My brother and I bought nearly all of Wes Montgomery's LP's new..we say no one's cut him yet.. so much more appreciated than all the un-melodic machine gun noters. Just an opinion. Genil Castro is also phenomenal. Can't hear hear the Wes solo?? Know it by heart anyway.
Django had wounded fingers, yet his playing was so great. Wes is my forever favorite jazz guitarist and he is my whole mento. I learned from him so much, his tone, his control, his fingering, his chord progression. Superb.
It's been about 50 years since Barney Kessel famously said this: "No one plays better than Johnny Smith. They may play differently, but no one plays better." His quote went on from there along the same lines. I took him to mean that no one navigated the instrument with Smith's precision, possessed his command of dynamics or his ability to elicit such a beautiful tone from the instrument. Simply put, no one else displayed that kind of virtuosity. No one did then, and no one has since. Seville with a pick? Golden Earrings? Many have tried to repeat his efforts on here with that one and my hat's off to them. They'll tell you, as if they have a choice, they didn't match it. Wes said "I don't think I could ever play as perfectly as Johnny Smith." Pat Martino summed it up rather succinctly with "He had no impediments." Most players are of their time and that was true for Johnny as well. His contribution to the advancement of the instrument was his formidable use of closed voicings, the fact that he reset the bar with regard to what was technically possible and he was the first to bring a classical musician's sensibilities with regard to tone production to jazz guitar playing. Not surprisingly, he cited Segovia & Django as his influences. Putting Alan Holdsworth on a list with Charlie & Django doesn't make sense to me unless you're making a list of the players who were the most influential in their time. Further, Jim Hall belongs on anyone's top 10 list. If you don't think so, just listen to more Jim Hall or ask Pat Metheny or anyone still alive on your list. Alan Holdsworth invented his own language on the instrument and if that's not an accomplishment, I don't know what is. But has anyone heard his interpretation of Stella by Starlight or his unaccompanied arrangement of All the Things You Are? No, and they never will. That's apples & oranges. No one's list is going to align perfectly with anyone else's nor should it. But you need more stringent guidelines than the "none at all" approach displayed here. Best player: Johnny Smith. Best overall: Wes Montgomery. Best now: George Benson, hands down, game over, next question. Guitar players to watch: Julian Lage, Pasquale Grasso and first and foremost, Antoine Boyer.
I agree in great part with your comments. But what´s the difference between ¨Best Player¨ and ¨Best Overall¨ ? In my mind that's not much of a distinction. And yes, GB is the best now. He's a genius and always has been.
@@chadrew6 It wasn't embarrassing at all, he was just having fun, Joe Pass can play anything and can play for hours long alone without being annoying , without repeating a line twice, he is absolute genius and monster, it's just a fun moment. Check the full version
I totally agree, there are well over 100 top 10 jazz guitarists out there. One of my favorite is Barney Kessel, and he rendition of "Here's that Rainy Day" is superb.
@@sergiogarciafontse6772 To exclude the master jazz guitarist Jim Hall and include two rock-tinged "jazz" guitarists is just plain lacking in a depth of understanding of jazz guitar
Such a revelation to hear Wes play live. I had heard the legend that he developed his style in the tenements of NY where he had to learn to play quietly.. but I had no idea.
@@JonesTonesGuitarThere is no greatest guitarist, certainly not in a scenario such as this where no boundaries were set in terms of style or approach, time period or anything else. Even with parameters such as one tune, one tempo, one take, the same number of choruses, all occurring on same day and assessed by a panel of the same, seasoned judges - impossible considering most are no longer with us - and unnecessary because it's not a competition. Beauty is in the ear of the beholder and too much rests upon what's passed through that ear before and how much was actually understood. There are names being bandied about on here that don't belong on a top 100 list. Most knowledgeable guitar players would agree Lenny was a one off. A special guy, an innovator, a musical genius. He was born with perfect pitch, worked hard to develop a number of disparate techniques and managed to incorporate them into an immediately identifiable sound. A great artist as well as a unique one, no question. But at times, an unfocused, tragic figure who came to a most untimely and unfortunate end. Comparisons are inevitable, sometimes fun, rarely enlightening but very much a part of human nature. Whether it's ballplayers, politicians, beer or steakhouses, everyone's got their favorites. If we must hand out ribbons however, the Blue one would have to go to Wes. The least contrived, the most lyrical, the least reliant upon set licks or runs, his playing was always focused and his swing was unerring. His knack for developing a solo over many choruses while maintaining continuity from single notes to octaves and finally, four part harmony, hasn't been matched. There are more modern, sophisticated players playing more challenging music, but better? I haven't heard it.. Any fan of Lenny's (I certainly count myself among them), would appreciate Antoine Boyer, 24, and of course, Ted Greene should you not know who he was.
@@skygorider Wes' best was from 1959-1963 when he recorded for Riverside. I enjoyed the music from his last 5 years before his passing, but I liked his Riverside music much, much more. Just my preference.
Common observation of non- playing aficionados is how easy these guys make it look. For me, Joe Pass always looked like he was enjoying what his hands were doing as if he had nothing to do with them!
