Ed Bickert - A Jazz Guitarist You Need To Know About!

**JensL** · 10-13-2018, 11:53 AM

Hi Jazz-Guitariots!

I suspect you all know Ed? If not then here is a good chance to get a first impression before you head on over to Spotify

Ed Bickert is the secret super hero of Jazz Guitar. He is somehow always under the surface, but you don'w want to miss checking him out! Probably most of us know him from his great playing on Paul Desmond albums like Pure Desmond and Desmond Quartet Live.

What I really like about Ed Bickerts playing is his sense of melody and also how he is amazing at adding chords to his solos. But the examples in this video also highlights his use of reharmonization and cross rhythms.

This video is on a solo on the Standard Have You Met Miss Jones, off a live trio album with Don Thompson and Terry Clarke.

Hope you like it!

**AndyV** · 10-13-2018, 02:23 PM

I suspect you all know Ed?

I suggest you do a search here for "Ed Bickert". I believe this will give you much information in regard to your previous question.

**JensL** · 10-13-2018, 02:34 PM

Originally Posted by AndyV

I s[/FONT][/COLOR]uggest you do a search here for "Ed Bickert". I believe this will give you much information in regard to your previous question.

Yes, but even if you know him I would imagine that the video is interesting since I am discussing part of his solo?

Jens

**AndyV** · 10-13-2018, 02:42 PM

Absolutely! Ed is on of the most brilliant players of the last 40 years and your analysis is very interesting. Just wanted to point out that while he may be under the radar in general, Ed's brilliance is far from a secret here.

**KirkP** · 10-13-2018, 03:31 PM

This is one of my favorite albums of all time.
Concord Duo, Vol. 7: Bill Mays and Ed Bickert - Bill Mays | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic
The interplay between guitar and piano is beautiful.

**sgcim** · 10-13-2018, 04:38 PM

Originally Posted by KirkP

This is one of my favorite albums of all time.
Concord Duo, Vol. 7: Bill Mays and Ed Bickert - Bill Mays | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic
The interplay between guitar and piano is beautiful.

Thanks for reminding me of that album, Paul. I'm working on a guitar piano duo album with a pianist friend of mine, and I'm going to listen to the Mays Bickert album for ideas on how to do it right.
I saw Mays live for the first time at the Phil Woods Memorial Concert (Mays was in PW's Quintet towards the end) and loved his playing!

Thanks for the analysis of Bickert's HYMMJ solo, Jens. Bickert had an endless knowledge of tunes, so that quote can be from some obscure standard , or even an obscure tune written by a jazz musician, such as the Chet baker tune he so ingeniously quoted on Wave on that live Paul Desmond album.

**JensL** · 10-13-2018, 05:18 PM

Originally Posted by sgcim

Thanks for the analysis of Bickert's HYMMJ solo, Jens. Bickert had an endless knowledge of tunes, so that quote can be from some obscure standard , or even an obscure tune written by a jazz musician, such as the Chet baker tune he so ingeniously quoted on Wave on that live Paul Desmond album.

I'm glad you're doing a feature on a 'pure' jazz player who's deeply immersed in the jazz tradition like Ed, instead of the 'fuseoids' you usually cover. Another deep player you might want to look into is Jimmy Raney, who also had some interesting ideas involving rhythmic displacement in his solos.

Thanks!

Can you make a list of who you consider a "pure" jazz player and a "fuseoid" so I have something to go on?

Jens

**pingu** · 10-13-2018, 05:53 PM

Totally !

Bickert was sublime

The greatest control of harmony I've ever heard on our instrument... Bar none

**Steven Herron** · 10-13-2018, 06:07 PM

I remember first hearing Ed Bickert back in the late 1970s.

I thought he was an outstanding jazz guitarist then and still do now!

**neatomic** · 10-13-2018, 06:08 PM

not to be missed vids of ed bickert by his son jeff

on vimeo

Jeff Bickert on Vimeo

cheers

**jasaco** · 10-13-2018, 11:58 PM

Originally Posted by sgcim

it would take too long, and probably get controversial/subjective.

So then it was just a pointless nasty remark... with no intention to engage in constructive dialogue? Nice post...

**JensL** · 10-14-2018, 02:53 AM

Originally Posted by sgcim

it would take too long, and probably get controversial/subjective.

Well, you seem to feel so strongly about it?

And these are all Fuseoid?

