Good Solo/Chord Melody Players?

**ChaseBlackburn** · 02-02-2012, 12:28 PM

Hello everyone, I've recently gotten really into solo/chord melody type of playing, and was looking for some guys to check out. Any suggestions? Any help would be appreciated, and thank you very much for all the cool info on this forum, I'm so happy I have found this place!

**mr. beaumont** · 02-02-2012, 01:00 PM

Well, of course, Joe Pass...

George Van Eps, Bucky Pizzarelli, Jimmy Bruno, Jack Grassell, these guys all got one or more true solo albums...Johnny Smith comes to mind as well...there's more, I'm having a brain cramp right now...

Are you more looking for unacompanied performances, or chord melody with a rhythm section?

**ChaseBlackburn** · 02-02-2012, 02:16 PM

Thanks! I got to see Bucky do a duo set with Howard Alden at the Elkhart Jazz Festival not long ago and it was incredible! I'm familiar with Joe Pass, George Van Eps, and Johnny Smith, but I haven't really heard much from Jimmy Bruno or Jack Grassell. I look forward to checking them out! Thanks again for the quick response.

**mr. beaumont** · 02-02-2012, 02:43 PM

Jack has a record out called "Guitar Smoke." It's one of the few solo guitar albums I can really listen to regularly...

And I'm a guy who plays a lot of solo guitar! Just can't listen to too much of it, I guess!

Jimmy Bruno's solo record makes Joe Pass look subdued in some sections...but it's still pretty cool to hear somebody who's really got control of their instrument...

Do you know Ralph Towner? Totally different sound, but great stuff..."Time Line" is all solo...very cool record..classical meets jazz...

Ed Bickert can play a chord melody as good as anyone...no pure solo records, but to hear him in a stripped down environment check out a record called "At the Garden Party."

**monk** · 02-02-2012, 03:12 PM

Martin Taylor
Lenny Breau
Ted Greene

**thenoviceguitarist** · 02-02-2012, 05:50 PM

If you're looking for a more contemporary player, check out this guy Peter Mazza. He has a great arrangement of ATTYA as well. Very interesting reharms, very unique. I don't think anybody gets too close to this guy right now. Believe it or not, Russell Malone is also a beast of a solo player.

Ted Greene and Joe Pass are two timeless favorites of mine as well.

**Eddie Lang** · 02-02-2012, 06:24 PM

In addition to those already named above:

Cal Collins
Mimi Fox
Bill Harris
Barney Kessell (albums By Myself and Solo)
Al Viola
Billy Bauer
Royce Campbell

**fumblefingers** · 02-02-2012, 11:12 PM

Originally Posted by thenoviceguitarist

If you're looking for a more contemporary player, check out this guy Peter Mazza. He has a great arrangement of ATTYA as well. Very interesting reharms, very unique. I don't think anybody gets too close to this guy right now. Believe it or not, Russell Malone is also a beast of a solo player.

Ted Greene and Joe Pass are two timeless favorites of mine as well.

man, that is nice. thanks for the post!

**ChaseBlackburn** · 02-03-2012, 02:53 PM

Thanks so much for all of the info! Once the superbowl is over I will be a lot less busy at work and I plan on taking a few skype lessons from Pete Mazza, he seems like a really nice guy and an amazing player. I just got a copy of Ted Greene's Chord Chemistry a few days ago, and that man was a genius! Same with Lenny, and Martin Taylor and all the guys mentioned here

I have about 10 youtube tabs open right waiting for them all to load so I can waste some time at the office haha

**ChaseBlackburn** · 02-03-2012, 02:55 PM

O and Jeff I just listened to Ralph for the first time, and I'm blown away! thanks for that!

**eddy b.** · 02-03-2012, 03:25 PM

Check out Tuck Andress he has many duo recordings with his wife Patty singing, hence Tuck and Patty on a new age label and he also has a solo record out but I don't remember it's name. Also in a totally different genre check out Michael Hedges pretty cool approach.

