TOP 100 Jazz Guitar Albums

[gwiz729]

Charlie Christian - The Genious of the Electric Guitar
Johnny Smith - Moonlight in Vermont
Wes Montgomery - Smokin' at the Half Note
Wes Montgomery - So much guitar (it's got that feeling to me)
Joe Pass - Virtuoso
Joe Pass - For Django
George Benson - In Concert- Carnegie Hall
George Benson - Cookbook
Pat Martino - El Hombre
Jim Hall - Concierto
Pat Metheny - Bright Size or Metheny/Mehldau, or a couple others
Danny Gatton and Joey Defrancesco - Relentless
John Scofield - En Route
Kurt Rosenwinkel - The Next Step
Theo Bleckman with Ben Monder - Excavation
Allan Holdsworth - None too Soon
Jonathan Kriesberg - South of Everywhere

[bluesman39]

Carlos Santana and John McGlaughlin: Love, Devotion, Surrender

[jimbohenningmd]

Hi,

My 2 cents...These three have had a major influence... be on the list:
(1) Lenny Breau
(2)Mick Goodrick
(3) Tuck Andress...all 3 have pushed the technique into the extraordinary
(4)Jimmy Bruno..transformed the way people can access learning

[Mikka]

Yeah, Tuck is a Master !

[Scotto]

1. Wes - Smokin at the Half Note (Verve 2 CD set)
2. Grant Green - Idle Moments
3. Pat Martino - El Hombre

[3shiftgtr]

So much mentioned here that I won't repeat (Wes, Jim Hall, etc). So here's some on my list that haven't been mentioned yet....

Metheny - Trio Live (redefined the jazz guitar trio)
Scofield - Pick Hits Live (the blue matter band, minus Jim Beard, playing with FIRE!!!)
Mike Stern - These Times (His playing is consistent over the past 2 decades, but on this one it is the TUNES, man)
Holdsworth/Gambale - Truth in Shredding (pure electric fusion guitar chops porn)
Kazumi Wantanabe - The Spice of Life and The Spice of Life Too (this music is about the JOY and FUN....they JOY of playing and the tunes are FUN!)

[frogeye]

.. and to share some of my favourites in line with all the good stuff that was posted before and to share some maybe lesser known examples of inspiring jazz guitar playing

Well known:

Pat Martino - We'll be together again
Joe Pass - For Django
Wes Montgomery - Smokin' at the Half Note
Johnny Smith - Moonlight in Vermont
Kenny Burrell - Laid Back (Re-Issue of early 70's recordings)
Pat Metheny - Rejoicing
John Scofield & John Abercrombie - Solar
Ted Greene - Solo Guitar

Lesser known (well this would be for you to decide):

Cal Collins - By Myself (Solo Guitar)
Joe Diorio - Bonita
Kenny Poole - For George: Tribute to Master

Cheers,

Boris

[frogeye]

Originally Posted by 3shiftgtr

So much mentioned here that I won't repeat (Wes, Jim Hall, etc). So here's some on my list that haven't been mentioned yet....

Metheny - Trio Live (redefined the jazz guitar trio)
Scofield - Pick Hits Live (the blue matter band, minus Jim Beard, playing with FIRE!!!)
Mike Stern - These Times (His playing is consistent over the past 2 decades, but on this one it is the TUNES, man)
Holdsworth/Gambale - Truth in Shredding (pure electric fusion guitar chops porn)
Kazumi Wantanabe - The Spice of Life and The Spice of Life Too (this music is about the JOY and FUN....they JOY of playing and the tunes are FUN!)

Great picks! Allan Holdsworth's solo over Humpty Dumpty (Truth in Shredding) is simply mind-blowing in my book. In regards to Kazumi I'd add Mobo I and Mobo II. Both records were recorded around the same time as the John Scofield's Pick Hits and released on the same label. Great fusion stuff.

[cisco kid]

The "Progressions 100 years of Jazz Guitar" (Columbia/Legacy) is great. It's a box set of 4 cds from it's origins relating to jazz guitar to the present pretty comprehendsive compilation of tunes by jazz guitarist some jazz fusion even a little of Carlos Santana and Hendrix but 99.9% jazz guitar players.

[mstevenson]

A page earlier, someone mentioned Lenny Breau. I was fortunate to have jammed with Lenny along with David Foster back in 1973 in Vacouver, BC.

There were nightly jam sessions a an after-hours coffee house named 'The Nucleus' and both Breau and Foster were part of the 'house' band. It was both fun and educational playing with them three to four nights a week over a month long gig that my group was playing. Lenny Breau was awesome!!

[jeffstritt]

Here are my top ten...

