Joe Beck

**rpjazzguitar** · 08-10-2020, 03:32 PM

Haven't seen him discussed much. He passed in 2008.

But, he left a great body of work - and was a world-class player.

I've been listening to "Get Me Joe Beck", which is a live guitar trio (gbd) album. It's mostly standards, but they come alive in his hands.

**neatomic** · 08-10-2020, 03:39 PM

i met joe b a few times..he was a friend of a friend...he was a rocker with jazz chops...later he morphed into a more straight ahead player...fun guy

rip jb

cheers

**AndyV** · 08-10-2020, 03:56 PM

I have this CD. Here, Beck seems seems somewhat relegated to backing Jimmy's single note melodies. What other records would you recommend of Joe's?

**sgcim** · 08-10-2020, 05:24 PM

Beck was one of the busiest studio guitar players on the East Coast in the 60s and 70s, and hooked up with Esther Phillips for a few albums where he was the featured player.
I remember reading an interview with him in GP where he stated, "There is no relationship in any way between bebop playing and rock playing."
He should know, he could play both styles well.

**neatomic** · 08-10-2020, 05:48 PM

in his later days joe turned to an alto guitar...he had one designed by rick mccurdy (abercrombie was also mccurdy user/endorser) ...and cort took that and came out with joe beck signature alto guitar...like his friend larry coryell, he was already a cort signature model endorser

As described by jb-

"It's pretty straight-ahead, really. Take your whole guitar and tune it down a fifth to the key of A, and then tune the middle two strings up an octave. What I've done is take the normal tuning of the guitar and changed it so that I have bass strings for my thumb; sort of a banjo register for my first two fingers, and then a low melody register for my other two fingers...So you don't have to change any of your fingerings; it's the same intervals as in normal tuning, just in the key of A, so it's A-D-G-C-E-A."

later he had the rolls royce version of this alto design built by martin!---

with john abercrombie..one of his last recordings issued- coincidence

opening track-beautiful love

cheers

**Danny W.** · 08-10-2020, 10:04 PM

I like Relaxin', which is more straight-ahead than much of his later work.

Danny W.

**rpjazzguitar** · 08-10-2020, 11:01 PM

The album I have is called Get Me Joe Beck. Apparently, the last one he recorded and, from what I see on line, issued several years after his passing. It's a live album, but you wouldn't guess that from the quality of his playing or the quality of the recording, to my ear. Peter Barshay and David Rokeach, bass and drums -- both top Bay Area guys. I read that they'd only met the day before a two night run, at Anna's Jazz Island. The record was made the second night. I'd never have guessed they were only recently acquainted.

Guitar trio format can sound thin or forced, I think, but not this album. The trio feels absolutely complete because of Joe's feel, grasp of harmony on guitar (flows beautifully and never sounds contrived) and gift for melody.

What a remarkable player!

**rpjazzguitar** · 08-19-2020, 04:32 AM

https://www.amazon.com/Get-Me-Joe-Beck/dp/B00JMAYNJI

This links to the album.

It's a guitar trio playing standards. That sounds dull. It's the opposite. His treatment of these tunes is stunning.

I tend to think of guitar as a limited voice for a whole album. But, not in the hands of Joe Beck.

And, nothing sounds weird or jagged. He's a master of reharm, smooth voice leading and appealing ideas.

I know I'm harping on it ... but I listened the album yet again today and was blown away all over again.

**P.J.** · 09-07-2020, 06:57 AM

I used to see Joe Beck and flautist Ali Ryerson playing around New Haven in the early 90's. Not a huge flute fan but they were fun.

**Johnpiazza** · 09-26-2025, 10:27 PM

I Just discovered Joe Beck! Looking forward to checking out his catalogue. This is where I am starting. Great playing in a duo setting with Red Mitchell on bass. Recorded live, but studio-worthy.
Empathy - YouTube

**lawson-stone** · 09-27-2025, 11:37 AM

I like "Relaxin" but I also like the 2 disc set with Red Mitchell "Empathy"

**Joseph2** · 09-30-2025, 09:37 PM

Originally Posted by neatomic

in his later days joe turned to an alto guitar...he had one designed by rick mccurdy (abercrombie was also mccurdy user/endorser) ...and cort took that and came out with joe beck signature alto guitar...like his friend larry coryell, he was already a cort signature model endorser

As described by jb-

"It's pretty straight-ahead, really. Take your whole guitar and tune it down a fifth to the key of A, and then tune the middle two strings up an octave. What I've done is take the normal tuning of the guitar and changed it so that I have bass strings for my thumb; sort of a banjo register for my first two fingers, and then a low melody register for my other two fingers...So you don't have to change any of your fingerings; it's the same intervals as in normal tuning, just in the key of A, so it's A-D-G-C-E-A."

cheers

Lol, "it's pretty straight ahead, actually..."

