What are the top 30 jazz guitar players of all time?

[brendanmarkhall]

I am doing research for some web content and I was wondering what your thoughts are on the top players of all time? It would interesting to know what you think?

[TruthHertz]

Here we go again.
David

[randalljazz]

okay, i'll play:

django
eddie lang
charlie christian
oscar moore
chuck wayne

tal farlow
jimmy raney
wes
grant green
johnny smith

barney kessel
herb ellis
howard morgen
howard roberts
joe pass

baden powell
charlie byrd
bola sete
lenny breau
ralph towner

john mclaughlin
al dimeola
jim hall
george benson
kenny burrell

ted greene
pat metheny
pat martino
(......*)
(......*)

*any two of the incredible guitar players still making their mark---there are dozens...

[FatJeff]

Ask Guitar Player magazine.

[moray]

Not to forget:

Billy Bauer
Attila Zoller

[hot ford coupe]

That depends on what your point of view is. If you're strictly a fusion player, then Charley Christian goes by the wayside. If you're a died in the wool traditionalist, Al Dimeola goes by the wayside. In my little opinion, I believe the greatest players are the ones that may not be the most technically proficient but have made a watershed contribution to the jazz genre. For example, Freddie Green defined the role of the rhythm guitarist in the big band. Charlie Christian was using the electric guitar as a single line solo instrument opening up a whole new sound. Les Paul---without Les Paul, with all the gizmos he invented, we wouldn't be here in the first place. Lloyd Loar invented the L5 archtop redefining the instrument we love so much. The list goes on and on.

[max_power]

Originally Posted by hot ford coupe

In my little opinion, I believe the greatest players are the ones that may not be the most technically proficient but have made a watershed contribution to the jazz genre. For example, Freddie Green defined the role of the rhythm guitarist in the big band. Charlie Christian was using the electric guitar as a single line solo instrument opening up a whole new sound. Les Paul---without Les Paul, with all the gizmos he invented, we wouldn't be here in the first place. Lloyd Loar invented the L5 archtop redefining the instrument we love so much. The list goes on and on.

That sounds like a different kind of list... Freddie Green may have had a great influence on how guitar players comp, but personally I wouldn't have even thought of him for a list of "greatest" guitar players.

[brad4d8]

Originally Posted by max_power

That sounds like a different kind of list... Freddie Green may have had a great influence on how guitar players comp, but personally I wouldn't have even thought of him for a list of "greatest" guitar players.

That's why a list like this is subjective, he'd definitely be in my top 30, if not top ten.
Brad

[randalljazz]

so let's see your "30", kibitzers

[hot ford coupe]

To explain why I put those guys on the list is because of the great impact they had on a lot of other guitarsist through the years. Something in their playing influenced a great number of other players who may have skills beyond their influence. The thing is that the influence shines through and is highly noticeable in many guitarists of today. Eddie Lang for example influenced Django Rheinhart, Les Paul and about a billion European jazz guitarists. Charlie Christian set an indelible mark on Barney Kessel, Herb Ellis and many more. A list of the "greatest" depends on how you look at it and that's my perspective.

[Vihar]

Top 30 list? Jazz guitar players will never get up there.

[fumblefingers]

my thought is that this is too safe. too many seats on the lifeboats. let's be more discriminating.

lets reduce it to the top 15, 3 players each by 5 style groups. I have taken the liberty to name some players so that you get the idea:

1. swing (Charlie Christian...
2. gypsy jazz (Django...
3. hard bop (Joe Pass...
4. post bop (Wes...
5. fusion (John Mclaughlin...

cheers.

[Tom Karol]

Originally Posted by randalljazz

so let's see your "30", kibitzers

I can only come up with 15 off the top of my head - it's a pretty conventional list. I'm sure there are others deserving of being put in the same category, but I'm just not all that familiar with them. In first-name alphabetical order:

Attila Zoller
Barney Kessell
Charlie Christian
Django Reinhardt
George Benson
George Van Eps
Herb Ellis
Howard Roberts
Jim Hall
Jimmy Raney
Joe Pass
Johnny Smith
Kenny Burrell
Tal Farlow
Wes Montgomery

[monk]

Q: What are the Top 30 Jazz Guitarists?
A: They are jazz guitarists.

Who they are is a different question.

[hot ford coupe]

Originally Posted by monk

Q: What are the Top 30 Jazz Guitarists?
A: They are jazz guitarists.

Who they are is a different question.

Now that's a man with an eye towards detail. Now all we need is the when , why and how.

