Too late to be a great jazz guitarist starting at 26 years old?

**djg** · 03-26-2024, 09:37 AM

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

Well son of a gun! Didn't know this one...what was the original session called?

reaching out. i consider falling in love with love his best recorded solo

**wintermoon** · 03-26-2024, 09:55 AM

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

Well son of a gun! Didn't know this one...what was the original session called?

Bought Green Blues about 40 yrs ago but wasn't aware it was a reissue of the Dave Bailey session until later. It was reissued again under Grants name on cd on Black Lion w the same title as the orig, Reaching Out w alternate takes which was interesting after having the solos ingrained in my head all those yrs. The Green Blues lp on Muse was also reissued later.
An original copy of the 1961 Dave Bailey lp is rare and will set you back hundreds of samolians.

**RobbieAG** · 03-26-2024, 01:26 PM

It depends on what you mean by "great". When I think of great, I think of all the top level jazz guitar luminaries such as Wes Montgomery, Jim Hall, Joe Pass, Pat Martino, George Benson and others. I wouldn't say it's impossible, but very unlikely you'll become one of those (that's unlikely no matter what age you start). If you have talent and work hard at it, you should be able to hang with some good players and get some gigs. It would be a tough way to make a living - it'd be best to keep your day job.

**murrayatuptown** · 03-27-2024, 11:33 AM

I thought that could be like the old term 'monster player'. Real old. Was that for people who were good enough to scare other players out of the room? Or 'bad' enough in more old vernacular?

I read a lot of the responses & began to note it was turning into a conversation among the respondents and forgot about the OP.

So I just clicked on his username to see if he was part of the conversation...he replied once and has a 3rd post that I can't find.

So I'll be an optimist & assume he's off practicing.

Or I'm wrong and he went to Reddit to be a karma farma.

I left that Reddit scene. That was the only inspiration I got there. Maybe I'm too old for Reddit.

**oldHaus** · 03-28-2024, 02:13 PM

Tal Farlow started when he was 29.

Wes Montgomery started when he was 20.

Everything Jimi Hendrix achieved was done in 27 years.

Everything Charlie Christian achieved was done in 24 years.

Even if you start now, could you not at least learn everything they knew by the time you're 50-60 years old?

The best thing you can do is honour the tradition, recognize that we stand on the shoulders of giants, learn something well enough to take it out into the world and share it with your community. Gig, jam, teach, go to shows, be a supportive member of your scene.

Edit: you could also go to jail for a while like Joe Pass, lots of free time in there apparently...

**Bobby Timmons** · 03-28-2024, 02:23 PM

^ A bit of bunk info in that post. Tal started at 22, and CC died at 25.

**princeplanet** · 03-28-2024, 11:01 PM

Wes was playing Tenor guitar from his early teens...

**Spir4L** · 04-03-2024, 05:02 PM

I would listen to what Theo Croker says:

https://www.instagram.com/theocroker/reel/C04BKn3O1uZ/

**pawlowski6132** · 04-08-2024, 04:31 PM

Originally Posted by Zlobert98

Hey guys i want to ask you this(may sound silly) is it too late for me to become a great jazz player starting this late? I want to get good and play gigs at bars while im young. I played guitar from 16-18 and now my interested spiked again big time. Thanks in advance to everyone!

I'm 56 right now. I started seriously practicing during COVID. I have a full time job and three teenage boys and an active social life that keep me busy outside of the house. I'm also learning Web Development.

I GUARANTEE I'll be playing out locally (Detroit) within the next year or so.

You don't have to be great to comp in a group.

**Kirk Garrett** · 04-09-2024, 08:36 PM

Originally Posted by pawlowski6132

I'm 56 right now. I started seriously practicing during COVID. I have a full time job and three teenage boys and an active social life that keep me busy outside of the house. I'm also learning Web Development.

I GUARANTEE I'll be playing out locally (Detroit) within the next year or so.

You don't have to be great to comp in a group.

Similar boat here. When do you practice/play? I do it in 10 minute snatches during the day and…whenever I can at night.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**AllanAllen** · 04-10-2024, 09:32 AM

40 years old. Bought the Mickey Baker book during covid lockdowns. I practice 8-10pm, after my boys, 8 and 6 right now, go to bed.

You guys should be going to jazz jams already, are you?

I have my own little group, and it's true what they say. If you get paying gigs, musicians will show up, bass player and trumpet player in my band both have music degrees and the drummer has is 60 and has been gigging since he was a kid.

