Electric jazz guitar

[ASNL77]

I'd like to fill a few gaps in my collection and I'd like to buy a few electric guitar albums. (ideally quartets or quintets) Any suggestions? Where should I start? Thanks for your help.

Edited April 5, 2006 by ASNL77

[jazzbo]

Don't you have an idea of a favorite guitarist from your listening so far? I'd follow that.

I'd recommend checking out some Kenny Burrell, Bobby Broom, Grant Green, Barney Kessel, Herb Ellis, Jim Hall. . . .

There are many possibilities! Maybe listen to some brief online clips?

[Alexander Hawkins]

A few I enjoy:

Charlie Christian sessions with Benny Goodman et al.

Rollins - 'The Bridge', for some wonderful Jim Hall

I have a real soft spot for Grant Green's 'Feelin' the Spirit' - hands down my favourite Herbie Hancock on record

And one I've been enjoying recently, for a slightly freer take on things (and featuring Henry Grimes on bass) - Marc Ribot's 'Spiritual Unity'.

[Sundog]

Here are a couple of live dates I would consider picking up...

Not a quartet or quintet date; but I would check out Pat Martino, Live at Yoshi's. State of the art organ trio music with Joey D. and Billy Hart. Pat Martino has never sounded better IMO. Also check out Wes Montgomery, Full House (recorded "live" At Tsubo- Berkeley, CA). Wes is on fire and Johnny Griffin plays great. Plus you get the wonderful backing of "The Trio".

[AllenLowe]

Jimmy Rivers -

[Hank]

  AllenLowe said:

Jimmy Rivers -

Do you mean Jimmie Rivers, of Jimmie Rivers and the Cherokees? Brisbane Bop?

[birdanddizzy]

Also have a look to the Europeans !

René Thomas, Sacha Distel, Philip Catherine, Gabor Szabo...

And the Gypsies : electric Django Reinhardt (and his son Babik), Elek Bacsik, Biréli Lagrène, Christian Escoudé...

[Jim R]

  ASNL77 said:

I'd like to fill a few gaps in my collection and I'd like to buy a few electric guitar albums. (ideally quartets or quintets) Any suggestions? Where should I start? Thanks for your help.

Some great suggestions already, but perhaps if you supplied a bit more info regarding your favorite players (as Lon suggested), eras/styles, etc, it would be easier to make some specific suggestions...

[ASNL77]

Thank you all for your answers. I have already got most of the BN stuff (Grant Green, Burrell) and most of Wes Montgomery albums too. I would like to explore the OJC, Prestige and Verve catalogues from 1955 to 1970. I have the Tal Farlow Mosaic set too.

Any bossa nova or latin music would interest me as well.

[Jim Alfredson]

If you haven't already, I would check out this thread: exciting guitarists.

It's kind of similair to what we have going here.

[johnagrandy]

  ASNL77 said:

Thank you all for your answers. I have already got most of the BN stuff (Grant Green, Burrell) and most of Wes Montgomery albums too. I would like to explore the OJC, Prestige and Verve catalogues from 1955 to 1970. I have the Tal Farlow Mosaic set too.

Any bossa nova or latin music would interest me as well.

If you don't have John Scofield "Time On My Hands" I recommend you pick that up before anything else on the planet.

[Chuck Nessa]

You aren't gonna plug that thing in, are ya?

Jimmy Raney and Tal Farlow.

[Jim R]

  ASNL77 said:

Thank you all for your answers. I have already got most of the BN stuff (Grant Green, Burrell) and most of Wes Montgomery albums too. I would like to explore the OJC, Prestige and Verve catalogues from 1955 to 1970. I have the Tal Farlow Mosaic set too.

Any bossa nova or latin music would interest me as well.

OJC:

Billy Bean 1961-06-06 The Trio Riverside

Kenny Burrell 1956-12-28,57 All Night Long Prestige

Kenny Burrell 1957-01-04 All Day Long Prestige

Kenny Burrell 1957-02-01 Kenny Burrell Prestige

Kenny Burrell / Jimmy Raney 1957-03-05 Two Guitars Prestige

Kenny Burrell 1958-03-07 Quintet With John Coltrane New Jazz

Kenny Burrell 1962-09-14;1963-08-15 Bluesy Burrell Moodsville

Kenny Burrell 1964-04-07 Soul Call Prestige

Red Garland 1957-05-24 Red Garland Revisited Prestige (w/ Burrell)

Tiny Grimes 1959-08-13 Tiny In Swingville Swingville

Coleman Hawkins (Kenny Burrell) 1961-02-28 The Hawk Relaxes Moodsville

Jimmy Heath 1964 On The Trail Riverside (w/ Burrell)

Wynton Kelly 1958-01-31 Wynton Kelly / Piano Riverside (w/ Burrell)

Barney Kessel 1953-11-14, 12-19; 1956-02-23 Vol. 1 / Easy Like Contemporary

Barney Kessel 1954-06-04, 07-01; 1955-09-12 Vol. 2 Kessel Plays

Standards Contemporary

Barney Kessel 1956-08-06,10-15,12-04 Music To Listen To Barney Kessel By

Contemporary

Barney Kessel 1957-03-18,19 The Poll Winners Contemporary

Barney Kessel 1957-08-06; 11-11 Let's Cook! Contemporary

Barney Kessel 1958-08-19,21 The Poll Winners Ride Again ! Contemporary

Barney Kessel 1958-12-19,22 Kessel Plays Carmen Contemporary

Barney Kessel 1959-11-02 Poll Winners Three ! Contemporary

Barney Kessel 1960 Poll Winners Exploring The Scene Contemporary

Barney Kessel 1960-07-19 Swingin' Party At Contemporary Contemporary

Barney Kessel 1961 Workin' Out! Contemporary

Herbie Mann 1958-02-14 Just Wailin' Prestige (w/ Burrell)