1. Wes Montgomery, Full House
2. Wes Montgomery, Guitar on the Go
3. Kenny Burrell, A Night at the Village Vanguard
4. Jim Hall, Live!
5. Joe Pass, Virtuoso
6. Pat Martino, El Hombre
7. Johnny Smith, Walk Don't Run
8. Pat Metheney, Trio LIve
9. Howard Roberts, The Magic Band Live at Donte's
10. Barney Kessel, Kessel Plays Carmen

[Foulds Jazz Guitars]

Very difficult to choose just 10!

in no order

George Benson - Breezin'
Johnny Smith - Moonlight In Vermont
Joe Diorio - I Remember You
Joe Pass - For Django
John McLaughlin - After The Rain
Kenny Burrell - Midnight Blue
Pat Martino - Live at Yoshi's
Sheryl Bailey - Live at The Fat Cat
Wes Montgomery - Smokin' at The Half Note
Joe Pass - Virtuoso

[coolvinny]

It appears that nobody mentioned Cannonball Adderley's "Somethin' Else" album, which I find surprising. I think it's right up there with some of the classics that were mentioned numerous times such as Kind of Blue, Virtuoso, Midnight Blue, etc. For those of you unfamiliar with this album, the line up is all-star with Adderley, Miles Davis, Hank Jones, Art Blakey and Sam Jones...

[jeffstritt]

Originally Posted by coolvinny

It appears that nobody mentioned Cannonball Adderley's "Somethin' Else" album, which I find surprising. I think it's right up there with some of the classics that were mentioned numerous times such as Kind of Blue, Virtuoso, Midnight Blue, etc. For those of you unfamiliar with this album, the line up is all-star with Adderley, Miles Davis, Hank Jones, Art Blakey and Sam Jones...

I think that this was a jazz guitar list. No guitar player on Somethin' Else would explain why it isnt here. That album is one of my favorites though and has arguably the best version of Autumn Leaves with Miles playing the head. I also like the tune Somethin' Else.

To meet you halfway, I'll add that there is a great album called Cannonball Adderly and the Poll Winners that has Wes on guitar and that is a pretty swinging record. Very early Christian influenced Wes!

[zxzxzx]

I would add bassist Steve Swallow's album "Always Pack Your Uniform On Top" with guitarist Mick Goodrick to this list.

[coolvinny]

Originally Posted by jeffstritt

I think that this was a jazz guitar list. No guitar player on Somethin' Else would explain why it isnt here. That album is one of my favorites though and has arguably the best version of Autumn Leaves with Miles playing the head. I also like the tune Somethin' Else.

To meet you halfway, I'll add that there is a great album called Cannonball Adderly and the Poll Winners that has Wes on guitar and that is a pretty swinging record. Very early Christian influenced Wes!

True...but Kind of Blue was mentioned many times. I'll have to check out that album you mentioned since I really like Adderley's playing and hearing him with Wes would be awesome.

[3shiftgtr]

Originally Posted by frogeye

Great picks! Allan Holdsworth's solo over Humpty Dumpty (Truth in Shredding) is simply mind-blowing in my book. In regards to Kazumi I'd add Mobo I and Mobo II. Both records were recorded around the same time as the John Scofield's Pick Hits and released on the same label. Great fusion stuff.

Yeah man, the Grammavision label in the 80's is to fusion what the Blue Note label in the 50's is to jazz!

And the Humpty solo is one of AH's best!

[Chuck Mott]

I want to add a new rule to making this list that you can't have the same artist twice in your list: Here's mine, and I'm a connoisseur of such lists. For jazz in general, I've never been disappointed with Scaruffi's list of top 200 jazz albums. Everything recommended there is a gem. Anyway, my list, although in no particular order:

Virtuoso # 1 - Joe Pass
The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery - Wes Montgomery
Bright Size Life - Pat Metheny
Midnight Blue - Kenny Burrell
The Genius Of The Electric Guitar - Charlie Christian
Play - Mike Stern
Quintette Du Hot Club De France - Django REinhardt
Beyond The Blue Horizon - George Benson
ELegant Gypsy - AL Dimeola
History Mystery - Bill Frisell

[mathieu76]

Mines are:

Pat Metheny - Offramp
Doug and Jimmy Raney - Stolen moments
Wes - Full house
Joe Pass - For Django
George Benson - Breezin'
Allan Holdswoth - Metal Fatigue
Bireli Lagrene - Routes to Django
Barney Kessell - The poll winners
Andy McKee - Art of Motion
Jim Hall & Ron Carter - Alone together

... and any Django Reinhardt compilation!

