Greatest Jazz Guitarists I

Being a jazz guitarist can be one of the most taunting tasks that could be undertaken by a musician. The sheer complexity of playing jazz guitar can be most overwhelming, and could make many a players break a sweat. But, when perfected after years of practice and study the outcome is something that cannot be put in words. It is almost too beautiful to describe. The first part of the list would cover the early jazz guitarists who were immensely instrumental in shaping the future of the jazz guitar.

Joe Pass

Joe brought in a new life to the Jazz guitar. Playing high tempo renditions of Jazz classics, Joe displayed his adroit command of the guitar, well at ease with both finger style and flat-picking.

Wes Montgomery

Wes’s command of the chromatics was uncanny, for he really hit a bad note. His linear notes coupled with smooth arpeggiated block chords would earn him fans right from Jimi Hendrix to Pat Metheny.

Django Reinhardt

Perhaps the most iconic man in the history of the jazz guitar Django, his music might have been muted long before he became an international figure. A serious injury to his left hand would restrict his use of the hand to only two fingers. But, Django kept playing despite this set back and would become one of the greatest gypsy musicians in the world.

Tal Farlow

Tal’s story is an inspiration for those who believe it’s too late to pick up an instrument after your teens. Tal picked up the guitar for the first time when he was 21, and within a year he was playing professionally. Studying Tal’s technique is essential for those aspiring to play Jazz.

Kenny Burrell

Kenny Burrell has build a style out of the triumvirate of Bebop, blues and swing, all in the right proportion. One of the greatest American musicians of all time Kenny has shared the stage with Duke Ellington, Paul Chambers, and Oscar Peterson.

Charlie Byrd

Charlie can be credited for exposing America and through it the rest of the world to the majesty of Latin music. Though Django had passed away early by 1953 his music was kept alive by the Charlie Byrd, who was greatly influenced by him.

Charlie Christian

A mysterious figure in jazz Charlie left the world just as he was gaining any sort of recognition. A forerunner in the development of Bebop and the electric guitar, Charlie’s influence can be heard in the works of jazz greats Dizzy Gillespie and Thelonious Monk, the later of which he even played with.

Barney Kessel

Like fellow jazz great Joe Pass, Barney to held the prized post of being part of the Oscar Peterson trio. A favorite session musicians in America, Barney’s style was largely based on Charlie Christian but he eventually would go light years ahead of his idol’s primitive style.

Les Paul

Les Paul has achieved more in his life than just inventing the most famous guitar in the world, he also was an excellent jazz guitarist in his own right. For a man who has been in the industry for eighty years, that right eighty years he certainly deserves everyone’s respect.

Johnny Smith

The self taught Johnny Smith brought a lot of divisibility to playing the jazz guitar. Working with the cream of the day such as Count Basie, Stan Getz and Benny Goodman Johnny build quite a name for himself before taking an early retirement form the world of music.