Pat Martino 1967-05-01 El Hombre Prestige

Pat Martino 1967-10-02 Strings! Prestige

Jack McDuff / Kenny Burrell 1963-01-08;02-26 CRASH! Prestige

Jimmy Raney 1954-05-28; 1955-02-18, 03-08 A Prestige

Jimmy Raney / Phil Woods 1954-08-11; 1959-03-03 Early Quintets ("Jimmy

Raney Ensemble" / Hyman Session) Prestige

Les Spann 1960-12-08,16 Gemini Jazzland

Rene' Thomas 1960 Guitar Groove Jazzland

Prestige All Stars 1957-01-25 Earthy Prestige (w/ Burrell)

VERVE

Billy Bauer 1956-01-23; 03-12 Plectrist Norgran (Verve VEE)

George Benson 1968-02-06,09-05;1969 Jazz Masters 21 Verve

Kenny Burrell 1963 to 1969 Jazz Masters 45 Verve

Kenny Burrell / Jimmy Smith 1963-07-16 Blue Bash! Verve VME

Kenny Burrell 1964-12-04,15;1965-04-05,12 Guitar Forms Verve

Kenny Burrell 1966-12-16 For Charlie And Benny (a.k.a. "A Generation Ago Today") Verve

Kenny Burrell 1967-12-15 Blues / The Common Ground Verve VME

Kenny Burrell 1968-04-19 Night Song Verve (Japan)

Kenny Burrell 1969-10-08, 16 Asphalt Canyon Suite Verve

Herb Ellis 1960-06-01,02 Thank You, Charlie Christian Verve

Wynton Kelly (Kenny Burrell) 1964-03-10,11,19 It's All Right! Verve VEE

Wes Montgomery 1964-11-11,16 Movin' Wes Verve

Wes Montgomery 1965-05-16,18,19,20 Bumpin' Verve VME

Wes Montgomery 1965-06-22,24,26,27,09-22;1964 to 1966 Impressions / The

Verve Jazz Sides (including the complete "Smokin' At The Half Note" sessions...)

2 CD Verve

Wes Montgomery 1965-11-20 Goin' Out Of My Head Verve

Wes Montgomery 1966-03-17,21;05-18 Tequila Verve VME

Django Reinhardt 1947 to 1953 Peche A La Mouche / The Great Blue Star

Sessions, 1947 to 1953 2 CD Verve

Howard Roberts 1957 Mr. Roberts Plays Guitar Verve

Howard Roberts 1959 Good Pickin's Verve

Jimmy Smith (Kenny Burrell) 1965-06-14 Organ Grinder Swing Verve VME

Jimmy Smith / Wes Montgomery 1966-09-21 The Dynamic Duo Verve

Jimmy Smith / Wes Montgomery 1966-09-21 Further Adventures Of Jimmy And Wes Verve

Johnny Smith 1967-03 Johnny Smith Verve VEE

Johnny Smith 1968 Johnny Smith's Kaleidoscope Verve

Of course, there's a lot more good stuff by these and other players on other labels from this period, but this will probably keep you busy for awhile...

[Sundog]

I second the recommendation of Philip Catherine. An extremely underrated guitarist. His solo work on SteepleChase is excellent. Also, if you like the whole gypsy jazz thing, check out the work Philip did with Stephane Grappelli, specifically the album Young Django.

[Jim R]

Oops- forgot about the topic of Bossa / latin... did you mean with electric guitar?

[ASNL77]

Thanks for your your help Jim! . And yes, I mean with electric guitar for the bossa/latin stuff.

[AllenLowe]

Hank - yes, that's the guy - Brisbane Bop -

[Guest]

From this side of the Atlantic I would highly recommend 'Extrapolation' by John McLaughlin - it's not got a 'crown' award in the Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD for nothing

[Hank]

  AllenLowe said:

Hank - yes, that's the guy - Brisbane Bop -

Great stuff! He's like the Charlie Christian of western swing. I'm gonna dig this out right now.

[Jim R]

  ASNL77 said:

Thanks for your your help Jim! . And yes, I mean with electric guitar for the bossa/latin stuff.

That's what I was afraid of. There's certainly some out there, but the acoustic guitar was always dominant in this genre. There were a few brazilian players who used electric guitars back in the day (e.g., Roberto Menescal, Heraldo do Monte, Geraldo Vespar) but they didn't stretch out much by today's standards. The recordings are also relatively difficult to find. You're probably better off looking for recordings of bossa/latin music by jazz guitarists. Here are a few ideas:

Joe Pass- TUDO BEM (Pablo) 1978

Barney Kessel- GUITARRA (aka "KESSEL'S KIT") (RCA/Japan) 1969

Barney Kessel- Breakfast at Tiffany's/Bossa Nova/Contemporary Latin Rhythms (Reprise/Collectables) 1966

Larry Goldings (Peter Bernstein)- CAMINHOS CRUZADOS (RCA Novus) 1993

Gotta run right now... I'll keep thinking.

[montg]

  ASNL77 said:

Thanks for your your help Jim! . And yes, I mean with electric guitar for the bossa/latin stuff.

How about 'Take Ten' with Jim Hall and Paul Desmond? A nice mix of Bossa stuff plus standards

[Jim R]

And/or "Bossa Antigua"!

[Jim R]

This gentleman in the Netherlands is pretty good! (check out his straight ahead jazz videos too):

Triste (YouTube video)

Meditation (YouTube video)