Yes, these choices much respected, however the body of work of Kenny Burrell as a side man and leader must be included, he's still with us and has influenced generations of guitarists.... also worthy of mention in my opinion is the often overlooked Jimmy Ponder, he emerged from Pittsburgh around the time of George Benson. Ponder was definitely influenced by Wes Montgomery, but established his own sound as a master soloist with a seemingly endless vocabulary.
Having watched Pts. 1 and 2, I missed these guitarists: Mimi Fox Larry Coryell Ted Green Pasquale Grasso James Ulmer Lenny Breau Mimi Fox for her combination of technique and inventiveness. Larry Coryell for contributing in to the emergence of fusion as well as his many stylistic explorations. Ted Green for his work an educator. It's a shame he did not record more often. One could imagine him as the Bill Evans of the guitar. Pasquale Grasso for combining awesome technique with melodic sense. James Blood Ulmer for creating a space for the guitar in Ornette Coleman's world and for his distinctive style. Lenny Breau. Like Joe Pass, Django Reinhardt, Wes Montgomery and Charlie Christian, Breau was a transcendent player. This group deserves a special category -- the outliers. Players who were that good, original and infuential that they provide the standard used to evaluate others.
Interesting list but Jim Hall and kenny Burrel for me would be are mendatory. However all art is subjective, we all hear things in different ways. Anyway enjoyed your upload thanks
Lenny Breau accomplished some things in fingerstyle jazz guitar which were path-breaking and unique, but he was also his own worst enemy in that his drug habit cost him what could - maybe should - have been a brilliant career. Maybe there needs to be a separate list for solo fingerstyle jazz guitar performers, he'd definitely merit inclusion to that. But even though he played in a few traditional settings early in his career - it is hard to measure his career versus someone like Pat Martino or Kenny Burrell, because what they did and what Lenny did were so different.
I think I would have included Al Di Meola, better known as a drummer these days, but in the eighties he was the man.Jeff Beck definitely deserves a mention for pushing the boundaries, Les Paul - with out whom there would have been no modern music industry, virtuoso player, inventor of solid body guitars, multi-track recording, close miking technique, harmonica racks, analogue and digital sampling.Lets not forget the ladies - Mary Ford was a very fine Guitarist in her own right, as was Mary Kaye, noted Jazz Guitarist and singer and legendary session muso of the 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's.There are more that are note worthy, but those are my picks : ]
Me encanta el sonido jazz de esa guitarra gibson q toca Joe Pass, es maravilloso lo q esos dedos interpretan en un diapason de ébano o palo rosa, resonando en un cuerpo de caja o semi hollow.
Artistry and skill are just the first test. If he also happens to be a great composer then that significantly narrows the field to a handful. Actually I can only think of one - Pat Metheny - the Mozart of jazz composers who happens to be a great guitar player.
What was interesting was hearing them one-after-another and trying to make a comparison. I would say we need to separate them and not put ALL of them together. The more traditional in one category, others in modern fusion, etc. I can't put Pass and Holdsworth in the same group. You could say they play guitar but musically they're in two different dimensions in my opinion. Thanks for making the video.
A most entertaining and well-chosen list.The other guitarists mentioned in the comments such as John McLaughlin,Barney Kessel,Tal Farlow perhaps also merit inclusion,not to mention Lee Ritenour,a personal favourite.Then too,perhaps we could spare a thought for the late,great Emily Remler .Thanks for doing it anyway! xx
I just went down the list, and unless I missed it, for me, one guy stands out above the rest......Ed Bickert from Toronto. Plays softly, speaks volumes. search him out. he retired a few years ago.....but......yeah!
Ed Bickert is a wonderful player.... he doesn't get enough credit for his artistry, either. Got to love a man who plays jazz on a Telecaster with round-wound strings, too.
Lenny Breau realized certain pianistic ideas on guitar that few others in jazz had done up to that time, but his recording output was quite uneven and in parts, even difficult to listen to. Why? His heroin habit. One is left with a sensation of "what if.." when looking at his life and career. It's nothing short of tragic how many talented and gifted performers have fallen over the years to their drug habits. Sadly, Lenny's name is on that list. That's my take on it, anyway.
@@rintintin8446 And Jimmy Bruno. Although Pat and Allan are my top guys. Lenny Breau and Ted Greene as well, but all of these guys are a must listen, I love them all.
@@Guitarraeficaztutorialesytabs My favorite? Well, I've seen Benson a couple of times and his is absolutely electrifying! BTW. I said that to Bucky Pizzarelli (sp?) and he agreed.
Thank you, I wasn't aware of of the Virtuosity of Stanley Jordan as a solo guitar player! A true revolutionary for those guitar professionals who understand the degree of difficulty and discipline it takes to come up with a very different style and artistry.
you got my 2 best in there Django and Wes - to me they are the greatest . When it comes to Alan Holdsworth he is a whole other category of what is that he is playing just brilliant
Apart from the "Big Four" historically - who were also innovators and ground breaking in that they added a new dimension to the instrument, i.e. Django, Christian, Pass and Wes, it's pretty obvious you prefer more contemporary rock influenced guys, - good vid though, Peace.
