The Cal Collins thread in this section reminded me of a list I started a few years ago and I forgot about it before I could complete it.
It's amazing how many of my favorite guitarists played with BB throughout his long career. Here is the list I came up with. Please add to it if you can think of anyone I forgot. And feel free to comment.
Carl Kress (1929) (Kress and Goodman were band mates with Red Nichols and His Five Pennies)
Eddie Lang (1933)
Dick McDonough (1933)
George Van Eps (1934)
Allan Reuss (1934-38)
Freddie Green (in 1938 and also a couple sessions later when Charlie Christian was in the band)
Here is a pic with Freddie Green and Charlie Christian in the band. I have a better one in a book about CC but I'll need to scan it if I want to post it.
It would have been great to see CC get his own band. He was a huge star and was definitely going to get it soon. I believe he was grooming Barney Kessel to be his replacement with Goodman. No doubt CC would have had a rhythm guitarist.
Benny Heller who replaced Allan Reuss in 1938.
Arnold Covey who held the rhythm chair in the BG Orchestra during Charlie Christian's tenure with the BG Sextet.
I love Steve Jordan! I believe he played with BG on and off through most of the 50s. I was certain that I already had him on the list. Thanks for reminding me.
Have you heard his album Here Comes Mr. Jordan? Great record, and we really get to hear him play (and sing).
You should add Chris Flory to this list. He was close with Benny and was his practice partner in addition to being a part of his 70's-'80's sextet and big band.
I love Ben Webster. I have never heard any guitar player approach what Webster does. Regardless of the instrument played, Webster was a unique, individual talent.
I do hear the slight similarity...
I just took a Quick Look at prices in the UK and the rest of Europe and the prices seem normal The Tours & Premier is like Squire or Epiphone they are designed to get you into the guitar market in...
Of course GG had drug issues, broken relationships etc., so did nearly all the jazz musicians back then, it was a tough profession. Has nothing to do with his playing. Some of them found the drugs...
Ah, yes - and the reverse can be true too; sets with a wound 3rd intonate a lot better on saddles that have obvious micro-compensation with the contact point for the 1st and 3rd strings at the same...
Yeah this is an obvious thing about the blues.
But even with funk, R&B, and what we’d probably call Smooth Jazz—there’s a much more porous boundary between these and straightahead jazz than we...
And then he plays Oleo.
Blues has been a part of jazz since the beginning. Lots of artists in the sixties and beyond looked for inspiration in other forms of black music, R&B, funk, soul, etc.
...
Always been a big Ben Webster fan - love his tone; I wonder who would be an equivalent player in the guitar world? Wes on "One For My Baby" would be close IMHO. Others?
I've used the rounded side of the pick since I was in high school. I've never heard anyone else ta;l about it. When I was teaching I encouraged my students to do the same.
I’m also just going to say it:
Raise your hand if you’ve transcribed Grant.
if your hand is not up, then your opinion about whether or not he’s a “complete jazz player” (whatever that is) might...
Not sure if this is particularly true of other instruments (it probably is, but haven’t tracked it closely) —- but most of the great guitarists take a much more eclectic approach to their solo work...
Ben Webster
Today, 02:23 PM in The Players