The guy was a genius. Also was a fun interview, about the Miles Davis sessions, some well-known (but cranky!) names. Actually gave up music once or twice too.

**Woody Sound** · 09-30-2025, 10:21 PM

I also like "Relaxin."

Would like to hear this one some day, with a harmonica player:

Amazon.com

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Edit: Just discovered this! Check out the bossa Giant Steps.

**JGinNJ** · 10-01-2025, 10:47 AM

"Just Friends", with Pat Metheny's rhythm section (Egan/Gottlieb) is a favorite of mine.

**Ronstuff** · 10-01-2025, 06:29 PM

Originally Posted by rpjazzguitar

Amazon.com

This links to the album.

It's a guitar trio playing standards. That sounds dull. It's the opposite. His treatment of these tunes is stunning.

I tend to think of guitar as a limited voice for a whole album. But, not in the hands of Joe Beck.

And, nothing sounds weird or jagged. He's a master of reharm, smooth voice leading and appealing ideas.

I know I'm harping on it ... but I listened the album yet again today and was blown away all over again.

Thanks for the heads up for this album. As you stated, it's such a great lively and creative trio album!

**AndyV** · 10-06-2025, 04:46 PM

Thanks for mentioning "Get Me Joe Beck" ... really refreshing stuff! He had a unique approach and feel that strikes me as closer to Bill Frisell/Jim Hall than to Herb Ellis/Barney Kessel et al.

**JazzPadd** · 10-10-2025, 08:25 AM

Great player! Just now listening to "The Journey" (1991), and really enjoying "Killer Joe."

**Dennis D** · 10-10-2025, 03:57 PM

Glad someone mentioned JB and glad I could listen to this All Blues of his again. Still hum along to it !
First time I'd ever heard of him - '71. Sadly never saw too many LP's of his.

Thank you !

**sgcim** · 10-10-2025, 05:54 PM

Originally Posted by Dennis D

Glad someone mentioned JB and glad I could listen to this All Blues of his again. Still hum along to it !
First time I'd ever heard of him - '71. Sadly never saw too many LP's of his.

Thank you !

That was one of the first jazz concerts I went to with my father when I was a kid. When Joe Beck came on with a semi-hollow body, I was a little turned off by the fact that he wasn't using an archtop, but he played well.
The early 70s were a real renaissance for jazz guitar, because the rock kids from the 60s were getting bored with rock music, and wanted to find music with something more to it than I-IV-V blues progressions and pentatonic wanking.
Chuck Wayne started the concert with a trio of electric bass and drums , and did a set that I really didn't care for at all.

George Barnes and Bucky Pizzarelli ( who were all over NY during that time, and I must have seen them ten times) came out and did a great set I went nuts over.
Then John and Eve McLaughlin came out in white robes, and she strummed the autoharp, and he played acoustic guitar ( an Ovation I think). She played chords and he played fast scales over her repeated two or three chords a song.
Tiny Grimes was a big hit with his four string guitar, singing swing jump tunes that people went crazy over.
Joe Beck came on sometime around either before or after that.
Charlie Byrd came on playing a nylon string guitar doing "Jitterbug Waltz, which I copied from him.
I checked out Discogs, and they have Chuck Wayne ending the concert, but I distinctly remember he started the concert, and I wanted to walk out, if this was what it was going to be like. The rest of the order might be correct.
I've always had this confusion about seeing Kenny Burrell play live in a concert setting like this, but I guess it was some other time
NYC was a great place in the early 70s to catch the Jim Hall/Ron Carter duo, The Chuck Wayne/Joe Puma duo, Sam Brown,Ted Dunbar, Atilla Zoller and others
They even had a club that Kenny Burrell partially owned called "The Guitar", which featured ONLY jazz guitarists every night.
Like 52nd Street, those times are long gone, never to return.