_ Yeah, most of them (except George Benson, Stanley Jordan and John Scofield), unable to swing or groove much, sound more like practicing scales and can't really play JAZZ. "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)"
Just been watching you on TH-cam! What a lovely style you have and what a contribution you must have made to all those Wrecking Crew sessions.And I bet you had some laughs as well amongst all those great musicians.!Gonna watch you some more !....now!
I was happy to see Grant Green and kept saying where's Wes Montgomery? Glad he showed up at the end. I would have included John McLaughlin and Kenny Burrell, but I haven't seen your part two yet. Thanks for posting.
What great genre of music. It can sound so SO different from artist to artist. From the mellow tones of Wes Montgomery to the airy sounds of Julian Lage on Arclight (great album for modern style jazz, he should be on this list IMHO) to the nearly screaming tones of Pat Metheny (sp), it’s such an expressive genre. It would be impossible for me to pick a favorite, good choices here!
Totally a defensible list. I probably would have swapped in Jim Hall and Kenny Burrell and John McLaughlin for Holdsworth, Scofield and Metheney, but it's really a matter of taste at that point.
Johnny Smith was a phenomenal musician, and not just on guitar. He majored in music with an emphasis on trumpet, which he could play fluently. He could compose, sight-read, and arrange. Not many guitarists are top-level readers, but Smith could sight-read as well as any of the cats - and on guitar, that's a b*tch, no lie. Smith pioneered the use of those difficult-to-reach close voiced chords, and was famous for being a masterful player of classical repertiore, despite using only a plectrum and not fingerstyle. In the 1960s, Smith, at the top of his game and universally-respected in the jazz world, suddenly quit the life and moved back to Colorado. Why? His spouse had died unexpectedly and he had a child to raise. Smith opened a music store and led a quiet life for years before returning to music late in life, his skills and artistry intact and still wonderful. Great musician and a great man...
@@GeorgiaBoy1961 I love guitar and played professionally during college. Johnny Smith was The Best guitar player I have ever heard play the instrument. There may be many other stylists I prefer to hear but when talking about the best..only one...Johnny Smith!!! PS I owned a hand made Gibson Johnny Smith model guitar in 1964. I should have kept it...I paid $1500 and it is worth $39,000 today!!!
@@louisasmo5020 - Johnny Smith is one of the all-time great jazz guitarists. Apart from his own legendary achievements on the instrument, he was an important influence on other players, including a young George Benson. Fantastic and well-rounded musician, too. He played trumpet and was an excellent sight reader on that instrument as well as on guitar. He could write, arrange, and orchestrate. Technically, one of the cleanest and fastest players ever - when he chose to be. He also set the bar quite high in terms of realizing/performing multipart fingerstyle classical guitar pieces on electric archtop guitar with the use only of a plectrum. Great great player.
@@louisasmo5020 - Lou, man alive.... to have had an original Gibson Johnny Smith, and not held on to it - all I can say is "Ouch!" Not just because of 39K, but because of how nice those guitars were! I own a high-end archtop myself - it is a custom-made L5 knock-off - and it is an amazingly beautiful and beautiful-sounding instrument. Unless I'm reduced to total penury, I'll never sell it. Getting back to Johnny Smith, not only was he an amazing musician, he was a great man, too. At the height of his success (this was the late 1950s/early1960s), his wife passed away suddenly, leaving him alone to raise his children. Johnny didn't hesitate; he "retired" from the NYC jazz scene and moved to Colorado to open a music store and raise his family. He eventually resumed his jazz career after a fashion as an elder statesman of the guitar, decades later. But to me that speaks volumes about his integrity as a human being, a man and a father -putting his family first that way. I,too, love Smith's work. I own a boxed set of CDs with all of his most-famous recordings on it, and always enjoy playing it.
It's a good list. I would just question the word "jazz" as it has been used. It seems to be meaning "instrumental" more than jazz. Of the list, I would say 4 are jazz, the others are fusion or some other thing (however good). And you forgot Herb Ellis, I think. And Jim Hall. And Kenny Burrell.
I like your list. Obviously, it’s a subjective endeavor, but as long as my Holy Trinity of Wes, Django, and Joe Pass are on there, I’m happy 😃. Also, thank you for including Grant Green. He’s one of my favorites and often gets lost in the shuffle when people compile these lists. Definitely agree with the inclusion of George Benson and Charlie Christian ( just for the historical importance alone). Schofield and Methany are not my cup of tea, but again, it’s subjective. Holdsworth is unique and impossible to classify, arguably the most musical of the “face-melting” type of guitarists, an approach I generally don’t find all that interesting, though I acknowledge the technical skill involved. I probably would include Jim Hall, a sadly neglected player, and maybe even Oscar Moore of the Nat King Cole Trio, just to have a personal favorite out of left field who might not be on anyone else’s list.
