What’s your favorite jazz guitar song?

**Dan__Man** · 07-08-2019, 10:25 PM

One of my favorite jazz guitar pieces is probably “Mi Cosa” by Wes Montgomery

**wintermoon** · 07-09-2019, 12:16 AM

Very tough to narrow it down but off the top of my head maybe Wes' Smokin at the Half Note lp.
I could pick any solo from it as a favorite but 2 other favorite solos are his live recording of "Impressions" and his studio solo on "Canadian Sunset".

Two other favorites are Pat Martino's solos on "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer" and "Merry Christmas Baby" from organist Don Patterson's Holiday Soul lp.

bit really too many to consider....

**robertm2000** · 07-09-2019, 02:24 AM

Oddly enough, it was Charlie Byrd's album "Delicately." That was the first album of jazz guitar I ever had, and the nylon stringed classical was and still is a favorite of mine. Got it in a cutout bin at a Woolworth's store. I also like Wes Montgomery's "Smokin' at the Half Note," the first album of electric jazz guitar I ever heard.

**Dirk** · 07-09-2019, 06:02 AM

We did a survey for the best jazz guitar solo a couple of years ago:

TOP 10 Best Jazz Guitar Solos That Will Inspire You (+ 10 Licks)

**Jazzstdnt** · 07-09-2019, 07:35 AM

Originally Posted by wintermoon

Very tough to narrow it down but off the top of my head maybe Wes' Smokin at the Half Note lp.
I could pick any solo from it as a favorite but 2 other favorite solos are his live recording of "Impressions" and his studio solo on "Canadian Sunset".

Two other favorites are Pat Martino's solos on "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer" and "Merry Christmas Baby" from organist Don Patterson's Holiday Soul lp.

bit really too many to consider....

Yes I'll go with Impressions and Unit 7 - but also

Bumpin' (with strings. never thought I'd say that)

**Steven Herron** · 07-09-2019, 08:51 AM

My 2 favorite albums (the ones I've transcribed the most solos from) are:

"The Man With The Blue Guitar" by Johnny Smith.

"Delicately" by Charlie Byrd.

I never get tired of listening to those 2 recordings!

**sgosnell** · 07-09-2019, 09:43 AM

Hard to pick just one, but "Verve Jazz Masters 41" would have to be in consideration. Some of Tal Farlow's best recordings, and he's one of my favorite guitarists. I'll have to find the Charlie Byrd album mentioned, I haven't seen that one before. He's also one of my favorites.

**MarkRhodes** · 07-09-2019, 09:44 AM

I'd have to go with "Smokin' At The Half Note" too. "No Blues" is my favorite guitar solo, period.

**jameslovestal** · 07-09-2019, 10:53 AM

Originally Posted by sgosnell

Hard to pick just one, but "Verve Jazz Masters 41" would have to be in consideration. Some of Tal Farlow's best recordings, and he's one of my favorite guitarists. I'll have to find the Charlie Byrd album mentioned, I haven't seen that one before. He's also one of my favorites.

If I had to pick one album it would be either the Swinging Guitar of Tal Farlow, a top notch studio album with Tal at his finest or Jimmy Raney and Live in Tokyo.

**Bbmaj7#5#9** · 07-09-2019, 11:44 AM

Favorite album: Barney Kessel’s ”Kessel Plays Standards”

Favorite song/standard: Julie London’s version of ”What’ll I Do”

Favorite solo: Bill Frisell’s solo on Jan Garbarek’s ”Kite Dance”

**coolvinny** · 07-09-2019, 12:54 PM

Originally Posted by jameslovestal

If I had to pick one album it would be either the Swinging Guitar of Tal Farlow, a top notch studio album with Tal at his finest or Jimmy Raney and Live in Tokyo.

I have both, with Tal's being one of my first albums. Great album, I agree, in part because it hipped me to Eddie Costa who was a very unique voice in piano. He died young but, even today, he still sounds very modern to my ears because his style was so personal.

Anyway, I can't pick a favorite guitar album. It would have to be something without piano though so that the guitar is not constrained. Probably a 4-way tie between "Monk" (Bernstein), "The Bridge" (Rollins/Hall), "Green Street" (Green) and "Red Norvo Trio" (Raney). I learned to comp from those last three albums.

Favorite solo: Billy Bean on The End of a Love Affair (from "The Trio")

**sgcim** · 07-09-2019, 01:23 PM

Originally Posted by coolvinny

I have both, with Tal's being one of my first albums. Great album, I agree, in part because it hipped me to Eddie Costa who was a very unique voice in piano. He died young but, even today, he still sounds very modern to my ears because his style was so personal.

Anyway, I can't pick a favorite guitar album. It would have to be something without piano though so that the guitar is not constrained. Probably a 4-way tie between "Monk" (Bernstein), "The Bridge" (Rollins/Hall), "Green Street" (Green) and "Red Norvo Trio" (Raney). I learned to comp from those last three albums.

Favorite solo: Billy Bean on The End of a Love Affair (from "The Trio")

You and me both as far as Costa was concerned, CV. Besides all the albums he did as a sideman with Tal and Sal Salvador (he even played with Jimmy Raney on a Vinnie Burke album), Costa appeared as a sideman on countless albums up to his death, with people like Coleman Hawkins, Clark Terry, Gunther Schuller, Hal McKusick, Manny Albam, Gigi Gryce, the 'Mission To Moscow album, and many more.
This was in addition to the albums he made under his own name with Bill Evans, John Mehegan, Phil Woods and Art Farmer.

**mr. beaumont** · 07-09-2019, 07:14 PM

Shiiiit. That's hard...

Grant green on Ike Quebec's "Blue and Sentimental."

Or Jim Hall on Paul Desmond's "Bossa Antigua."

**rob taft** · 07-17-2019, 07:57 PM

I have several but the three that had the most impact on me has a player and lover of music are shown below. I heard the first two in 72' or so and the last when it was released in 78'. The first two led me to discover all the jazz musicians that influenced them e.g. Tal Farlow, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Wes Montgomery. When I heard the GB record I was already in love with Jazz and taking instruction with Robert Conti but the musicality and technique shown on this record blew me away.

**kofblz** · 07-18-2019, 01:24 AM

Favorite song is All the Things You Are. Such a beautiful melody that modulates through the key changes so seamlessly.

**jameslovestal** · 07-18-2019, 12:27 PM

Originally Posted by kofblz

Favorite song is All the Things You Are. Such a beautiful melody that modulates through the key changes so seamlessly.

Yes a beautiful Kern song and one covered by many great guitar players over the years.

**WILSON 1** · 08-08-2019, 03:00 PM

**2bornot2bop** · 08-10-2019, 03:32 PM

Movin' Wes

Because it alone exposed a 9 year old to a music form that made him curious enough to explore playing an instrument. In that sense, musically speaking, Movin' Wes influenced an entire life. All the hits coming out of Motown at that time didn't create that curiosity. But Wes did.

**Doug B** · 08-10-2019, 03:49 PM

Jim Hall Live-Vol. 2-4
(And also Vol 1 issued separately.)

Doug

**Musgo Real** · 10-20-2019, 04:58 PM

**PMB** · 10-20-2019, 05:22 PM

Originally Posted by Dan__Man

My favorite piece is probably “Mi Cosa” by Wes Montgomery

If you haven't yet heard it, check out the extended version of this tune that Wes played live around the time of the Smokin' at the Half Note sessions. It's closer to the take on Bumpin' (minus the strings). I've included my own transcription of the performance: