TOP 100 Jazz Guitar Albums

[lkpearson12]

Lenny Breau: Hallmark Sessions and Mosaic which I believe has his sick version of Freight Train.
Barney Kessel: Poll Winners
Tal: Any
Kenny Burrell: So many
Wes: Increidible Jazz Guitar (listened to it everyday for 3 years hoping it would rub off on me)

Buy most of the tunes on itunes where its easy to pick and choose tunes I like.

[franco6719]

Wes: Increidible Jazz Guitar (listened to it everyday for 3 years hoping it would rub off on me

Excellent. I have transcribed myself or memorized from transcription almost all the solos on that one. Sometimes I just let it run and play along with Wes note-for-note and try to make the "feel" and phrasing transfer into my playing a bit, without becoming a "lick clone". It's not as easy as it sounds. Anyway, maybe I will post my transcriptions. Right now, I'm in one of my negative phases where I wonder what the heck anything I practice is accomplishing though.

[markf]

I see Bill Frizzell in there.

what is that people like about Bill Frizzell's playing and music?

Is it amazing technique? great sound? melody? nice chords? great tunes? dazzling improvisation?


I heard one album from twenty or more years ago that I liked, he had a cool original sound.

But ten years ago or so, I saw him play live, and I didn't enjoy it. And I got his "Nashville" album, and didn't enjoy it.

so, what is it? What do you like about his music and his guitar playing? I'm
curious.

ok, slag me now.

( I also think there were and are lots of trumpet players better than Miles Davis, so beat on me, get on with it!)

[mstevenson]

This is really a must hear selection:

Kenny Burrell "Guitar Forms". Released in the late 60's.

[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

[Scotto]

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

[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

[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

[JazzVocab]

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

[zxzxzx]

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

[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).

[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

[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

[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!)

[JazzHifi]

John Scofield & Pat Metheny: Summertime

Mathias Eick - The Door
Miles - Doo Bop
Jeff Beck - Blow by Blow
John Mc Laughlin -Floating Point
Al di Meola - Plays Piazolla
Al di Meola - Elegant Gypsy
Miles - Tutu
Pat Metheny -The Road To You
..... but there are so many great albums i cant list them :-)

[ayankus]

I'm new to this site and have been enjoying some of the threads, recordings and sharing of tips. Great fun! Re: top jazz guitar albums--I saw some Kenny Burrell but didn't see "Up the Street, 'Round the Corner, Down the Block" with Richard Wyands on piano and Jerome Richardson on saxes and flute. One of the best versions of Afro Blue is on this LP. Also, "Wesbound" by Lee Ritenour...a wonderful tribute to Wes Montgomery. Lastly, "Buddies" with Buddy Spicher on violin, Buddy Emmons on steel guitar, Lenny Breau and Bucky Barrett on guitars. Fine stuff on this album. Thanks for all that you've shared.

[LukasTrixl]

So what about:

Michael Sagmeister - Bouncing Around
Norbert Gottschalk/Frank Haunschild - The art of a duo
Bireli Lagrene - Summertime
Wes Montgomery - A dynamic new sound
Joe Pass/Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen - Chops
Bill Evans/Jim Hall - Intermodulation
Michael Sagmeister/Britta Medeiros - When the moment sings
Diana Krall - All for you