It's not so much subjective as much as it is one's depth of knowledge of the genre. This list appears to have come from someone with a rock background.
I do think that at least honorable mention should be Bucky Pizzarelli, I am glad you got Joe pass, Wes Montgomery and Django in the group. Consider a new guitarist, at least for me is Pasquale Grasso, he reminds me of Joe pass. Thanks for sharing.
Ed Bickert,Joe Pass, Barney Kessel, Pat Martino, Joe Diorio, Jan Akkerman, Eef Aalbers, Wim Overgaauw, Volker Kriegel, Julian Bream, John Williams, Baden Powell, Carlos Jobim, Paco Pêna,Paco de Lucia,Eddie van Halen, Stefan Grossman etc etc etc
Wes Montgomery was cool....had a real 'silent' style about him
lol
Nah mate, it’s just his cover of Miles’ “In A Silent Way”
Such smooth tone...heh
Not jut me then !
sick cover of 4'33
Wes Montgomery -- a pioneer in silent music.
Didn't Jim Hall say that Wes played silence better than most people played notes? Oh no, that was Miles Davis.
My brother and I bought nearly all of Wes Montgomery's LP's new..we say no one's cut him yet.. so much more appreciated than all the un-melodic machine gun noters. Just an opinion. Genil Castro is also phenomenal. Can't hear hear the Wes solo?? Know it by heart anyway.
that's why he was so hot during the silent film era. he was out of luck once the talkies came into being
haha now I get it :) just reached the wes montgomery part. Master of muting alright
The first Mime Guitarist Mr. Montgomery.
Django had wounded fingers, yet his playing was so great. Wes is my forever favorite jazz guitarist and he is my whole mento. I learned from him so much, his tone, his control, his fingering, his chord progression. Superb.
Hiis version of See You In My Dreams us still one if my favorite pieces of music.
Jim Mullins has a beautiful smooth sound . Thanks
@@petershekeryk1430 Thanks for recomendid I'll See You In My Dreams, it is now my new favourite song
Wes Montgomery's mastery of the volume knob is incomparable.
Master Volume of the whole studio recording that is..
Hahaha
😆
Your sister is incomparable
@@videosdehumor2175 Your mom is incomparable
Wes Montgomery made such GREAT use of space in his music. Thanks for highlighting this little-appreciated aspect of his playing.
It's been about 50 years since Barney Kessel famously said this: "No one plays better than Johnny Smith. They may play differently, but no one plays better." His quote went on from there along the same lines. I took him to mean that no one navigated the instrument with Smith's precision, possessed his command of dynamics or his ability to elicit such a beautiful tone from the instrument. Simply put, no one else displayed that kind of virtuosity. No one did then, and no one has since. Seville with a pick? Golden Earrings? Many have tried to repeat his efforts on here with that one and my hat's off to them. They'll tell you, as if they have a choice, they didn't match it. Wes said "I don't think I could ever play as perfectly as Johnny Smith." Pat Martino summed it up rather succinctly with "He had no impediments." Most players are of their time and that was true for Johnny as well. His contribution to the advancement of the instrument was his formidable use of closed voicings, the fact that he reset the bar with regard to what was technically possible and he was the first to bring a classical musician's sensibilities with regard to tone production to jazz guitar playing. Not surprisingly, he cited Segovia & Django as his influences. Putting Alan Holdsworth on a list with Charlie & Django doesn't make sense to me unless you're making a list of the players who were the most influential in their time. Further, Jim Hall belongs on anyone's top 10 list. If you don't think so, just listen to more Jim Hall or ask Pat Metheny or anyone still alive on your list. Alan Holdsworth invented his own language on the instrument and if that's not an accomplishment, I don't know what is. But has anyone heard his interpretation of Stella by Starlight or his unaccompanied arrangement of All the Things You Are? No, and they never will. That's apples & oranges. No one's list is going to align perfectly with anyone else's nor should it. But you need more stringent guidelines than the "none at all" approach displayed here. Best player: Johnny Smith. Best overall: Wes Montgomery. Best now: George Benson, hands down, game over, next question. Guitar players to watch: Julian Lage, Pasquale Grasso and first and foremost, Antoine Boyer.
Steve Silverman , We are on the same planet, Grasso is an atomic weapon
@@zenith8868 Two years later and another vote Pasquale.
I agree in great part with your comments. But what´s the difference between ¨Best Player¨ and ¨Best Overall¨ ? In my mind that's not much of a distinction. And yes, GB is the best now. He's a genius and always has been.
Love them all. I got to mention Ed Bickert, one of the most underrated guitar player
Criminally-underrated talent on jazz guitar.... that's Ed Bickert.
Yess yess yes
I'm with you.
I love it when Joe Pass gets out all his frustrations .... and then nails it perfectly to the end - what a pro. 👏
He didn't nail anything in that moment; it was embarrassing.
@@chadrew6 - Not at all, he was just being human and the audience respected that.
