Contemporary Jazz Guitarists

**aPAULo** · 04-27-2007, 11:46 PM

Im looking for some current jazz guitarists that I should look into. Again, I would prefer more of Wes influenced style, but ill take any reccommendations.

Also, who is your favorite contemporary jazz guitarist?

**wizard3739** · 04-28-2007, 02:47 AM

Try Doug Raney, influenced by Wes, Jim Hall, Pat Martino and his father Jimmy Raney. Listen to him on Steeplechase Productions (about 9 or 10 cd releases). Also Howard Alden with about 9-10 cd releases on Concord.

**seanlowe** · 04-28-2007, 08:25 AM

Femi Temowo is a good one (not sure about spelling, plays with soweto kinch)
Try lookin at other instruments man, in the language of wes there are more horn players than guitarists who are similar; JJ Johnson the trombonist, lots of steve swallow, gerard presencer, any relaxed joe lovano. To be honest I'm struggling, but thats only because of my brains low recall facilities, but i guarantee there are plenty out there you will learn very much from.

**aPAULo** · 04-28-2007, 10:41 PM

Youre right it doesnt really matter I guess what instrument it is.(I prefer guitar) Any instrument will do. Thanks so far for the suggestions.

**pete** · 04-28-2007, 11:08 PM

Mimi Fox.

She's awesome.

**mike_k** · 05-10-2007, 01:04 PM

I agree with Pete. Mimi Fox has got some massive chops.

**aPAULo** · 05-10-2007, 05:42 PM

Hmmmm never heard of her before. I will have to look into her a little more. Thanks for the suggestions and Ill try to, from now on, look into other instruments as well as guitar.

**pete** · 05-11-2007, 08:12 AM

Give YouTube a try - she has several nice performances there.

There's another site that's nicely stocked with videos of classic and contemporary jazz performances: JazzTube-Great Perfprmances In Jazz - no Mimi Fox there, but lots of GREAT stuff!

**Ornithologist** · 05-12-2007, 08:01 AM

Check out David Tronzo: www.myspace.com/tronzo
I recently attended a workshop of his, and I was just speechless...

**Butch** · 05-12-2007, 12:05 PM

Check out John Stowell:

In the late 70's he was mentioned in "Downbeat's" "Talent Deserving Wider Recognition" section.

He was also in "Guitar Players" "Unknown Greats" edition from the early 1990's.

Go to John Stowell - jazz guitar and check him out. A very nice man (I am fortunate to count him as a friend) and just a phenomianl improvisor. A very harmonically advanced guy who is so under appreciated.

**aPAULo** · 05-12-2007, 12:17 PM

Thanks again for the suggestions. Ill make sure to listen to them. And thanks Pete for showing me Jazztube. I had no idea that existed.

**Lynton** · 08-14-2007, 12:56 PM

Well it's going to be very hard to find an innovator like Wes because at best they would be copying rather than innovating. Here are a couple:
1. Tuck Andress "Reckless Precision"
2. Russell Malone Played with Diana Krall and Harry Connick
Tuck has done alot of material outaside of the jazz genre, so be advised! On "Reckless Precision' he does great versions of "Body and Soul" and "Stella by Starlight."
Russell does some really sweet work on Diana Krall's "All for You" CD (it's a tribute to the Nat Cole Trio).

**gaz638** · 08-15-2007, 03:35 PM

Lionel louke seems to have been getting press as an up and coming jazz player he graduated the monk institute and plays with herbie hancock and his own trio

**derek** · 08-15-2007, 06:54 PM

It depends on what you are calling contemporary. If you are talking about someone alive now, there are several. If you are talking about playing in a more contemporary way than the standards, then I would say Mimi Fox (one of my favs) is more of a traditional player imo.

Pat Metheny is more of a contemporary player I think. Though he does do standards, most of his stuff is more modern. Mimi's discs are always full of standards, though done in very cool ways.

So, I guess I would ask, what do you mean by contemporary jazz players?

Jazzarian · 12-01-2007, 04:36 PM

Originally Posted by aPAULo

Also, who is your favorite contemporary jazz guitarist?

