Guitar's answer to Miles or Monk?

[derek]

Exactly. That about sums it up, I think. Who is the Louis Armstrong of guitar? Who is the Pat Metheny of the trombone?

Why Charlie Christian and Fats Winkerton of course!

[cosmic gumbo]

When Sco gets funky, I hear a lot of Monk.

[eojhastings]

For Monk, Miles Okazaki

[AndyV]

Miles and Monk transcend their instrument by serving as seminal influences on players and composers of multiple generations. No jazz guitarist has influenced the zeitgeist of Jazz in this way. In rock, perhaps Hendrix comes closest to a similar level of influence.

[grahambop]

Peter Bernstein has a bit of a Monk feel particularly in his solo stuff, he uses open string dissonances etc. But of course he probably got that by listening to Monk in the first place.

[Gitfiddler]

Miles liked Sco...cuz Sco played like Miles. Both played on the edge and still made it swing.

[Irwin1993]

I'm surprised more people haven't mentioned Peter Bernstein thus far. Not just when he's playing monk tunes either, Bernstein in my opinion has really incorporated a lot of Monk's aesthetic into his own sound. Even the way he physically plays the guitar I hear the influence, and i'm not talking a ton about actual material, I'm referring to his touch, his phrasing, his articulation, his rhythmic concept, the way he plays melodies, the emphasis on the songs melody when improvising, and much more..

[christianm77]

It’s interesting that when someone asks for the guitar equivalent of Miles or Monk people think of players that have literally adapted Miles or Monk to the guitar.

Youd need someone with equivalent originality and influence, and the only guitarist who had that seismic influence and that spiritual connection that I can think of is Charlie Christian. Who influenced both.

[christianm77]

In terms of players today who could be the equivalent of Miles or Monk I don’t really know how that would manifest itself.

Guitarists like Metheny, Holdsworth and Rosenwinkel have had a wider influence on jazz, but it doesn’t feel like what you are asking.

and yes to the person who said above Peter Bernstein has taken a lot from Monk. There are specific voicings he uses that originate from, e.g.

3 x 3 x 5 x

for a G13, and so on...

However he doesn’t feel like a vanguard sort of figure, more a continuer of the tradition.

And Sco has aspects of both in his music, but again, how much has he influenced the wider music? Hard to say.

[greveost]

Someone asked me recently who is the guitar world's answer to Miles Davis? And followed with "and who is their answer to Thelonius Monk". I said I couldn't answer that, but told him that I know a cool jazz guitar forum where someone will be only to happy to school us! Any takers?

Depends on what you mean by that.

Adapting their style and approach to music?

Or do you mean in terms of how they influenced the jazz scene as a whole?

If you are talking about the latter, I think it is difficult in general to find anyone, as they are both such mega giants in Jazz history.

I would argue that piano players in general has had a much bigger impact than guitar players as a whole.

As in the case of Miles, well, no one who plays jazz can ignore his importance, not only as an instrumentalist, but maybe even more so, as a band leader.

[greveost]

If someone has to be mentioned being similar to Monk, Bill Frisell comes to mind. Even though they are not similar at all, but more so than most others that I can think of.

They both have a an orthodox style of playing, at times, awkward, and hesitant, and they both are very creative, and they both somewhat "struggle" with the notes. as it is a part of the creative process, but also a physical and personal/personality thing.

As with Sco, he can be quirky, and play unorthodox stuff, but he will always have a natural flow in is playing. Everything feels easy when he plays. As opposite to Monk and Frisell.

[janepaints]

Grant

Green

period. full stop.

[Arnesto]

Jim Hall without a doubt

[rintincop]

Louis Armstrong, Art Tatum, Charlie Parker, Bud Powell, Monk, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Bill Evans, McCoy Tyner, and Herbie Hancock have been major innovators. I can't think of any jazz guitarists who have been as innovative. I think it has something to do with the nature of the instrument

[princeplanet]

Louis Armstrong, Art Tatum, Charlie Parker, Bud Powell, Monk, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Bill Evans, McCoy Tyner, and Herbie Hancock have been major innovators. I can't think of any jazz guitarists who have been as innovative. I think it has something to do with the nature of the instrument

Poor Charlie Christian - he never seems to get the kudos I think he deserves for being hugely influential - not just on other guitar players (in many styles I might add), but also other instrumentalists. Miles mentioned CC as a heavy early influence too...

[Cunamara]

Listening to Miles Okazaki's "Work" recording of 70 Monk tunes. Holy smokes. Absolutely astonishing. Such an unadorned guitar sound with just nowhere to hide from the listener- it is all right there. Just the guitar, maybe right into the desk, with no reverb or anything to soften or camouflage (ES-175CC). If there's a mistake you're going to hear it cuz there is no cover. Not sure how Miles even got some of that music to fit on the guitar! Listening on a good set of headphones is wildly immersive.

I had been thinking about getting this for a while now, and decided to buy during the Great Jazz Gig Shutdown. Buy some music from the jazz musicians you want to support! They're not working, so they need the money!

[ccroft]

It's written up either on his site, Facebook or Bandcamp: if I remember right what you're hearing is a mix between and ambient and a miked Twin. I love Work. It's amazing to me that he put it together in a year. It really shows who he is.