@@chadrew6 It wasn't embarrassing at all, he was just having fun, Joe Pass can play anything and can play for hours long alone without being annoying , without repeating a line twice, he is absolute genius and monster, it's just a fun moment. Check the full version
He didn't mess up. He was making fun of modern jazz guitar players that think playing fast makes you good
Wes and his thumb still blow me away to this day. What a genius.
Even if you did a “Top 100”, someone deserving would be omitted. Appreciate the effort, thx!
Walter Hayley 100000000% agree!
well, jim hall, kenny burrell??
I totally agree, there are well over 100 top 10 jazz guitarists out there. One of my favorite is Barney Kessel, and he rendition of "Here's that Rainy Day" is superb.
@@sergiogarciafontse6772 To exclude the master jazz guitarist Jim Hall and include two rock-tinged "jazz" guitarists is just plain lacking in a depth of understanding of jazz guitar
Lenny breau, Johnny Smith, what's the matter with you guys
Such a revelation to hear Wes play live. I had heard the legend that he developed his style in the tenements of NY where he had to learn to play quietly.. but I had no idea.
The master of jazz guitar...LENNY BREAU.....YOU MISSED THIS GENIUS OF JAZZ GUITAR..
Jim Woolley ......Lenny is definitely the greatest of all time....I bet lots of these guys (who are legends too) would agree
@@JonesTonesGuitar He certainly belonged on the list, as did Jim Hall. Not sure Scofield is ready for this list, though.
@@JonesTonesGuitarThere is no greatest guitarist, certainly not in a scenario such as this where no boundaries were set in terms of style or approach, time period or anything else. Even with parameters such as one tune, one tempo, one take, the same number of choruses, all occurring on same day and assessed by a panel of the same, seasoned judges - impossible considering most are no longer with us - and unnecessary because it's not a competition. Beauty is in the ear of the beholder and too much rests upon what's passed through that ear before and how much was actually understood. There are names being bandied about on here that don't belong on a top 100 list. Most knowledgeable guitar players would agree Lenny was a one off. A special guy, an innovator, a musical genius. He was born with perfect pitch, worked hard to develop a number of disparate techniques and managed to incorporate them into an immediately identifiable sound. A great artist as well as a unique one, no question. But at times, an unfocused, tragic figure who came to a most untimely and unfortunate end. Comparisons are inevitable, sometimes fun, rarely enlightening but very much a part of human nature. Whether it's ballplayers, politicians, beer or steakhouses, everyone's got their favorites. If we must hand out ribbons however, the Blue one would have to go to Wes. The least contrived, the most lyrical, the least reliant upon set licks or runs, his playing was always focused and his swing was unerring. His knack for developing a solo over many choruses while maintaining continuity from single notes to octaves and finally, four part harmony, hasn't been matched. There are more modern, sophisticated players playing more challenging music, but better? I haven't heard it.. Any fan of Lenny's (I certainly count myself among them), would appreciate Antoine Boyer, 24, and of course, Ted Greene should you not know who he was.
@@stevesilverman5296 : Very well said !
@@CVC509 Thank you sir!
When you reach such levels of Guitar mastery as any of these guys & the ones mentioned in the comments - there is NO best - only opinion !.
Any "Best Of" list is just a reflection of one's depth of experience in the genre.
I agree...when you are a jazz artist regardless of what instrument you play...you are above them all...even classical musicians.
As stated in the beginning of this video.
MY FAVORITE JOE PASS AND GEORGE BENSON....
Smiled through watching this. So many could have made your list. Glad to see some of my favourites
Nice list! Thank you! I missed Barney Kessel, Kenny Burrell, Heraldo do Monte and Toninho Horta
Montgomery and Pass were the best I ever heard.
I hear you on JP but I couldn’t hear Wes!
@@skygorider Wes' best was from 1959-1963 when he recorded for Riverside. I enjoyed the music from his last 5 years before his passing, but I liked his Riverside music much, much more. Just my preference.
Once I heard Bireli Lagrene and Sylvain Luc it changed how I viewed this particular top 10.
Thanks for your post; excellent selection of artists. You reminded that Jim Hall and Howard Roberts were two of my musical influences.
Yes...perfect picks! Discovered some new one to make it to my list.
Nice list. I never tire of Lenny Breau, Django & Johnny Smith
Love this. I would have somehow snuck in Burrell and Hall
Great list, you had some of my favorites on there, nice job!
There are so many greats, it is hard to choose just 10. Overall, you hit 6 out of 10 of my favorites. I love your list. Thanks for sharing.
Wes Montgomery was so good and had such an amazing tone ..that only dogs could hear him play.
Ed Bickert, Lenny Breau, Reg Schaefer.
Vic Juris
great list!
dude I totally loved this. Thx.
Barney Kessel, Ed Bickert,Jimmy Rainy,René Thomas,Jim Hall,Joe Diorio....
And here's my list of the top 10 vegetables - potatoes, carrots, brocolli, turnips, leeks, onions, cabbage, celery, peas, spinach.
I think your comment pretty much sums it up, John.
Funny guy
You forgot Green onions
Beets
Beans
Amazing!
