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Jimmy Raney Jazz Guitar Tabs

Jimmy Raney was born in 1927 in Kentucky. His first big job was in 1948 with Woody Herman.

Jimmy Raney has a relaxed and confident guitar style and a quiet tone. His phrases are bop influenced, but his sound is in the tradition of the cool jazz.

His best work is together with Stan Getz with whom he worked in 1951-1952 and 1962-1963 and in the Red Norvo Trio (1953-1954). After his last work with Stan Getz he disappeared from the music scene, but had a revival in the 70s.

Jimmy Raney has a guitar playing son, Doug Raney, whom he made several recordings with. Jimmy died in 1995.

Recommended listening: Jimmy Raney: A

II V I Lick

1) This fast lick is transcribed from Jimmy Raney's solo improvisation on 'Watch What Happens', as played on the album Live in Tokyo (click to listen to a sample mp3).

The lick begins with an Em7 arpeggio, followed by an F#m7 arpeggio (more about this improvisation technique in this guitar lesson). The phrase starting on the second half of the second beat is a chromatic approach to the next phrase.

Jimmy Raney published a book with transcriptions of some of his guitar solos:

Jimmy Raney Solos By Jimmy Raney. Note-for-note transcriptions from Volume 29 of the Aebersold series. Level: intermediate, advanced. Book.
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Here's the Sibelius file:

The Sibelius Score