We started off with the 25 songs I could play as our set, and it was easily 40% blues heads. They'll ask me if I know something and I never do, but I'll learn it, add it to my repertoire and put it on the set for our next gig. I can't tell if the drummer is joking about Giant Steps or wants us to play it, but that's not going on, nobody want's to hear my sorry ass stumble over Giant Steps.

Anyway, get to a jam and get some phone numbers. Then get over to facebook events and search jazz and set the sort to "near me" or whatever. That's your venue list. Usually they provide an email right on the FB page. Once you get a gig, it'll be like 3 months away, venues don't book Saturday night on Monday morning. Once you get a gig, call those cats you met at the jam and tell them you want to get a band together for the date, ask if they can make a rehearsal before. A single rehearsal, and have your shit together, this means no lead sheets for you, if you call a song, it needs to be one you can get the head and changes on without a sheet. You want to show them that, even though you are green, you aren't a hack relying on all the crutches.

Speaking of sheets.... Well before rehearsal, give them a list of your 25/30 songs with keys and what Real Book they are in. Make it easy on the band. The easier it is for them, the more likely they'll hang around. As far as I care, the rest of my band can use sheets. I can't expect them to know the obscure stuff I do.... Serenade to a Cuckoo, A Smo-o-o-o-th one, or Without Your Love. I didn't go through a jazz program, so I just learned How High The Moon for Fridays gig and I've only played Chameleon at a jam night. I still don't know All The Things You Are, even 5 years in, I'm still green.

Anyway, my point is... this below, that's the right attitude.

I GUARANTEE I'll be playing out locally (Detroit) within the next year or so.

**Paleoman** · 11-27-2024, 05:50 PM

I am not sure what you mean by this statement. Please explain, and include an explanation of how Joe Pass, Barney Kessel, Martin Taylor, etc. would not be considered jazz guitarist. I am not trolling here, but I think your explanation will necessarily take you into a definition of jazz itself, which I would like to read. Thank you.

**Bobby Timmons** · 11-27-2024, 09:34 PM

No way Op is on his way to being a 'great' jazz guitarist within 7 years lol. He probably quit again by now.

**RJVB** · 12-08-2024, 11:09 AM

Can't recall at which age the OP started, but re: the idea you have to start playing an instrument at a really young age to be able to become great ... check out an apparent phenomenon I stumbled across the other day:

She started playing the piano at 14 if we have to believe her bio. No idea from when the above recording is but she's only a few years beyond twice that age now. Nothing is impossible but I find it hard to believe that she didn't play any (other) instrument before ...

**Doug B** · 12-08-2024, 12:21 PM

Originally Posted by RJVB

Can't recall at which age the OP started, but re: the idea you have to start playing an instrument at a really young age to be able to become great ... check out an apparent phenomenon I stumbled across the other day:

She started playing the piano at 14 if we have to believe her bio. No idea from when the above recording is but she's only a few years beyond twice that age now. Nothing is impossible but I find it hard to believe that she didn't play any (other) instrument before ...

Yes, but how many of us look great in a mini skirt? (sorry, couldn't resist)

**Bobby Timmons** · 12-08-2024, 01:00 PM

14 isn't late to start. Especially not to master the lowest form of piano: boogie woogie.

**pamosmusic** · 12-08-2024, 01:07 PM

I started playing guitar at 14

**DawgBone** · 12-08-2024, 01:14 PM

Originally Posted by Bobby Timmons

14 isn't late to start. Especially not to master the lowest form of piano: boogie woogie.

Ler's see your stride and boogie chops or are we mad at the woogie?

LOL

**Bobby Timmons** · 12-08-2024, 01:22 PM

I dont play boogie woogie because I hate it. Why would I work that crap up?

I likes me some Monk stride but I don't like the style enough to work on it.

**RJVB** · 12-08-2024, 01:27 PM

Originally Posted by Doug B

Yes, but how many of us look great in a mini skirt? (sorry, couldn't resist)

I can resist the urge to observe I've seen even greater

Originally Posted by DawgBone

Ler's see your stride and boogie chops or are we mad at the woogie?

Yeah. Musically it isn't very complex (not very relevant here) and even if it's less difficult technically than it seems there's still a level of control and coordination going on that probably require having started at a young enough age for the brain to develop the proper way.

**RJVB** · 12-08-2024, 01:31 PM

Originally Posted by pamosmusic

I started playing guitar at 14

I started violin at 9 but only became really serious about it in my very early 20s (after my teacher had confirmed to me at 17 or so that, sure, I could go to conservatory if I really wanted). I could have ended up with regular paying projects if I'd stayed in the Netherlands but definitely not an internationally acclaimed phenomenon.