Great picks! ;)
Common observation of non- playing aficionados is how easy these guys make it look. For me, Joe Pass always looked like he was enjoying what his hands were doing as if he had nothing to do with them!
Unconscious competence. In a sense, you’re right.
"Competitions are for horses not artists" - Béla Bartók
Nice video though
Well said, brother...
You missed Johnny Smith
It's a good video because there is no ranking, just a person giving his opinion.
Agree...but most people spend their lives only comparing comparing comparing.............
Bela Bartok is a good friend of Adam Neely's channel . Lol. Wes and Joe are my personal favorite. But it's really hard to say who's best
I'm glad some folks mentioned George Van Eps and Howard Roberts, George pioneered the 7 string and played chords where most folks just played notes.
Swing top bop with Christian is my ”ultimate” solo. Soooo groovy❤️
Yes, these choices much respected, however the body of work of Kenny Burrell as a side man and leader must be included, he's still with us and has influenced generations of guitarists.... also worthy of mention in my opinion is the often overlooked Jimmy Ponder, he emerged from Pittsburgh around the time of George Benson. Ponder was definitely influenced by Wes Montgomery, but established his own sound as a master soloist with a seemingly endless vocabulary.
I’d throw Ted Greene and Lenny Breau in there to make it an even dozen.
Great list! Thanks.
Awesome
Having watched Pts. 1 and 2, I missed these guitarists:
Mimi Fox
Larry Coryell
Ted Green
Pasquale Grasso
James Ulmer
Lenny Breau
Mimi Fox for her combination of technique and inventiveness.
Larry Coryell for contributing in to the emergence of fusion as well as his many stylistic explorations.
Ted Green for his work an educator. It's a shame he did not record more often. One could imagine him as the Bill Evans of the guitar.
Pasquale Grasso for combining awesome technique with melodic sense.
James Blood Ulmer for creating a space for the guitar in Ornette Coleman's world and for his distinctive style.
Lenny Breau. Like Joe Pass, Django Reinhardt, Wes Montgomery and Charlie Christian, Breau was a transcendent player. This group deserves a special category -- the outliers. Players who were that good, original and infuential that they provide the standard used to evaluate others.
You should ad Al DIMeola to that list.
Any jazz list without Lenny is a crime!! What an under appreciated genius
As long as it’s got Django, Wes and Charlie it’s ok in my book👍 hah
Beautiful video
Great list!
You should include Martin Taylor
Interesting list but Jim Hall and kenny Burrel for me would be are mendatory. However all art is subjective, we all hear things in different ways. Anyway enjoyed your upload thanks
Fantastic!
Pretty much I agree. I don’t listen to these guys anymore, but still like them.
Hard to have a "Top Jazz Guitarist" anything without Lenny Breau on the list.
Lenny Breau accomplished some things in fingerstyle jazz guitar which were path-breaking and unique, but he was also his own worst enemy in that his drug habit cost him what could - maybe should - have been a brilliant career. Maybe there needs to be a separate list for solo fingerstyle jazz guitar performers, he'd definitely merit inclusion to that. But even though he played in a few traditional settings early in his career - it is hard to measure his career versus someone like Pat Martino or Kenny Burrell, because what they did and what Lenny did were so different.
I think I would have included Al Di Meola, better known as a drummer these days, but in the eighties he was the man.Jeff Beck definitely deserves a mention for pushing the boundaries, Les Paul - with out whom there would have been no modern music industry, virtuoso player, inventor of solid body guitars, multi-track recording, close miking technique, harmonica racks, analogue and digital sampling.Lets not forget the ladies - Mary Ford was a very fine Guitarist in her own right, as was Mary Kaye, noted Jazz Guitarist and singer and legendary session muso of the 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's.There are more that are note worthy, but those are my picks : ]
I completely agree with your choice sir
awesome!
What about Jim hall 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Pépé Tito Del’alhambra superb
Mickey Baker was better than most of these people.
Reggae Fan he was pretty good
Yep -
Very good list. Been listening to Bucky Pizzarelli, you could add him?
Love all of them
Ranking favorites limits musical expansion. Keep expanding your list.
Me encanta el sonido jazz de esa guitarra gibson q toca Joe Pass, es maravilloso lo q esos dedos interpretan en un diapason de ébano o palo rosa, resonando en un cuerpo de caja o semi hollow.
Artistry and skill are just the first test. If he also happens to be a great composer then that significantly narrows the field to a handful. Actually I can only think of one - Pat Metheny - the Mozart of jazz composers who happens to be a great guitar player.
All so great!
Top ten legends ! great !
You got most of them. Hard to beat "the Gypsey" one can only imagine how he would have been with all his fingers
Good list! I would have included Kenny Burrell and Barney Kessel.
Com toda certeza esses têm que estar na lista assim como Johnny Smith, Joe Diório, Jim Hall 3 J Master.
Those are the two I was thinking of as well. If the list was longer, Tal Farlow and Sal Salvador.
Same! Both are in my top 5.
That's the problem with those "top ten", always missing something, those two are definitely missing here...
Tim M my very first thought upon clicking this video was “Barney Kessel better fucking be on here.”
