Favourite Player Poll

**rayme330** · 03-10-2011, 11:23 AM

Well after careful consideration I'd have to nominate Hank Marvin, I mean, have you heard "Nivram" off their first album?

**nez50** · 04-18-2011, 10:28 AM

Impossible to pick a favorite. There are several players I've been listening to lately who I really like, and who don't often appear on fave lists: Mundell Lowe, Billy Bauer and Chuck Wayne, and my "local" favorite, Joe Negri. Lately been scoping out Andreas Oberg, too.

**604bourne123** · 04-18-2011, 11:49 PM

1-Mongomery2.Joe Pass are the favourites from this web site well that is without question what everybody in the world thinks too.

**Kman** · 04-19-2011, 10:43 AM

I was thinking about this poll and what's different about the guy who always wins this poll? Could it be the thumb? Play something with a pick and then the thumb. Does the thumb sound better? Is that the key to everything Wes did? If Wes played all of that material with a pick would he still have set the world fire? Maybe not.

**princeplanet** · 04-19-2011, 11:20 AM

Originally Posted by Kman

I was thinking about this poll and what's different about the guy who always wins this poll? Could it be the thumb? Play something with a pick and then the thumb. Does the thumb sound better? Is that the key to everything Wes did? If Wes played all of that material with a pick would he still have set the world fire? Maybe not.

Or maybe yes. The fact that no one sounds like Wes is not because of the thumb, plenty of players use the thumb, plenty of players use octaves and block chord solos, but even if they get close to the sound, they won't get the time, the swing, the feel, the invention, the surprising twists, the taking risks and landing on your feet, and mostly, they can't invent melodies like he did.
Wes was best at things that are hardest to master in Jazz and Jazz/Blues.
Playing with his thumb was probably the easiest thing for him to do....

**Flyin' Brian** · 05-04-2011, 04:24 PM

Henry Johnson does the Wes thumb thing a lot. He's worth hearing if you haven't. Jimmy Ponder does too.

**Meggy** · 06-09-2011, 02:55 PM

Looking at the results, where is Barney Kessel? - incredible he's not up there!

**vinlander** · 07-11-2011, 05:43 AM

Difficult to pick THE favorite. I had to pick John McLaughlin because he truly is the one who got me into Jazz through Mahavishnu Orchestra. I come from a prog rock and metal background and he clearly made the bridge for me. Tal Farlow and Barney Kessel are also favorites so is
Bucky Pizzarelli !!!

**cubistguitar** · 08-13-2011, 07:25 PM

Scofield, his playing is so blue and so true. He may not be a chord melody man, but he harmonizes so much in his lead breaks and still keeps all the melody all the funk. I pick the one i like to listen to.

**Double 07** · 08-17-2011, 06:50 PM

I'll just say that (in alphabetical order) George Benson, Pat Martino, Pat Metheny, and Wes Montgomery are the players who have influenced me the most in my jazz playing. Look what WES started lol.

**Bonytony1** · 08-26-2011, 07:18 PM

Wes right out ahead! I actually voted for Jim Hall but not upset that wes is winning so far.

**elmorrosamba** · 08-26-2011, 11:31 PM

For me, Wes occupies a special transcendent place....So I voted for him.

Other faves include:

Hall
Pass
Diorio
Breau
Wilkins
Benson

**princeplanet** · 09-18-2011, 01:11 PM

I'm shocked that Wes isn't WAY out in front. I thought everyone realizes he'll always be in a class of his own?....

**bbjonz** · 09-18-2011, 01:33 PM

Why not just put Wes in some sort of "Gallery of the Greats" and revise the poll to include only mortals?

Time to listen to "Boss Guitar"...

Joe

Originally Posted by princeplanet

I'm shocked that Wes isn't WAY out in front. I thought everyone realizes he'll always be in a class of his own?....

**princeplanet** · 09-18-2011, 08:59 PM

How 'bout a Gallery of Freaks comprising Wes and Django, the rest of the mortals can make up the numbers in the Gallery of Greats.

**604bourne123** · 09-18-2011, 09:28 PM

different music when I think of Wes it is no way near Jango

**princeplanet** · 09-18-2011, 09:33 PM

Sure, maybe the only thing they had in common was they were both freaks. They didn't play like the rest of us, nor did they hear or think the same way...

**604bourne123** · 09-19-2011, 03:18 PM

they both made money from the music then paid others.The hidden dream of all musicians.

**JZGuitarman** · 09-27-2011, 07:12 PM

Favorites:

Johnny Smith
Billy Bauer
Pat Metheny
Charlie Byrd
Allan Holdsworth (Chose him for the Poll)

**jmstritt** · 09-27-2011, 08:00 PM

Jimmy Raney!

... George Beson, Wes, Pass, Martino, Metheney,/

**monkmiles** · 10-15-2011, 08:30 PM

Wow, god but tough poll. I was between Wes, Martino, Pass, and Hall. I went with Joe Pass. While I go through listening spurts of all of these guys, the player I've most consistently stuck to is Pass. And its his non chord melody work I prefer actually.

**Conman** · 10-17-2011, 02:21 AM

i chose Wes and Kenny however if Howard Roberts was on there i would have chose him too.

**Jweele01** · 11-07-2011, 11:24 AM

Voted Bill Frisell.

**backliner** · 12-10-2011, 03:21 PM

Johnny Smith is my overall favorite guitarist (and he didn't consider himself a "jazz" guitarist), for his flawless technique and smoothness: but that's not all: his arpegiated lines are thrilling where they wind up!

Howard Roberts haD endless improv ideas at the speed of light that never fail to knock me out.

In the end I voted Barney Kessel, for his obvious Charlie Christian and Django influences, wonderful organic woody tone (usually), and overall musically satisfying improvisation statements he gets across in a way that really speaks to me.

Of course there are many others I like from that list too for their contributions to the fabric of jazz guitar, but not many ALSO contributed to the pantheon of jazz music in general like Charlie Christian, beyond guitar as an instrument, though Wes Montogomery certainly added to the sound and texture of what could be accomplished on the guitar (for me).