Kurt Rosenwinkel

**kevro2000** · 12-21-2007, 03:12 PM

Originally Posted by Lynton

Well it's going to be very hard to find an innovator like Wes because at best they would be copying rather than innovating. Here are a couple:
1. Tuck Andress "Reckless Precision"
2. Russell Malone Played with Diana Krall and Harry Connick
Tuck has done alot of material outaside of the jazz genre, so be advised! On "Reckless Precision' he does great versions of "Body and Soul" and "Stella by Starlight."
Russell does some really sweet work on Diana Krall's "All for You" CD (it's a tribute to the Nat Cole Trio).

I agree with Lynton regarding Mr. Malone! On DK's ALL FOR YOU cd, it is a real treat to hear what he says and how he says on the solo parts, the intros to some of the songs, and how he interacts with the Bass and Piano!

My favorites that I've not seen listed, tho' I may have overlooked them, are Lorne Lofsky and Ulf Wakenius. Each have played with Oscar Peterson, which is how I was introduced to them... they can both swing, they can be old school, yet, they are both innovative and creative. I also like what I've heard Jimmy Bruno do.

I don't know if you consider these guys contemporary but I like them.

**kevro2000** · 12-21-2007, 03:20 PM

Originally Posted by Lynton

Well it's going to be very hard to find an innovator like Wes because at best they would be copying rather than innovating. Here are a couple:
1. Tuck Andress "Reckless Precision"
2. Russell Malone Played with Diana Krall and Harry Connick
Tuck has done alot of material outaside of the jazz genre, so be advised! On "Reckless Precision' he does great versions of "Body and Soul" and "Stella by Starlight."
Russell does some really sweet work on Diana Krall's "All for You" CD (it's a tribute to the Nat Cole Trio).

I agree with Lynton regarding Mr. Malone! On DK's ALL FOR YOU cd, it is a real treat to hear what he says and how he says on the solo parts, the intros to some of the songs, and how he interacts with the Bass and Piano!

My favorites that I've not seen listed, tho' I may have overlooked them, are Lorne Lofsky and Ulf Wakenius. Each have played with Oscar Peterson, which is how I was introduced to them... they can both swing, they can be old school, yet, they are both innovative and creative. I also like what I've heard Jimmy Bruno do.

I don't know if you consider these guys contemporary but I like them.

Jazzarian · 12-21-2007, 10:23 PM

Originally Posted by aPAULo

Im looking for some current jazz guitarists that I should look into. Again, I would prefer more of Wes influenced style, but ill take any reccommendations.

Also, who is your favorite contemporary jazz guitarist?

Kurt Rosenwinkel and Russell Malone.

**aPAULo** · 12-21-2007, 11:02 PM

thanks guys. theres so many people i really need to check out. thats whats great about jazz. theres so many genres to it and endless amounts of outstanding players all with their own different style...

**eddybee51** · 01-29-2008, 11:20 AM

Paul Jackson Jr

**ed@edbarrettjazzguitar.co** · 02-08-2008, 11:10 AM

Hey man check out Wayne Johnson his record called "Grasshopper" is very very forward sounding and open in that Metheny kind of way, but still unique and personal. It is a revelation to my ears, not a straight ahead record but not fusion and so it is something in it's own category. Check it out!! Good Luck!!!

**Justsam** · 02-08-2008, 03:02 PM

Hadrien Feraud is an up and coming french bassist who's pretty good and there's also some pretty hot guitar work on his new self titled album.

**vikinin** · 02-09-2008, 06:56 AM

Kurt Rosenwinkel (check "the next step" and "heartcore" cds), Jonathan Kreisberg (check "south of everywhere" plus go see him on you tube, someone posted clips from a gig in Denver i think), plus Corey Christiansen (a seasoned tutor who put out a stunning fisrt Cd "Awakening" - he has also a very cool DVD with Vic Juris "live at the jazz cafe", worth seeing/hearing).
rgds, patrick

**gravitas** · 02-09-2008, 12:00 PM

My current favs are Wayne Krantz, the aforementioned Russell Malone... I loved Ulf Wakenius when he played with Oscar Peterson on the Live in Vienna 2004 DVD. Bill Frisell has a unique voice in jazz right now, but he's not exactly new (none of these guys are that). He is contemporary, though.