Good job!
Nice list
joe pass genius
What was interesting was hearing them one-after-another and trying to make a comparison. I would say we need to separate them and not put ALL of them together. The more traditional in one category, others in modern fusion, etc. I can't put Pass and Holdsworth in the same group. You could say they play guitar but musically they're in two different dimensions in my opinion. Thanks for making the video.
@John Heussenstamm : I Totally agree !
…that’s why Herb Ellis/Kenny Burrell should be on the list if we talking jazz
Always tough but you did a great job
Love Grant Green, Wes Montgomery, & Joe Pass. Thanks for sharing !
A most entertaining and well-chosen list.The other guitarists mentioned in the comments such as John McLaughlin,Barney Kessel,Tal Farlow perhaps also merit inclusion,not to mention Lee Ritenour,a personal favourite.Then too,perhaps we could spare a thought for the late,great Emily Remler .Thanks for doing it anyway! xx
Aahhh the late, great Emily. Once heard, never forgotten.
Couldn't remember lee name ...I was digging Emily family restoration of her guitar
My favorite jazz guitarists are Joe Pass, Emily Remler, Wes Montgomery and Grant Green.
Perfect List.. Agree With You.. Thanks
They're all great!!!
I just went down the list, and unless I missed it, for me, one guy stands out above the rest......Ed Bickert from Toronto. Plays softly, speaks volumes. search him out. he retired a few years ago.....but......yeah!
Ed Bickert is a wonderful player.... he doesn't get enough credit for his artistry, either. Got to love a man who plays jazz on a Telecaster with round-wound strings, too.
Best and most innovative jazz guitarist everybody leaves out: Lenny Breau
Lenny Breau realized certain pianistic ideas on guitar that few others in jazz had done up to that time, but his recording output was quite uneven and in parts, even difficult to listen to. Why? His heroin habit. One is left with a sensation of "what if.." when looking at his life and career. It's nothing short of tragic how many talented and gifted performers have fallen over the years to their drug habits. Sadly, Lenny's name is on that list. That's my take on it, anyway.
REAL jazz? Kenny Burrell!
@@rintintin8446 And Jimmy Bruno. Although Pat and Allan are my top guys. Lenny Breau and Ted Greene as well, but all of these guys are a must listen, I love them all.
@@Guitarraeficaztutorialesytabs My favorite? Well, I've seen Benson a couple of times and his is absolutely electrifying! BTW. I said that to Bucky Pizzarelli (sp?) and he agreed.
Thank you, I wasn't aware of of the Virtuosity of Stanley Jordan as a solo guitar player! A true revolutionary for those guitar professionals who understand the degree of difficulty and discipline it takes to come up with a very different style and artistry.
Magnifique vidéo 🙏❤️😊
you got my 2 best in there Django and Wes - to me they are the greatest . When it comes to Alan Holdsworth he is a whole other category of what is that he is playing just brilliant
Jim hall, Kenny burrell and a lot of others
wonderful
Good list.
Apart from the "Big Four" historically - who were also innovators and ground breaking in that they added a new dimension to the instrument, i.e. Django, Christian, Pass and Wes, it's pretty obvious you prefer more contemporary rock influenced guys, - good vid though, Peace.
_ Yeah, most of them (except George Benson, Stanley Jordan and John Scofield), unable to swing or groove much, sound more like practicing scales and can't really play JAZZ. "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)"
@@jimtakahashi4638 Yep, agreed! Peace
Johnny Smith and Wes both #1, I bet you guys would like French guitarist Sylvain Luc.
Oh thank you.. Sylvain is such a genius
Just been watching you on TH-cam! What a lovely style you have and what a contribution you must have made to all those Wrecking Crew sessions.And I bet you had some laughs as well amongst all those great musicians.!Gonna watch you some more !....now!
And Bireli Lagrene...
I was happy to see Grant Green and kept saying where's Wes Montgomery? Glad he showed up at the end. I would have included John McLaughlin and Kenny Burrell, but I haven't seen your part two yet. Thanks for posting.
What great genre of music. It can sound so SO different from artist to artist. From the mellow tones of Wes Montgomery to the airy sounds of Julian Lage on Arclight (great album for modern style jazz, he should be on this list IMHO) to the nearly screaming tones of Pat Metheny (sp), it’s such an expressive genre. It would be impossible for me to pick a favorite, good choices here!
Herb Ellis, Tal Farlow, Jimmy Bruno.
Thank you! Pat Martino number 7! I dont think so!
Totally a defensible list. I probably would have swapped in Jim Hall and Kenny Burrell and John McLaughlin for Holdsworth, Scofield and Metheney, but it's really a matter of taste at that point.
Yes just read your comment after making mine.Very well said totally agree with your choice but as is the case with all Art it is 100% subjective.
I agree with your swap choices and would swap Howard Roberts for Grant Green
Guitarist David Snow th-cam.com/play/PLG197P64DlL1WvVJ4QKe4amIdPZ5H1O51.html
Strong list my friend.
