Jazz guitar
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jazz guitar refers to the use of guitar in jazz music. The earliest guitars used in jazz were acoustic guitars. While acoustic guitars are still sometimes used in jazz, since the 1940s, most jazz guitarists perform with the electric guitar, an amplified instrument.
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[edit] History
[edit] 1920s-1930s
The guitar has a long history in jazz music, both as an ensemble instrument performing chordal accompaniment, and as a solo instrument. In jazz ensembles of the 1920s, the banjo was the standard stringed, chord-playing rhythm instrument. Even as late as the early 30s sophisticated jazz orchestras such as Duke Ellington's still used a banjo. In the late 30s, however, several guitarists helped to pave the way for the introduction of guitar into jazz ensembles.
Lonnie Johnson (1894-1970), a New Orleans-born guitarist, was one of the early guitarists to perform single-string (as opposed to chord-based) guitar solos. Lonnie performed with and influenced guitarist Eddie Lang (1902-1933), who also performed with jazz violinist Joe Venuti and many of the white jazz bands from the 1920s. Other early jazz guitarists included George F. Dudley, Roy Butin, Sam Moore, and Johnny St. Cyr. Louis Armstrong's Hot Five band would used the guitar in a melodic role.
[edit] 1940s
Charlie Christian (1916-1942) was a Benny Goodman Orchestra member who developed an influential style of electric guitar "single-string" soloing. In Europe, Django Reinhardt (1910-1953), aFrench Gypsyjazz guitarist recorded with his "Quintette du Hot Club de France" with violinist Stéphane Grappelli. Freddie Green (1911-1987) was a member of the Count Basie Orchestra, and a strong rhythm guitar player who developed an influential approach to chorded accompaniment.
[edit] Notable jazz guitarists
[edit] A-D
- Duck Baker (1949-) a primarily acoustic jazz guitarist.
- George Barnes (1921-1977) claimed to be earliest electric guitarist (see also Charlie Christian).
- George Benson (1943-) although better known as a singer, his early work with Brother Jack MacDuff and other jazz artists was influential in the 1960s.
- Lenny Breau (1941-1984) a cross-over from finger-style country music to Jazz, Breau maintained separate rhythm and solo lines on his guitar, similar to the way a jazz pianist plays.
- Charlie Byrd (1925-1999) was a classically-trained guitarist who played jazz on a nylon-string guitar. With saxophone player Stan Getz, Byrd helped popularize Brazilian bossa nova and samba music in North America.
- Kenny Burrell (1931-) a guitarist with a strong bebop and blues background, who originally recorded with Dizzy Gillespie
- Larry Coryell (1943-)
[edit] E-H
- Tal Farlow
- Bill Frisell, who has introduced strong elements of folk and bluegrass music into jazz. His distinctive style of playing is notable for his use of intervals rather than single lines.
- Steve Giordano
- Mick Goodrick, a guitarist whose former students include Pat Metheny, Mike Stern, John Scofield, Benjamin Rodefer and Wolfgang Muthspiel.
- Grant Green
- Ted Greene, solo guitar performer (wiithout a backing band)
- Jim Hall Masterfull melodic player/composer/arranger, his best work in duos with Bill Evans, Ron Carter and others.
- Allan Holdsworth
[edit] J-M
- Barney Kessel 1923-2004
- Russell Malone
- Pat Martino
- Roman Miroshnichenko, a Russian jazz guitarist.
- John McLaughlin Jazz-Rock Fusion pioneer in the 1970s
- Pat Metheny, Missouri-based guitarist and leader of his own band, the Pat Metheny Group with Lyle Mays on piano.
- Wes Montgomery, master of the tasteful modern style. Wes was self-taught and used his right thumb rather than a plectrum (pick) to produce his unique sound.
[edit] N-Q
- Joe Pass, pioneered solo guitar with extreme chordal substitutions and duos with Ella Fitzgerald.
- Les Paul, a Grammy-winning jazz guitarist and pioneer in the use of the solid body electric guitar (the Gibson Les Paul) and electronic effects pedals.
[edit] R-V
- Howard Roberts Studio guitarist with a funky jazz style.
- Benjamin Rodefer Younger guitarist who has played with many of the new vanguard of jazz musicians.
- John Scofield
- Floyd "Wonderful" Smith, a contemporary of Django Reinhardt, who inspired Charlie Christian and influenced George Benson, and a member of the Andy Kirk band.
- Johnny Smith
- Pete Smyser
- Mike Stern
- Andy Summers
- Martin Taylor an early protegé of Stéphane Grappelli who further developed Joe Pass's playing style.
- George Van Eps, who played a 7-string guitar and coined the term "lap piano."
