knew Joe... I would say to avoid the virtuoso albums because they're intimidating and his style involves a lot of single note stuff and honestly I don't have the chops to make stuff happen that way. Check out the "Unforgettable" album if you haven't already. All standards, beautiful arrangements. Really good at how to make your single note stuff happen in a solo setting. Nice easy tempos. Just really good listening. If you've listened to this already then... sigh... I digress.