[Chuck Mott]

Pat Metheny, Speaking Of Now. High on my list of favorite Metheny ALbums. I'm a little obsessive (o.k. more then ust a little and take these lists seriously, in other words trying to collect everything on them. Over a third of the way there with nthe best jazz guitar albums list).

[Chuck Mott]

Originally Posted by coolvinny

It appears that nobody mentioned Cannonball Adderley's "Somethin' Else" album, which I find surprising. I think it's right up there with some of the classics that were mentioned numerous times such as Kind of Blue, Virtuoso, Midnight Blue, etc. For those of you unfamiliar with this album, the line up is all-star with Adderley, Miles Davis, Hank Jones, Art Blakey and Sam Jones...

That's because it is a best of jazz guitar list. That album appears high on other lists.

[Swinger]

Originally Posted by Lostchord

Joe Pass - Virtuoso
Joe Pass - Live at Montreaux
Joe Pass and Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen - Chops
Lenny Breau - Live on Bourbon Street
John McLaughlin - After the Rain
Keith Jarrett - Koln Concert
Kurt Rosenwinkel - Deep Song
Joe Henderson - So Near, So Far
Wes Montgomery - Full House
Theloneous Monk - Straight, no Chaser
Miles Davis - Kind of Blue

Crap...where do you stop?

Who plays the guitar on "Kind of Blue"?))))))))))))))

[Chuck Mott]

Originally Posted by Swinger

Who plays the guitar on "Kind of Blue"?))))))))))))))

Suggestion for new thread: Non-guitar albums or non guitarists most influential on guitarists, probably such as Kind Of Blue, Giant Steps, Charlie Parker, Bill Evans, etc.

[wolfgang-gerhard]

hi folks,

here´s my first post:

I think, Tal Farlow (spec. with his trio work together with Eddy Costa and Winnie Burke) is a must on this list.
But besides, are 100 albums not far to few to give an overview of those huge loads of great (best?) music produced in the name of jazz ?

greets wolfgang

[Harry]

Hello there,

I woke up receiving a mail about a recent post regarding the best
guitar albums. A while ago I stumbled on an album of an artist who has
never been mentioned in any list as far as I remember.
So, check out :

Martin Taylor / album : Gold

I mention this particular album of Taylor bacause it shows what he's capable of in many different styles !

[Synchro]

Jim Hall Commitment (My absolute favorite. Walk Soft, Lament for a Fallen Matador.)

Jim Hall Live! (My first taste of the "hard stuff" at the ripe age of twenty)

Paul Desmond Live (My introduction to the genius of Ed Bickert)

Dale Bruning and Paul Warburton Our Delight (A somewhat obscure Guitar/Bass duo album form the '80s)

Hank Garland Jazz Winds From A New Direction

Johnny Smith Johnny Smith

Jim Hall and Ron Carter Alone Together

Hank Garland Jazz In New York (Hank sounded a lot like Johnny Smith on this one)

Jimmy Raney But Beautiful (Just good old-school Jazz guitar)

Jim Hall All Across the City (OK, I'll admit I'm a big fan of Mr. Hall)

[jmstritt]

If there must be ten...

1. Wes Montgomery, Full House
2. Wes Montgomery, Boss Guitar
3. Jim Hall and Ron Carter, Alone Together
4. Jim Hall, Live!
5. Sonny Rollins, The Bridge
6. Pat Metheney Trio Live 99-00
7. Pat Metheney, Question and Answer
8. Kenny Burrell and John Coltrane, Kenny Burrell and John Coltrane
9. Jimmy Raney, Live in Tokoyo '76
10. Howard Roberts, The Magic Band Live at Donte's

[HanaTeens]

My last student just came in while I was posting and we spent the lesson trying different options, all we really learned was that modulating down a major third sounds real nice. It is very very good.

[jwjohnson@shaw.ca]

I'll add these to the list:

Great Guitars (1975) Charlie Byrd, Barney Kessel, Herb Ellis

(Life concert at the Concord Summer Festival - fantastic guitar playing!)

Byrd by the Sea (1974) Charlie Byrd live at Howard Rumsey's Concerts by the Sea. (great reproduction of acoustic live guitar concert)

Ellington is Forever (1975) Kenny Burrell and some special friends. (Kenny is at his tastful best here, while supporting some other great musicians).

Kenny Burrell and John Coltrane (late fifties Kenny Burrell, great playing)

Moe Koffman Live at Georges (1975) - Ed Bickert is absolutely awesome, with Don Thompson, Moe Koffman and other great supporting cast.

[Carpal55]

I would throw in 2;

- Pat Martino: Starbright (esp. Neferttiti, Fall and the tone of that Koontz!)
- Joe Henderson: So Near So Far (for Sco's playing!)