Comments on: Why Don't I Love Jazz Guitar? http://fromthewoodshed.com/blog/2007/12/14/why-dont-i-love-jazz-guitar/ a guitarist's daily journal Mon, 08 Sep 2008 16:34:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.2 By: bradley http://fromthewoodshed.com/blog/2007/12/14/why-dont-i-love-jazz-guitar/#comment-758 bradley Sun, 08 Jun 2008 18:07:46 +0000 http://fromthewoodshed.com/blog/2007/12/14/why-dont-i-love-jazz-guitar/#comment-758 i was trying to get into jazz and couldn't find any guitarists that killed me when i started checking out GRANT GREEN. im surprised no one mentioned him because as far using the guitar to sing and playing it like a horn there's no one better. he's very rooted in the blues so his playing is extremely powerful and vocal at the same time. he learned mostly from CHARLIE PARKER and other great horn players as opposed to other guitarists. his TONE is unmistakeable. it both relaxes and grabs attention. his straight ahead stuff is wonderful and his playing is totally about feel, carrying themes, and groovin with ridiculous poly rhythms. there is some intellectual in his music but his creativity puts it to rest as perfectly pure and natural. he paints incredible lines with tension and release notes and knocks you out with with the intensity he can get from running with one, two, or three common tones. gotta get THE Complete Quartets with Sonny Clark and check out (specifically) It Ain't Necessarily So, The Song is You, What is this Thing Called Love, and My Favorite Things. He plays with Coltrane's rhythm section which includes McCoy Tyner on Matador, and Joe Henderson joins them on Solid. Since you like fusion though and powerful guitar his FUNK cd's Alive! and Live at the Lighthouse are UNBELIEVABLE. That's the stuff that knocked me out and made me get into his straight ahead stuff. i was trying to get into jazz and couldn't find any guitarists that killed me when i started checking out GRANT GREEN. im surprised no one mentioned him because as far using the guitar to sing and playing it like a horn there's no one better. he's very rooted in the blues so his playing is extremely powerful and vocal at the same time. he learned mostly from CHARLIE PARKER and other great horn players as opposed to other guitarists. his TONE is unmistakeable. it both relaxes and grabs attention.

his straight ahead stuff is wonderful and his playing is totally about feel, carrying themes, and groovin with ridiculous poly rhythms. there is some intellectual in his music but his creativity puts it to rest as perfectly pure and natural. he paints incredible lines with tension and release notes and knocks you out with with the intensity he can get from running with one, two, or three common tones. gotta get THE Complete Quartets with Sonny Clark and check out (specifically) It Ain't Necessarily So, The Song is You, What is this Thing Called Love, and My Favorite Things.

He plays with Coltrane's rhythm section which includes McCoy Tyner on Matador, and Joe Henderson joins them on Solid.

Since you like fusion though and powerful guitar his FUNK cd's Alive! and Live at the Lighthouse are UNBELIEVABLE. That's the stuff that knocked me out and made me get into his straight ahead stuff.

]]> By: Manolo http://fromthewoodshed.com/blog/2007/12/14/why-dont-i-love-jazz-guitar/#comment-723 Manolo Tue, 27 May 2008 15:53:41 +0000 http://fromthewoodshed.com/blog/2007/12/14/why-dont-i-love-jazz-guitar/#comment-723 The best : Billy Bean The best : Billy Bean

]]> By: Joe http://fromthewoodshed.com/blog/2007/12/14/why-dont-i-love-jazz-guitar/#comment-697 Joe Wed, 14 May 2008 15:00:58 +0000 http://fromthewoodshed.com/blog/2007/12/14/why-dont-i-love-jazz-guitar/#comment-697 > <em>too cerebral and not enough swearing</em> That's a great way to put it. I think I need something that frightens people too. That's Nels Cline all the way. Pharoah Sanders comes to mind as well. I love moments when it sounds like it requires every bit of physical energy from the artist. > too cerebral and not enough swearing

That's a great way to put it. I think I need something that frightens people too. That's Nels Cline all the way. Pharoah Sanders comes to mind as well. I love moments when it sounds like it requires every bit of physical energy from the artist.

]]> By: Gareth http://fromthewoodshed.com/blog/2007/12/14/why-dont-i-love-jazz-guitar/#comment-696 Gareth Wed, 14 May 2008 12:38:54 +0000 http://fromthewoodshed.com/blog/2007/12/14/why-dont-i-love-jazz-guitar/#comment-696 Interesting! I have a similar problem. I got into jazz via Mahavishnu Orchestra (Birds Of Fire), Bill Frisell (Power Tools/Strange Meeting), Coltrane (A Love Supreme), Billy Cobham (Spectrum), Sonny Sharrock "Ask The Ages" - all fantastic records, but obviously not jazz guitar in the 50's-60's sense I love the sax players on Blue Note recordings (Hank Mobley, Joe Henderson, etc), but it seemed that the sound of an archtop never really did anything for me, I like my SRV too much! BTW I find fusion guitarists often sound way too "noodly" to me - too cerebral and not enough swearing. But I have found some archtop players I really enjoy - my personal favourites are... Kenny Burrell - very bluesy and very soulful. Its a clean sound yet there is an intensity and commitment to the notes that shines through. Alex Skolnick - to hear old 80's metal tunes reinterpreted in jazz style on an archtop is amazing. Throughly recommended! Interesting! I have a similar problem. I got into jazz via Mahavishnu Orchestra (Birds Of Fire), Bill Frisell (Power Tools/Strange Meeting), Coltrane (A Love Supreme), Billy Cobham (Spectrum), Sonny Sharrock "Ask The Ages" - all fantastic records, but obviously not jazz guitar in the 50's-60's sense

I love the sax players on Blue Note recordings (Hank Mobley, Joe Henderson, etc), but it seemed that the sound of an archtop never really did anything for me, I like my SRV too much!
BTW I find fusion guitarists often sound way too "noodly" to me - too cerebral and not enough swearing.

But I have found some archtop players I really enjoy - my personal favourites are...

Kenny Burrell - very bluesy and very soulful. Its a clean sound yet there is an intensity and commitment to the notes that shines through.

Alex Skolnick - to hear old 80's metal tunes reinterpreted in jazz style on an archtop is amazing. Throughly recommended!

]]> By: tony hogan http://fromthewoodshed.com/blog/2007/12/14/why-dont-i-love-jazz-guitar/#comment-409 tony hogan Sat, 12 Apr 2008 09:43:07 +0000 http://fromthewoodshed.com/blog/2007/12/14/why-dont-i-love-jazz-guitar/#comment-409 Ricercar I love Martinos beautiful chromatic lines Ricercar

I love Martinos beautiful chromatic lines

]]> By: E Beingesner http://fromthewoodshed.com/blog/2007/12/14/why-dont-i-love-jazz-guitar/#comment-275 E Beingesner Wed, 20 Feb 2008 20:06:04 +0000 http://fromthewoodshed.com/blog/2007/12/14/why-dont-i-love-jazz-guitar/#comment-275 I found jazz playing with fire when I found the Rick Whitehead Trio's "Live in Captivity" album. Defines great jazz guitar for me. I found jazz playing with fire when I found the Rick Whitehead Trio's "Live in Captivity" album. Defines great jazz guitar for me.

]]> By: Ricercar Extempore http://fromthewoodshed.com/blog/2007/12/14/why-dont-i-love-jazz-guitar/#comment-250 Ricercar Extempore Fri, 08 Feb 2008 03:27:06 +0000 http://fromthewoodshed.com/blog/2007/12/14/why-dont-i-love-jazz-guitar/#comment-250 As a guitarist in jazz, I always feel like we're trying to fit in in a place where we don't belong. We're an electric instrument in an acoustic format. The more electric you get, the harder it is to fit into an acoustic setting. Hence why most of the players you mention usually play fusion and/or experimental stuff. That being said, I think Pat Martino's playing is pretty intense, no matter what sound he uses. Ernesto As a guitarist in jazz, I always feel like we're trying to fit in in a place where we don't belong. We're an electric instrument in an acoustic format.

The more electric you get, the harder it is to fit into an acoustic setting.

Hence why most of the players you mention usually play fusion and/or experimental stuff.

That being said, I think Pat Martino's playing is pretty intense, no matter what sound he uses.

Ernesto

]]> By: Phil http://fromthewoodshed.com/blog/2007/12/14/why-dont-i-love-jazz-guitar/#comment-246 Phil Thu, 07 Feb 2008 07:06:43 +0000 http://fromthewoodshed.com/blog/2007/12/14/why-dont-i-love-jazz-guitar/#comment-246 You mentioning of the fact that guitarists couldn't alter their volume in the way that wind instrument players can made me wonder if a volume pedal could be used to gain a similar effect- it would allow you to cut the volume back to a whisper, have the volume swell etc...While I tend to steer clear of pedals (pretty much regardless of style, though admittedly I do derive unnatural enjoyment from twiddling with amp settings) I think I may have to investigate this further... You mentioning of the fact that guitarists couldn't alter their volume in the way that wind instrument players can made me wonder if a volume pedal could be used to gain a similar effect- it would allow you to cut the volume back to a whisper, have the volume swell etc...While I tend to steer clear of pedals (pretty much regardless of style, though admittedly I do derive unnatural enjoyment from twiddling with amp settings) I think I may have to investigate this further...

]]> By: tony hogan http://fromthewoodshed.com/blog/2007/12/14/why-dont-i-love-jazz-guitar/#comment-116 tony hogan Wed, 02 Jan 2008 10:04:24 +0000 http://fromthewoodshed.com/blog/2007/12/14/why-dont-i-love-jazz-guitar/#comment-116 Without sounding like one of those people that say ' I like the old stuff'...i like a lot of Bensons early playing on CTI, I particularly like White Rabbit Without sounding like one of those people that say ' I like the old stuff'...i like a lot of Bensons early playing on CTI, I particularly like White Rabbit

]]> By: Mark Wein http://fromthewoodshed.com/blog/2007/12/14/why-dont-i-love-jazz-guitar/#comment-101 Mark Wein Mon, 24 Dec 2007 09:41:45 +0000 http://fromthewoodshed.com/blog/2007/12/14/why-dont-i-love-jazz-guitar/#comment-101 I know you have mentioned George Benson, but have you heard his "Beyond the Blue Horizon" album? I know you have mentioned George Benson, but have you heard his "Beyond the Blue Horizon" album?

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