[medic2022]

Jimmy Bruno

[msr13]

I can't name the best, but I can name my favorites:


tal farlow
jimmy raney
wes
grant green
herb ellis
joe pass
lenny breau
john mclaughlin
al dimeola
jim hall
george benson
ted greene
pat metheny
pat martino
Jesse van Ruller
Andreas Oberg
Kurt Rpsinwinkel
Ed Bickart
Jimmy Bruno
Jonathan Kreisberg
Adam Rogers
Wolfgang Muthspiel
Bill Frisell
Gene Bertoncini
Steve Greene
Lage Lund
Lionel Loueke
Peter Bernstein
Stanley Jordan
Julian Lage

[mr. beaumont]

just do a site about jimmy raney. The world needs one.

[monk]

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

just do a site about jimmy raney. The world needs one.

The Raney Legacy Jon Raney
There you go, B.

[jster]

I knew a guy, monster jazz player, Berklee, etc., who knew the history of 20th century guitar as well as anybody. He used to adamantly argue that BB King deserves all the accolades he has received because, among other reasons, he was the first to harnass distortion and more than anybody really created the modern guitar sound.

[markf]

Originally Posted by TruthHertz

Here we go again.
David

[fumblefingers]

Originally Posted by jster

I knew a guy, monster jazz player, Berklee, etc., who knew the history of 20th century guitar as well as anybody. He used to adamantly argue that BB King deserves all the accolades he has received because, among other reasons, he was the first to harnass distortion and more than anybody really created the modern guitar sound.

Well OK. A couple of questions for your buddy:

1. "the" modern guitar sound? what "sound" is that? style? tone? does it have very much to do with playing or is this more about electronics?

2. approximately when did BB accomplish this, and where are the evidentiary samples? it would be helpful to know this in order to evaluate what other players were doing at the time, and which recordings preceded which etc. then we could decide if we agreed with your buddy or not.

[jster]

Originally Posted by fumblefingers

Well OK. A couple of questions for your buddy:

1. "the" modern guitar sound? what "sound" is that? style? tone? does it have very much to do with playing or is this more about electronics?

2. approximately when did BB accomplish this, and where are the evidentiary samples? it would be helpful to know this in order to evaluate what other players were doing at the time, and which recordings preceded which etc. then we could decide if we agreed with your buddy or not.

Well, we weren't buddies and I won't be able to ask him as he passed away. But he would have been able to give you very detailed answers with specific recordings. As I can remember, he would draw a line from T. Bone Walker through BB King to guys after like Chuck Berry (?). I think it is both tone and style as it is about harnassing distortion. I guess he would say that you won't find anybody earlier than BB King intentionally using a edgy distorted tone. Or course distortion has been around since the first amp, but prior to BB King was something to be avoided.

That's all I got. I only threw it in here because he was a monster player who was a great teacher who had some wickedly strong opinions that were always very well defended. I didn't really like his aesthetic, but that's another matter.

[fumblefingers]

Originally Posted by jster

Well, we weren't buddies and I won't be able to ask him as he passed away. But he would have been able to give you very detailed answers with specific recordings. As I can remember, he would draw a line from T. Bone Walker through BB King to guys after like Chuck Berry (?). I think it is both tone and style as it is about harnassing distortion. I guess he would say that you won't find anybody earlier than BB King intentionally using a edgy distorted tone. Or course distortion has been around since the first amp, but prior to BB King was something to be avoided.

That's all I got. I only threw it in here because he was a monster player who was a great teacher who had some wickedly strong opinions that were always very well defended. I didn't really like his aesthetic, but that's another matter.

fair enough.

[Jabberwocky]

Al Di Meola? Are we serious? Anybody like Kiss My Axe, cheesy title aside?

[fumblefingers]

Originally Posted by Jabberwocky

Al Di Meola? Are we serious? Anybody like Kiss My Axe, cheesy title aside?

Al is enormously talented. Unfortunately, when it comes to Al Dimeola setting the cheese aside is not part of the equation.

[Banksia]

We already have 2 polls on here and it seems the favourites haven't changed much over the years.

http://www.jazzguitar.be/forum/playe...tml#post137150

http://www.jazzguitar.be/forum/playe...ayer-poll.html

[Banksia]

And here's another thread along the same lines:

http://www.jazzguitar.be/forum/playe...guitarist.html

[jmstritt]

I'll just put my top 5 out there... in no particular order...

Jimmy Raney
Wes Montgomery
George Benson
Pat Metheney
Joe Pass

ugh can't stop

Jim Hall
Django Reinhardt
Howard Roberts
Lenny Breau
Ted Greene
Tal Farlow

[Smelodies]

Originally Posted by fumblefingers

fair enough.

This is sweet.

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