Great Jazz Guitar Solos

**Jonah** · 09-10-2015, 09:45 AM

Just ran into this record... rare and great... Wes playing lines against bass and drums only... very cool

**EpiJazz** · 09-10-2015, 08:55 PM

Originally Posted by Doctor Jeff

Funny how many people mention the Wes album at the Half Note but pick different songs. That must mean it's a great record!

Pat Metheny said it was the greatest jazz guitar record.

**MarkRhodes** · 09-10-2015, 09:29 PM

Originally Posted by EpiJazz

Pat Metheny said it was the greatest jazz guitar record.

I think Pat is right about that. It was certainly the record that made me think jazz guitar was worth pursuing. (For the first several years I listened to jazz, I didn't buy many records than even had guitar on them: Miles, Monk, Mingus, Parker (-there was some guitar on some early bebop recordings but it didn't appeal to me and seemed, well, plain and thin after the horns).....

**gggomez** · 09-11-2015, 02:52 AM

1. Benson Cooker, just smokin, puts a smile on my dial:

2. Kurt Rosenwinkel Round Midnight, every note is a treasure and I just want to hear what the next one will be:

If this was considered jazz (Wayne Shorter says it means be bold so maybe it is) this is the greatest guitar solo for me Larry Carlton's Emotions Wound Us So:

**MarkRhodes** · 09-11-2015, 09:49 AM

Originally Posted by Doctor Jeff

Jon Scofield Busted from That's What I Say

That's one of my favorites too. (I played that whole record for a couple months when it came out.) This performance captures what I love most about Sco's playing. When he's bluesy, he moves me!

**Jazz_175** · 09-11-2015, 11:21 AM

mmm....let's see...

Wes Montgomery - Airegin from The Incredible Jazz Guitar of W. Montgomery

Pat Metheny - Lonely Woman from Rejoicing

J. Scofield - Wee from En Route

Pat Metheny - Are you going with me from Offramp

.....I see they are four solos....

**EpiJazz** · 09-11-2015, 08:48 PM

Originally Posted by MarkRhodes

I think Pat is right about that. It was certainly the record that made me think jazz guitar was worth pursuing. (For the first several years I listened to jazz, I didn't buy many records than even had guitar on them: Miles, Monk, Mingus, Parker (-there was some guitar on some early bebop recordings but it didn't appeal to me and seemed, well, plain and thin after the horns).....

There's one Bird record (Ornithology) where the guitarist plays exactly 8 discernible notes...he plays them well!

Pat went on...this: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/25/ar...s-mentors.html says that "If You Could See Me Now" was his favorite solo. So there's his vote!

**danebramaged** · 09-11-2015, 10:17 PM

the best thing about threads like this is that i get to listen to great jazz all day long. (it's better than the radio)

my first jazz album was the "off ramp" lp by pat methany. i loved listening to everything posted above, but i still love watching this live performance.

harmonic ambiguity + major triads/no fear = pat methany w/jaco

**MarkRhodes** · 09-12-2015, 10:16 AM

Originally Posted by danebramaged

the best thing about threads like this is that i get to listen to great jazz all day long. (it's better than the radio)

I hadn't thought of it that way but you make a good point!

**Francesco_** · 09-14-2015, 04:09 PM

I'm gonna say (not in a specific order):

Wes Montgomery - Airegin

Charlie Christian - Tea for Two

Django Reinhardt - Minor Swing

**silverfoxx** · 09-20-2015, 04:48 AM

1) End of a Love Affair - Billy Bean - The Trio
2) Just Friends - Jimmy Raney - Aebersold Solos Volume 20
3) El Gento - Joe Pass - Intercontinental

just three at random ,not forgetting Wes, GB,PM ,Van Epps etc,.ad infinitum.

**EpiJazz** · 09-20-2015, 05:22 AM

Originally Posted by silverfoxx

1) End of a Love Affair - Billy Bean - The Trio
2) Just Friends - Jimmy Raney - Aebersold Solos Volume 20
3) El Gento - Joe Pass - Intercontinental

just three at random ,not forgetting Wes, GB,PM ,Van Epps etc,.ad infinitum.

Jimmy Raney Aebersold

**55bar** · 09-20-2015, 01:05 PM

Hmmm I wonder how long it would take to learn all these... ?

**mr. beaumont** · 09-20-2015, 02:07 PM

Less time than it takes most guitar players to figure out all the books, youtubes, dead ends and get rich quick schemes won't teach you to play jazz as well as the music itself.

**55bar** · 09-20-2015, 03:15 PM

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

Less time than it takes most guitar players to figure out all the books, youtubes, dead ends and get rich quick schemes won't teach you to play jazz as well as the music itself.

Right once I've finished with 4 on 6 I'll start at the top of the thread and work down..... See you in a few years!

**Nabil B** · 09-20-2015, 03:17 PM

Listen to Scofield on that tune, his solo is wonderful :

**mr. beaumont** · 09-20-2015, 03:34 PM

Originally Posted by 55bar

Right once I've finished with 4 on 6 I'll start at the top of the thread and work down..... See you in a few years!

A few years to learn how to play jazz sounds pretty good.

**55bar** · 09-20-2015, 03:38 PM

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

A few years to learn how to play jazz sounds pretty good.

Ok ok.. A few decades to get near the tip of the iceberg.. Then find out I the iceberg keeps getting bigger....and I meant to learn the solos not to learn how to play jazz, the rest of my life would be spent working out why they sound so good

**mr. beaumont** · 09-20-2015, 03:56 PM

Would it?

Or would your ears have developed to a point where you could hear and play just about anything?

Assuming you're learning these solos by ear and not scouring the intermess for "tabz."

**55bar** · 09-20-2015, 04:17 PM

What are tabs.....?

**mr. beaumont** · 09-20-2015, 05:12 PM

Good answer

**EpiJazz** · 09-21-2015, 06:40 AM

Originally Posted by 55bar

What are tabs.....?

I know, I can't read them either! (Seriously!)

**louistopat** · 09-22-2015, 01:30 PM

I'm probably not qualified to opine on the "greatest of all time", but here's my current favorite solos:

1. Pat Metheny - Giants Steps (Trio->Live)
2. Joe Pass - Cherokee (Virtuoso)
3. Kurt Rosenwinkel - More Than You Know (Reflections)

**MaxTwang** · 09-23-2015, 01:53 AM

I'm another one for Pat Metheny's "Are You Going With Me" from Travels. There's a lot of great jazz guitar out there, and so much from Metheny, but "Are You Going With Me" is so memorable, and to me - emotive and intense.