The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #1

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    What's everyone's fav. jazz guitar album - studio or live, doesn't matter?

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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #2

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    There's so may...but to pick something a little "offbeat," since you'll get a lot of good suggestions here...Jim Hall's "Magic Meeting" is appropriately named.

  4. #3

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    Just one (1)? How cruel you are....

  5. #4

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    Sorry, but i have far too many faves to pick just one.
    But...if i had to pick just one for learning, it would be the Joe Pass 'Virtuoso' album, because it's all guitar, and it would probably take me a couple of lifetimes to work out everything he played by ear.
    If it's about pure listening pleasure, i think i'd choose Groove Brothers, the repackaged Montgomery Brothers set (is picking a double album cheating?).

  6. #5

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    Today? probably PMG Speaking of Now

    Tomorrow, something else

  7. #6

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    Johnny Smith Moonlight in Vermont.

  8. #7

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    I have very few favorite anythings, and I don't believe in the concept of "the best". But there's only one album on my list of favorite jazz guitar albums - The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery because it was the one that got me started. I'd bought my first jazz album (Brubeck at Newport '58) and started both my jazz record collection and my Down Beat subscription at 12. The Incredible Jazz Guitar came out about 18 months later, and I got the first copy that arrived at our local record store. It was late spring of my 8th grade year, and I devoted most of the next few months to learning the tunes and as much of the solos as I could play at the time on my Gibson LG-1 with DeArmond pickup and a Kay 503. I used to practice in bed under my blankets when I was supposed to be asleep.

    I started high school that fall and had earned enough over the summer to buy a clean, repossessed 345 and a used Ampeg Reverberocket, with which I was gigging almost every weekend. But every time I looked at the album jacket and saw Wes with his 175, I wanted one even more because (in my mind, at least) it was a "real" jazz guitar and the 345 was not. I studied the album harder than I ever studied any subject in school and actually got fairly decent at playing a lot of it (although usually with a pick, except when playing octaves). No one would have mistaken me for Wes if they heard me around the corner, but I was OK for a 14 year old. I was good enough to play parties and dances with my equally skilled buddies, which was all I needed to keep going while I worked on my jazz chops.

    I must have told my dealer every week how much I wanted a 175, and he lent me a series of decent used archtops to try. But in my mind, there was only one guitar for me - and every time I looked at Wes on that album cover, I wanted one more. By the time I was in my 2nd year of high school, he somehow came up with a really clean '60 175DN that he swapped even for my 345. I had to accept a ratty old Gretsch case for it or pay for a Gibson case, but I also had to buy a better amp. So the old grey case was fine with me.

    Once I got the 175, I spent hours in front of the album jacket looking at Wes and playing along with the record. And every once in a while, I still do that now (although not with a 175 - that's long gone and the reason for my screen name). I have 3 vinyl editions and 3 CDs of it, and I love it more now than I did the day I got that first copy!

  9. #8

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    My favourites change every now and then, certainly the Wes records mentioned so far would be candidates. But at the moment I keep returning to this one - I count it as one because it all comes from the same gig!

    Favorite Jazz Guitar Album?-35ad542a-62ea-42e5-a4d2-c2871d2ce42a-jpegFavorite Jazz Guitar Album?-654faff2-a926-40ad-b730-e367a7e08430-jpeg

  10. #9

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    Wes Montgomery Tequila. It got me started. And I have two vinyl copies of it in my record collection.

  11. #10

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    I have 2:

    Favorite Jazz Guitar Album?-jpg

    Favorite Jazz Guitar Album?-b-jpg

  12. #11

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    While I have always loved jazz guitars, actually listening to and playing jazz is still pretty new to me. The first album I got, which actually was a while ago (sometime in the 70's) was Joe Pass' Virtuoso #2, which my Dad got me after knocking over, stepping on and breaking my copy of Yes' Close To The Edge. I was furious when I got it, because I was a good way through learning CTTE and thought he knew that and would just replace it, but no. I did end up getting a few lessons in the early 80's and when asked what song I wanted to learn I said "On Green Dolphin Street" because it was my favorite of Virtuoso #2.

    I'm a big fan of Wes' "The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery" as probably everyone is, but I'll also add Pat Metheny's "Bright Size Life" and Jimmy Bruno's "Burnin' ". I've really been digging Kenny Burrell's playing lately, but with 400+ albums where do you start with him? Midnight Blue is on the way, hopefully will be in the mail when I get home from work.

  13. #12

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    The Incredible jazz guitar of Wes Montgomery. Wes gave me a lantern and showed me the path......

  14. #13

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    Smokin' At The Half Note - Wes Montgomery and Wynton Kelly Trio

  15. #14

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    If I had to go with one album, today, it would be Jimmy Raney - The Master.

  16. #15

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    My ATF is Paul Desmond/Jim Hall "Glad To Be Unhappy".

    One I've been listening to a lot lately is Joe Beck, "Get Me Joe Beck". It isn't even the sort of thing I usually like since it's all standards, but he is just soooo good.

  17. #16

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    Is this cheating?

    Favorite Jazz Guitar Album?-71wmbijkcsl-_sl1200_-jpg

  18. #17

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    yes

  19. #18

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    Favorite Jazz Guitar Album?-img_20210922_123505-jpg

    I have a real soft spot for Kenny Burrell's Listen To The Dawn album (1980). Trio with the wonderful Rufus Reid and Ben Riley. My dad got me a copy when I was a kid. Beautiful chord melody ballads, that swing hard. Just gorgeous.

    Last edited by Simon1234; 09-27-2021 at 04:39 AM.

  20. #19

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    The albums mentioned are all super. I want to put a vote in for Two for the Road, by Herb Ellis and Joe Pass.

  21. #20

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    Quote Originally Posted by jim777
    which my Dad got me after knocking over, stepping on and breaking my copy of Yes' Close To The Edge.
    I’ve still got my old vinyl copy of Close to the Edge. In fact my son bought a fancy reissue CD copy a couple of years ago, I’d been curious to hear how it compared.

    Everyone was out of the house a few days ago, so I had a nostalgia trip playing Siberian Khatru from the CD at full blast, it sounded great!

    It reminded me that some of Steve Howe’s guitar solos (on his Gibson 175?) sound quite jazzy, i.e. fast notes on the neck pickup with a clean sound. I remember liking the sound of those solos long before I got into jazz proper. Probably paved the way a bit.

  22. #21

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    It varies by the day.

    But this one is always in mind:


  23. #22

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    Joe Pass the original Virtuoso recording got me started. To this day I still listen to it and even quite a bit lately.

  24. #23

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    Pat Martino, Live at Yoshi's

  25. #24

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    I could say Wes Smokin @ the Half Note, but Pat Martino's debut, El Hombre

  26. #25

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    Like most everyone else, I have dozens of albums that I like a lot, but if I had to choose just one with a gun to my head, it would probably be this one.