What famous/great jazz guitarist do you think you sound the most like?

**jster** · 12-18-2011, 09:52 AM

Scofield is very nice. I have seen him a number of times over the years. I busted his chops when he started using loops and more gadgets and he was laughing saying it was all Frisell's fault for teaching him how they work. Talked to him on other occaisions too. Make him laugh. He's got a good sense of humor. Most of the time, he comes out to the bar after the show, axe slung over his back, and chats and takes photos.

As for listening to people's music, I know a bunch of less well known musicians who don't listen to music people give them. I thought it was pretty much standard to be too busy to listen to other people's music. I think his saying that on his web site is probably a sign of his not wanting to hurt people's feelings; he wants to tell them before they say anything that he is too busy.

The man is busy too. I'd wager that he spends more time in airplanes than 99% of players. His wife books his gigs, so you can imagine!

**aniss1001** · 12-18-2011, 11:57 AM

The other day someone told me I sound a bit like Scofield. I don't think so at all obviously, but I was happy anyway. He is my main influence and I guess I do copy his style quite a bit by constantly changing between blues and jazz feel, frasing and licks. I also tend to improvise using simple yet odd and peculiar melodies in a similiar way. Occasionally doing a run or going outside.

I currently only own a Tele which I am getting very tired of. Just can't get it to sound the way I wan't. If I had the money I would probably buy a Scofield Ibanez model or a similar Gibson. But since I don't I am considering changing the neck pickup to a P90 or similar. But I'm not sure whether it's worth the trouble or whether I would still be unsatisfied with the sound... :/

**texasjazz** · 12-21-2011, 10:39 AM

I was jamming with a pianist once that said "Ok, now give me your best Grant Green impression". We played another take of autumn leaves and he said, "I asked you to play like Grant Green, not to play EXACTLY like Grant Green". I didn't know how to take this, maybe he was just being nice. Maybe there is a hidden neg in it somewhere.

**Soco** · 01-01-2012, 07:52 AM

Originally Posted by aniss1001

The other day someone told me I sound a bit like Scofield. I don't think so at all obviously, but I was happy anyway. He is my main influence and I guess I do copy his style quite a bit by constantly changing between blues and jazz feel, frasing and licks. I also tend to improvise using simple yet odd and peculiar melodies in a similiar way. Occasionally doing a run or going outside.

I currently only own a Tele which I am getting very tired of. Just can't get it to sound the way I wan't. If I had the money I would probably buy a Scofield Ibanez model or a similar Gibson. But since I don't I am considering changing the neck pickup to a P90 or similar. But I'm not sure whether it's worth the trouble or whether I would still be unsatisfied with the sound... :/

I think Scofield actually strated out playing on a tele. There is a youtube clip of him somewhere playing blues on a tele.

**ronjazz** · 01-01-2012, 08:54 AM

Scofield is, indeed, a very nice person. The website info about not sending demos, etc., is also for legal reasons; good management companies protect their clients from lawsuits that way. When I got to know Barney Kessell quite well back in the 70s he told me that jazz fans have a way of taking up a lot of valuable time on breaks with the same silly questions, so he always disappeared during his breaks so that he could replenish his mental energies for the next set. This wasn't because he was anti-social at all, in fact, he would happily spend a half hour with you, after the gig.

**Jessesmit** · 01-01-2012, 09:41 AM

I do not sound like any jazz guitarist yet, not even a bit, I sound like a blues player that just learned a few arpeggios!
Hopefully I'll get somewhere near Robben Ford's thinking and phrasing, and after that, Lenny Breau's, Grant Green's, Pat Martino's, Joe Pass'

**Billnc** · 01-01-2012, 09:30 PM

I don't listen to him much, and I found it so shocking I almost started a thread about such things. I was playing along to some Aerbersold things and was thinking, damn I'm sounding like Duke Robillard of all people. I'm working on leaving things out, Jim Hall would be a more probable influence and I'm trying to shed Martino from my influences a bit in my return to guitar.

The Robillard thing probably comes after so many blues gigs (a few thousand) on bass. As much as I've tried to get away from blues it's in my being permantly. Not saying that's a bad thing. I just listen to jazz far more and like playing it.

**EightString** · 01-04-2012, 09:46 PM

Over the past few years, as I played more and more jazz, I never sat down and learned specific solos or riffs of any particular players.

Instead, I did a lot of listening and absorbing of broader jazz idiom, along with some book study of theory. I spent my time applying my own already developed playing style to this broader jazz idiom, as guided by the theoretical input, and my own theoretical background as a lifelong musician and progressive rock player.

So my jazz style is very melodic and personal, and in a way, built from the ground up without utilizing specific jazz players' riffs.

So it's probably no surprise that, given my building my own jazz style inside-out from the fundamentals, instead of working from the outside in by learning existing solos and reverse-analyzing, that my sound has a certain bop fundamental thing going on, reminiscent of Charlie Christian, but with a few modern elements drawn from my days playing lots of technical rock material.

**raylinds** · 01-05-2012, 01:27 PM

Jimmy Bruno... if he had a car door slammed on both hands.

I never met john Scofield, but I did do shots between sets with Buddy Guy and Luther "Guitar Junior" Johnson at a small club in Mass.

**brwnhornet59** · 01-05-2012, 02:04 PM

I have been told I sound like Barney.

Maybe Barney Rubble is more like it.

**Double 07** · 01-05-2012, 06:47 PM

Originally Posted by brwnhornet59

I have been told I sound like Barney.

Maybe Barney Rubble is more like it.

Hehehe lol. Archeologists recently located the town of Bedrock, it was right next to Atlantis.

**brwnhornet59** · 01-05-2012, 06:50 PM

Nice, home sweet home. Time to tell the wife were movin back to where it all began!

**Synchro** · 02-06-2012, 01:30 AM

I would say that I sound most like Jim Hall with a touch of Wes thrown in. I was taught by Dale Bruning in Denver and he reminds me a lot of Jim Hall so I would imagine that is where I first acquired that influence. When all of my peers were listening to Zeppelin I was wearing out an 8-track of Wes' greatest hits and it's stuck with me ever since.

After Bruning my next instructor was Scott Fraser of Minneapolis. He taught me the Johnny Smith approach so I picked up some linear things there, long arpeggios, etc. That had its effect too and I will be forever grateful for the disciplined technique he taught me.

A number of years back I heard a song on the PA at Barnes & Noble and it sounded like a more accomplished version of me. It sort of shook me up at the time. Since I have ascertained that it was probably Jimmy Rainey.

In any event, for better or for worse, I sound exactly like myself and I probably always will.

**Super Newbie!!** · 02-06-2012, 09:40 AM

I've only been playin for 6 months but I swear I can hear some George Benson in my playing. My wife thinks I am carzy but I think its ture. I am gonna keep on workin' hard so I can get their.

**JazzFanatik** · 02-07-2012, 02:52 PM

I dont' know who i actually sound like...probably no one yet lol.

but I LOVE Kirk whalum and the way he phrases his notes and just how smooth and melodic he plays. so there are a lot of his licks/style in my playing...

I know he's a saxophone player, but I LOVE the way his licks sound on guitar. smooth as butter.