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Jazz Guitar Greats :
Who's Who of Jazz Guitar

This page links to several articles I wrote about my favorite jazz guitar greats. Each page contains must-know information about the players. 

The individual pages also depict each guitarist's playing style along with some licks, videos and transcriptions. (All compiled by yours truly!)

Jazz guitar history is an amazing learning tool.
Learn from the masters and burn like one!

Enjoy!

Please contact me with any jazz guitar greats comments, questions, licks, transcriptions, concerns (?) or suggestions.

[I always avoid digging too much into the personal stuff in the biographical part of each of the jazz guitar greats page. You'll agree that the music is what matters here.]


Alphabetical Index

Benson, George
Bickert, Ed
Breau, Lenny

Christian, Charlie
Ellis, Herb

Farlow, Tal
Green, Grant
Hall, Jim

Juris, Vic


Jazz Guitar Greats :

(appear in chronological order)


Pat Metheny (1954-)

One of the most influential jazz guitarist or the last 30 years. Metheny's approach to composing and playing the guitar is unique.

Strengths : great sound, virtuosity, use of guitar-synth, jazz composition and arrangements (for the "Pat Metheny Group" and other projects.)



Vic Juris (1953-)

A great, modern and sensitive guitar improviser. He's been part of David Liebman's group for almost 20 years.

Strengths : Accompaniment, voicings, rubato-like lines, creative approach to anything he touches!



John Scofield (1951-)

One of the most distinctive voice in the jazz guitar field ever. Scofield's harsh jazz-rock sound is instantly recognizable.

Strengths : unique "harsh" sound, never-hear-before improvised lines, outstanding articulation, composition, groove/funk playing.


Pat Martino (1944-)

An instigator of the "modern sound" in jazz guitar. Martino combines technical prowess and beautiful, post-bop jazz music.

Strengths : great time feel, lyricism, virtuosity, amazing "machine-gun" like lines (that never get boring!), melodic inventiveness.



George Benson (1943-)

Benson is the perfect blend between a heavy bop guitarist and a soul-jazz singer. He's been entertaining crowds for decades!

Strengths : soul singing, groove, lots of chops!, charisma, great simultaneous scat-singing while improvising on the guitar.



Lenny Breau (1941-1984)

One of the greatest Canadian guitarist, Lenny Breau was a true master of harmony on the guitar. Sadly, he's not very well known.

Strengths : chords and chord melody style of playing, solo performances, harmonics, improvisations, flamenco and classical chops (fingerstyle).




Grant Green (1935-1979)

Great underestimated jazz guitarist. Well known for his soul and jazz albums on Blue Note.

Strengths : Great feel, bluesiness, outstanding use of the bebop vocabulary, funkiness (later in his life).



Ed Bickert (1932-)

Great Canadian Jazz Guitarist. Unprecedented mastery and taste on the guitar. You have to hear him to believe it...

Strengths : harmony, improvised lines, comping with "pick and fingers"



Jim Hall (1930-)

Probably the most influential of all the jazz guitar greats. His minimalistic approach resonates with everyone... and had an impact on today's big names (Sco, Metheny, Frisell et al.)

Strengths : highly individual voice and style, less-is-more approach and the use of space, impressive in all settings (duo to big band), ultra modern yet traditional notes and rhythms choices.



Joe Pass (1929-1994)

One of the greatest jazz guitar greats! Widely recognized as THE solo jazz guitarist of his time.

Strengths : solo recitals (!), harmonic concept (chords and counterpoint), walking bass lines, chord melody arrangements, bebop improvisation.




Jimmy Raney (1927-1995)

A rather underrated jazz guitar master. Raney is amongst my favorite for his great ideas and smooth yet interesting phrasing.

Strengths : Clear melodic ideas, phrasing and displacements, nice countours and creativity within the harmonic boundaries.




Wes Montgomery (1923-1968)

One of my personal favorites of all time! Wes is respected and admired by guitarists of many styles throughout the world.

Strengths : Melodic inventiveness, soulfulness, deep groove, the use of octaves, personal sound (plucking strictly with the right-hand thumb).

Wes Montgomery
Wes Montgomery:
Bio, Licks and Transcriptions




Herb Ellis (1921-2010)

A great, sensitive swinging bebop guitarist, Herb played in the most significant guitar-piano-bass trio of all times. (with the great Oscar Peterson).

Strengths : bebop improvisations, swinging hard(!), comping.

herbert ellis
Herb Ellis:
Bio, Licks and Transcriptions


Tal Farlow (1921-1998)

One of the great pioneers of bebop guitar, Tal had a unique approach and sound to playing.

Strengths : Ultra-fast lines, unusual chord voicings, chord melody, artificial harmonics to play entire melodies.

talmage farlow
Tal Farlow:
Bio, Licks and Transcriptions



Charlie Christian (1916-1942)

The father of jazz lines on the guitar : he played genuine bebop (imitating the horns). Also the first established jazz guitarist to use amplification.

Strengths : "Horn-like" chromatic lines, flowing melodic improvisations, bluesy, rhythmic repetition and motif development.

Charlie Christian
Charlie Christian:
Bio, Licks and Transcriptions



Django Reinhardt (1910-1953)

The greatest gypsy-jazz guitarist of all time. He is the most renowned European jazz legend in history! His band was the first established jazz ensemble using only string instruments.

Strengths : Impeccable melodic lines on acoustic guitar, virtuosity (with only two fingers!), lyricism, "poum tchak" style of comping.



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