Jim Hall
Barney Kessel
Grant Green
Wes Montgomery
Lage Lund
George Benson
Pat Metheny
John Scofield
Joe Pass
Jonathan Kreisberg
Ed Bickert
Allan Holdsworth
Tal Farlow
Pat Martino

Jens

**Skip Ellis** · 10-14-2018, 09:51 AM

Has anyone ever heard mentioned the type strings Ed used - rounds, flats, gauge?

**mr. beaumont** · 10-14-2018, 10:26 AM

I think relatively light gauge rounds.

It's all in the touch.

**AlsoRan** · 10-14-2018, 10:49 AM

I too, found out about him on this forum some years back. I have a couple of his albums, my most favorite being the one with Lorne Lofsky.

I look forward to seeing what you have about him.

**neatomic** · 10-14-2018, 12:17 PM

in old guitar player magazine interview ed was using ernie ball 11-46 with fender medium pick thru standel custom amp

he later used lighter 10-46 rounds as well

cheers

**omphalopsychos** · 10-14-2018, 01:05 PM

Hi Jens,

i like your videos. I’d be interested in more per each artist you feature. One thing I think would be a really interesting idea would be to do some thoughts focusing on the sound of these players. By that I mean their articulation, their relation to the beat, their dynamics, etc. I think there’s a lot more to these players than the notes they play. It’s a big part of what I try to focus on when transcribing, whether they are a guitarist, saxophonist, or otherwise.

**JensL** · 10-14-2018, 01:16 PM

Originally Posted by omphalopsychos

Hi Jens,

i like your videos. I’d be interested in more per each artist you feature. One thing I think would be a really interesting idea would be to do some thoughts focusing on the sound of these players. By that I mean their articulation, their relation to the beat, their dynamics, etc. I think there’s a lot more to these players than the notes they play. It’s a big part of what I try to focus on when transcribing, whether they are a guitarist, saxophonist, or otherwise.

Thank you!

That is of course interesting, but whenever I have tried to do that it does not go down well with my YouTube audience, they drop off, so I leave it out. I can only throw it in there between the licks apparently. I think it has to do with the fact that a lot of the people who watch the videos don't really know the artist that well, so it becomes difficult to relate to that kind of information and it requires a higher level to hear and understand it, but it is hard to really tell.

Jens

**Skip Ellis** · 10-14-2018, 01:51 PM

Originally Posted by Skip Ellis

Has anyone ever heard mentioned the type strings Ed used - rounds, flats, gauge?

I found somewhere that used D'Addario XL115

**neatomic** · 10-15-2018, 05:45 PM

btw, it was jim hall that recommended bickert to paul desmond...hall was big fan of eds and often used his canadian rhythm section don thompson & terry clarke

cheers

**jaco** · 10-15-2018, 05:52 PM

Ed was the Canadian version of Jim Hall, understated, inventive, beautiful harmonic sense...but with a Tele, I always liked that about Ed. and Ted Greene, and Julian Lage, and ....well you get the idea.

**neatomic** · 10-15-2018, 05:57 PM

yes, and remember jim hall used a gibson les paul black beauty for a spell with the chico hamilton quintet...so he was no stranger to jazz with solid body guitars!!

cheers

**A. Kingstone** · 10-15-2018, 07:06 PM

I got to see Ed Bickert a few times here in Toronto and met him once at work. I work at a TV station where he was accompanying Shirley Eikhard on some program and it was the first time I was a total star struck fool. I was blubbering away about the respect he garners and he was just so cool and gracious. I don't care about my behaviour; I meant every word and he deserves to hear it.

I heard him at a gallery once, sitting on the floor right next to his chair. What a treat!

**AndyV** · 10-15-2018, 08:27 PM

Depending on my mood on a given day I sometimes find his music too sedate but his mastery of voice leading on jazz guitar puts him in the rarified company of true artists on the instrument. George Van Eps, Ed, Jim Hall. Thank you for posting that transcription, Jens.

**Moonray** · 10-15-2018, 09:25 PM

AndyV ....I know what you're saying there re Ed's style....but what a blessed relief from all the noise
that there is in 2018 [!] .....and I mean all the noise.

Ha....2018.....I never thought of such a date as a kid.
I remember laughing with a 7 year old school bud of mine when we were playing our kids' games.
...."you know in 1957 we'll be 50!" ......ha ha

Never mind 2000 or what !? 2018

So I put on some Ed when I want to chill as the kids say.....do they still say that?

If I want my ass kicked I'll put on late period Trane....or have the missus remind me of all the chores I've overlooked.