**brwnhornet59** · 02-03-2012, 04:17 PM

Don't forget about Ed Bickert and Jack Wilkens.

**Synchro** · 02-05-2012, 01:23 AM

I've heard some amazing chord melody work from Barney Kessel too.

**marcwhy** · 02-05-2012, 10:23 AM

+1 on Pete Mazza. He's available for "Skype" lessons; highly recommended!

**va3ux** · 02-05-2012, 11:33 AM

Don't miss out on the posts/videos posted by Jake Reichbart right on this forum. And of course his Youtube vids. His stuff is practically the definition of Chord Melody.

**Tom Karol** · 02-05-2012, 11:41 AM

Originally Posted by eddy b.

Check out Tuck Andress he has many duo recordings with his wife Patty singing, hence Tuck and Patty on a new age label and he also has a solo record out but I don't remember it's name....

I have a solo album of Tuck's; it's called - great title - "Reckless Precision."

**ChaseBlackburn** · 02-05-2012, 03:21 PM

Really enjoying all the inspiration, thanks for the awesome suggestions guys! I have watched Tuck's arrangement of "Man In The Mirror" about a thousand times today already, thanks Eddy B!I picked up Mimi Fox's CD Perpetually Hip, has a solo cd in to which is great! Also, just found Earl Klugh's solo cd at the library and his arrangement of "Embraceable You" is great!

**Marto** · 02-05-2012, 05:01 PM

Run a youtube search for Howard Morgen. He has a whole bunch of clips playing standards solo.
Really though most good jazz players play some chord melody stuff and if you are getting into that kind of playing it might be worth while getting some kind of harmony book and getting some ideas from there.

**mattymel** · 02-05-2012, 05:38 PM

+1 on Cal. love it when that ol boy gets some recognition. TRULY unique. another hometown hero of mine, kenny poole is an unknown genius of solo guitar. for me the one guy that was truly effortless and truly improvising...check this out. lost in the music.

gene bertoncini also badass. and russell M does really shine in that context too.

**tribalfusion** · 02-05-2012, 07:09 PM

Joe Diorio.

Check him out.

**SearchForMeaning** · 02-05-2012, 09:37 PM

Some more modern players, Jon Kreisberg, Peter Bernstein, Jack Pezanelli, and if you get a chance to catch Bill Frisell or Kurt Rosenwinkel live, they always have a fair amount of chord solo in their sets.

**markf** · 02-06-2012, 08:24 PM

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

Jack has a record out called "Guitar Smoke." It's one of the few solo guitar albums I can really listen to regularly...

And I'm a guy who plays a lot of solo guitar! Just can't listen to too much of it, I guess!
"

just kidding. I find most solo guitar a little monotonous.

but there are several players who post here who are accomplished solo players, including you.

**markf** · 02-06-2012, 08:28 PM

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

Jack has a record out called "Guitar Smoke." It's one of the few solo guitar albums I can really listen to regularly...

And I'm a guy who plays a lot of solo guitar! Just can't listen to too much of it, I guess!
"

some players who post here that play solo very well include

mr beaumont, soco, reg523, matt warnock, and probably others I have forgotten, including the british guy that posted Panonica the other day.

**Pierrot** · 02-08-2012, 07:14 AM

Originally Posted by Marto

Run a youtube search for Howard Morgen. He has a whole bunch of clips playing standards solo.
Really though most good jazz players play some chord melody stuff and if you are getting into that kind of playing it might be worth while getting some kind of harmony book and getting some ideas from there.

Yeah! Howard Morgen is probably one of the most interesting guitarists of all times. His way of understanding harmony is unique, IMO.

**wiglebot** · 05-13-2012, 07:32 PM

I like the chord melody style of Joe pass, but Lenny Breau applies amazing subtle rhythms, covers the melody, and plays cool progressions. Check out the link then search for "lenny Breau" on the guys channel.