The Essential Solo Jazz Guitar Albums? Suggestions Wanted!

**Wesley** · 07-02-2017, 06:07 AM

Originally Posted by docbop

Don't forget the master Ted Greene

Ted Greene - Solo Guitar - Amazon.com Music

and the legend Lenny Breau

LENNY BREAU - Five O'Clock Bells/Mo' Breau (2 on 1) - Amazon.com Music

Yep, Ted Greene and Lenny Breau... It doesn't get any better than that for me.

Ted Greene's Solo Guitar album is just unbelievable.... So beautiful.

**JoePassFan** · 07-02-2017, 09:01 AM

Thank you so much to everyone for the kind replies! Much appreciated!

I only have a few of the mentioned albums.. (basically the Joe and Wes stuff) so I'm going to buy all the other mentioned ones right now.

Again, thanks very much.. if there are any more suggestions I'd be glad to hear them.

Kind regards,

JPF

**TKO** · 07-03-2017, 03:27 AM

Are we talking strictly within the Jazz idiom? Some that might overlap into it a bit are ie. the Chet Atkins / Les Paul collaboration albums - Chester & Lester and Guitar Monsters. There's also a collaboration album between Lenny Breau and Chet Atkins that might be worth checking out (Standard Brands).

Pat Metheny's One Quiet Night might also go within this context.

**pcsanwald** · 07-06-2017, 12:21 AM

I can second, third and fourth Ron Affif's "Solotude". not sure what it is about that album, but one of my very favorite solo guitar records.

**fasstrack** · 07-06-2017, 01:14 AM

Originally Posted by Wesley

Yep, Ted Greene and Lenny Breau... It doesn't get any better than that for me.

Ted Greene's Solo Guitar album is just unbelievable.... So beautiful.

5 'o clock Bells is killer! Used to have it on cassette. Every time the batteries started dying it would slow down.

When he introduced Other Places, jeez was he hammered...

**Alter** · 07-06-2017, 05:44 AM

There's some hundreds of albums you just GOTTA listen to if you 're seriously getting into jazz, it's just as important as learning the guitar or playing with people. You might consider a streaming service like spotify. I mean, i have thousands of cds, i understand the musician perspective on buying cds, but still, nowdays, it makes sense financially - how many cds can one buy?

I can second, third and fourth Ron Affif's "Solotude". not sure what it is about that album, but one of my very favorite solo guitar records.

yeah, mine too. So different from his usual fast and linear stuff (which i love too). Simple and beautiful

**44lombard** · 07-30-2017, 06:33 PM

The very first reply mentioned Johnny Smith's "Man with the Blue Guitar", which I only recently discovered, but will endorse as well. The OP mentioned really liking Joe Pass, and Smith would appeal to someone who like's Pass's repertoire (standards) and love of melody.

Smith has less interest in using bebop language and single-note runs to link up his chordal magic, and he actually often said he didn't consider himself a jazz player. He worked out his arrangements carefully, and this "compositional" approach to solo guitar definitely rubbed off on his former pupil Gene Bertoncini, who is a another wizard of solo guitar arranging and performance.

As an aside, Johnny Smith's 1956 (group) recording of Bud Powell's "Un Poco Loco" almost sounds like Tal Farlow, and he seems to have no hesitation burning up the frets during his solo. But bop wasn't ultimately his calling.

So, all that said, if you like solo guitar arrangements that take the "guitar as a lap orchestra" approach, check out Bertoncini's "Body and Soul" and "Quiet Now" albums. They are beloved enough that Hal Leonard published a book of 10 arrangements transcribed from these two albums. Even on a tune as non-jazzy as Edelweiss, Bertoncini finds some interesting things to do with harmony that show his jazz orientation.

**Cunamara** · 08-02-2017, 09:49 AM

George Van Eps

**SierraTango** · 08-10-2017, 09:34 AM

I would add Jimmy Bruno's Solo CD. Would also suggest everyone send positive vibrations his way during this difficult time for him and his family.

**Greentone** · 08-10-2017, 09:53 AM

Solo is a very fine Jimmy Bruno record. +1

**keith** · 08-10-2017, 10:48 AM

One album I rarely see posted but I thought was pretty good in a number of ways was Frank Vignola's " Blues for a Gypsy "

It shows gypsy music without the pompe in a solo fashion.

It's really bare bones guitar but still carries tune, good use of time and space.

No Vinnie on this one!

**maccycor** · 06-13-2020, 11:35 PM

Thanks for the recommendations everybody! Found lots more things to listen to

A couple of my favourites not mentioned so far are:

Carl Kress: Decca Presents
Al Viola: Solo Guitar
Charlie Hunter: Public Domain

Edit: I'm making a list of all the albums I'm aware of here: IP blocked