May I strongly suggest Ichika Nito to you and whomever else for todays top guitarist in music
Egberto Gismonti and Ralph Towner?Both hugely influential guitarist/composers- right up there with the best
I was waiting for Joe... of course, he was included. Whew.
so glad you put Holdsworth there..especially when he played with The new Tony Williams Lifetime Believe It
Agree!Nice list.
Johnny Smith would be on my short list.
Johnny Smith was a phenomenal musician, and not just on guitar. He majored in music with an emphasis on trumpet, which he could play fluently. He could compose, sight-read, and arrange. Not many guitarists are top-level readers, but Smith could sight-read as well as any of the cats - and on guitar, that's a b*tch, no lie. Smith pioneered the use of those difficult-to-reach close voiced chords, and was famous for being a masterful player of classical repertiore, despite using only a plectrum and not fingerstyle. In the 1960s, Smith, at the top of his game and universally-respected in the jazz world, suddenly quit the life and moved back to Colorado. Why? His spouse had died unexpectedly and he had a child to raise. Smith opened a music store and led a quiet life for years before returning to music late in life, his skills and artistry intact and still wonderful. Great musician and a great man...
@@GeorgiaBoy1961 I love guitar and played professionally during college. Johnny Smith was The Best guitar player I have ever heard play the instrument. There may be many other stylists I prefer to hear but when talking about the best..only one...Johnny Smith!!! PS I owned a hand made Gibson Johnny Smith model guitar in 1964. I should have kept it...I paid $1500 and it is worth $39,000 today!!!
@@louisasmo5020 - Johnny Smith is one of the all-time great jazz guitarists. Apart from his own legendary achievements on the instrument, he was an important influence on other players, including a young George Benson. Fantastic and well-rounded musician, too. He played trumpet and was an excellent sight reader on that instrument as well as on guitar. He could write, arrange, and orchestrate. Technically, one of the cleanest and fastest players ever - when he chose to be. He also set the bar quite high in terms of realizing/performing multipart fingerstyle classical guitar pieces on electric archtop guitar with the use only of a plectrum. Great great player.
@@louisasmo5020 - Lou, man alive.... to have had an original Gibson Johnny Smith, and not held on to it - all I can say is "Ouch!" Not just because of 39K, but because of how nice those guitars were! I own a high-end archtop myself - it is a custom-made L5 knock-off - and it is an amazingly beautiful and beautiful-sounding instrument. Unless I'm reduced to total penury, I'll never sell it. Getting back to Johnny Smith, not only was he an amazing musician, he was a great man, too. At the height of his success (this was the late 1950s/early1960s), his wife passed away suddenly, leaving him alone to raise his children. Johnny didn't hesitate; he "retired" from the NYC jazz scene and moved to Colorado to open a music store and raise his family. He eventually resumed his jazz career after a fashion as an elder statesman of the guitar, decades later. But to me that speaks volumes about his integrity as a human being, a man and a father -putting his family first that way. I,too, love Smith's work. I own a boxed set of CDs with all of his most-famous recordings on it, and always enjoy playing it.
It's a good list. I would just question the word "jazz" as it has been used. It seems to be meaning "instrumental" more than jazz. Of the list, I would say 4 are jazz, the others are fusion or some other thing (however good). And you forgot Herb Ellis, I think. And Jim Hall. And Kenny Burrell.
Genial selección. En un tema tan difícil creo que has acertado en un 100% ( en cuanto a guitarristas de jazz)..
Enhorabuena!!
This list is the best of the best.march2022.
Kenny Burrell
I like your list. Obviously, it’s a subjective endeavor, but as long as my Holy Trinity of Wes, Django, and Joe Pass are on there, I’m happy 😃.
Also, thank you for including Grant Green. He’s one of my favorites and often gets lost in the shuffle when people compile these lists.
Definitely agree with the inclusion of George Benson and Charlie Christian ( just for the historical importance alone).
Schofield and Methany are not my cup of tea, but again, it’s subjective. Holdsworth is unique and impossible to classify, arguably the most musical of the “face-melting” type of guitarists, an approach I generally don’t find all that interesting, though I acknowledge the technical skill involved.
I probably would include Jim Hall, a sadly neglected player, and maybe even Oscar Moore of the Nat King Cole Trio, just to have a personal favorite out of left field who might not be on anyone else’s list.
It's not so much subjective as much as it is one's depth of knowledge of the genre. This list appears to have come from someone with a rock background.
I do think that at least honorable mention should be Bucky Pizzarelli, I am glad you got Joe pass, Wes Montgomery and Django in the group. Consider a new guitarist, at least for me is Pasquale Grasso, he reminds me of Joe pass. Thanks for sharing.
Ed Bickert,Joe Pass, Barney Kessel, Pat Martino, Joe Diorio, Jan Akkerman, Eef Aalbers, Wim Overgaauw, Volker Kriegel, Julian Bream, John Williams, Baden Powell, Carlos Jobim, Paco Pêna,Paco de Lucia,Eddie van Halen, Stefan Grossman etc etc etc
This list is perfect