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Who was the best jazz guitarist ever?


Since all music is "subjective", I lay no claim to any objective truth to anything I write on this subject.

Johnny Smith was the first to make me aware of the guitar as a jazz instrument. Before him I considered it to be a country and western or blues instrument. "Moonlight in Vermont" is his most famous album, it contains some of the most beautiful versions of standards I've ever heard.

Kenny Burrell who was often featured with Jimmy Smith on organ was the next jazz guitarist I became aware of. While his work with Jimmy Smith was tops, "Midnight Blue" on Blue Note, is my favorite album.

Wes Montgomery came to my attention twice, that's because according to some; he was better and more inclusively "jazz", before he became famous. The "Wes Montgomery Trio" recorded in 1959 is one example of a recording made before he became famous. His "Round Midnight" had a deep soulful intensity that's hard to match; but jazz guitarist's also have bills to pay.

Grant Green is the best jazz guitarist ever, his prodigious output makes that statement. There are some who claim, that out of all of the versions of "Round Midnight", his is the best.

There are many guitarist's I like who may or may not fit the description of "jazz guitarist". I'll leave the strict definition of that to others. Al Di Meola, John McLaughlin, and Paco De Lucia are guitarists I like a lot whatever category they fit in.

Since I prefer the broad definition of "jazz" as opposed to the strict definition, if you think your favorite guitarist fits the description; so do I. Who are your favorite guitarists?
orpheus10
orpheus10 OP
8,668 posts
 

This thread has attracted some of the most knowledgeable "jazz aficionado's"; those who know the history of the jazz guitar, beginning with Charley Christian, and the legendary Django Reinhardt.

While Pat Methaney is well represented in my collection, I don't think of him as a "guitarist", just as I don't think of "Charlie Mingus" as a bassist; their music so overshadows the instruments they play, that the music is all enveloping, and I forget who is playing what; of course my personal idiosyncrasy is completely unrelated to the facts.

Stanley Jordan is the only guitarist who can sound like two guitars at the same time. I enjoy him a lot.

These comments indicate how wide the range of music is for guitarists, they incorporate so many other generas of music into what we call "jazz", that we are not sure if it's still jazz. But jazz became amorphous, after 1970; consequently neither you or the music are confused, it just changed.
ptmconsulting
1,000 posts
 
Don't forget those guys who can play in almost any style, like Lee Ritenour or Larry Carlton. Granted, there are true originals out there so why do we need these copies? Because they are current.

But I digress, I think the originals deserve more recognition for developing their unique style. My faves are:

Pat Metheny
John Scofield
John McLaughlin
Wes Montgomery
Joe Pass
George Benson (when he actually plays)
slothman
311 posts
 
In my more traditional list Wes is tops. Great to see Lenny Breau mentioned. Would like to add Biréli Lagrène - I highly recommend his 'Live in Marciac'. Got to sneak Tuck Andress in there just for technique alone when he's playing jazz.
inna
7,141 posts
 
For my taste Al Di Meola's best and great work is "Cielo e Terra" album. It has nothing to do with jazz and cannot really be categorized. I also very much like some tracks from "Heart of the Immigrants", "Kiss my Axe", "Casino" and "Splendido Hotel". Other than that I think he was at his best playing with John McLaughlin and Paco de Lucia.
orpheus10 OP
8,668 posts
 
Inna, I agree in regard to "Cielo e Terra" as his best work, but in regard to the classification I'm not so sure. If I like it, it must be jazz. As I mentioned in an earlier post, jazz is quite "amorphous" now.
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